Live oak Cemetery, Selma Alabama
The West Selma Cemetery now known as Old Live Oak Cemetery is
one of the few southern cemeteries listed on the National
Register of Historic Places. To date there have been over 8,000
burials.
The Cemetery lies to the south side of Dallas Avenue. It is
bordered on the east by Pettus street and on the west by Valley
Creek and is dissected by King Street.
Majestic moss covered live oaks, beautiful sculptured monuments
and wide paths characterize the historic landmark. In about 1833
the Selma city founders set aside a place for a burial ground
and called it the West Selma Graveyard. and in 1877 The City
purchased additional land to the west for additional space.
In the early part of the cemetery the layout was seemingly
unplanned. On January 9, 1856 An ordinance was adopted declaring
the graveyard a public nuisance and prohibiting any additional
graves. The East Selma Graveyard was than established.
In 1858 the old grave yard was put in order and surrounded by a
fence. The ordinance was changed to allow burial of white
citizens who had relatives already buried there. In 1877 The
City purchased additional land from the west of King street to
Valley creek for additional space. Thanks to the Ladies Memorial
Association, the newer addition is sectioned off with large
avenues for walking or driving.
On April 26, 1878 The Confederate Soldiers Memorial was
dedicated. It occupies a prominent position in the center of the
new section.
In 1879 Col N.R.H. Dawson imported live oak and magnolia trees
from Mobile to be planted in both the old and new sections and
the name was changed to Live Oak Cemetery. Dawson himself is
buried in the new section. Col Dawson's Wife Elodie Todd was a
half sister of Mary Todd Lincoln. Colonel Dawson also served as
U.S. commissioner of education. I 1880 he was chosen Speaker of
the Alabama House.
Some Famous people buried at Live Oak:
- William Rufus King, founder of Selma, U.S. senator and vice
president of the United States.
- Benjamin Sterling Turner, Alabama's first black congressman.
- Col. N.R.H. Dawson U. S. commissioner of education and his
wife Elodie Todd Dawson sister of Mary Todd Lincoln.
- John Tyler Morgan, Confederate General who later became U.S.
Senator and "Father of the Panama Canal".
- Edmund Winston Pettus, Confederate general who later became
U.S. senator.
- Confederate General William J. Hardee.
- Catesby ap Roger Jones, commander of the Confederate ironclad
Merrimac (or Virginia) and of the Confederate Naval Ordnance
Works at Selma.
- Rev. Arthur Small, a Presbyterian minister who died in the
Battle of Selma.
- Artist Clara Weaver Parris.
- Mrs. Harriet Hooker Wilkins who became the first woman elected
to the Alabama Legislature in 1922.
Bibliography:
Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans
Selma Her Institutions And He r Men, John Hardy 1879