Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Birthday of Confederate General William Joseph Hardee

October 12th is the birthday of Confederate General Hardee who was born 12 October 1815 and died on 6 November 1873. He is buried in Old Live Oak Cemetery in Selma. Pat Godwin of the United Daughter's of the Confederacy offered this rememberance.

Gen Hardee and Elodie Todd Dawson organized the Confederate Memorial Association in March 1873...he was the first president... then unfortunately, he passed away in November 1873... Elodie then took over as President and Confederate Memorial Association then became the Ladies Memorial Association.  They began raising money with the goal of erecting a memorial to the Confederate dead... and to bring back the remains of 156 Confederate soldiers.   The city of Selma purchased 18 acres adjoining the existing "West Selma Graveyard" in March 1877... on April 17, 1877, Elodie Todd Dawson went to the City Council and asked the city to donate one acre in the centermost part of the newly acquired land for the purpose of erecting the memorial.   The city granted Mrs. Dawson her request... the ladies then continued to raise money for the monument... and the remains of the soldiers... sadly,  Elodie Todd Dawson passed away in November 1877 and did not live to see the fruits of her labor come to fruition.  Alice Pettus then became President of the LMA... on April 26, 1878 the Confederate Memorial was dedicated at the Confederate Memorial Circle... which is now officially owned by the Selma Chapter 53, UDC. 

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