By Phoebe Robinson / Special to the Reporter

The Alabama Bicentennial 2017-2019 established 2018 to be the year Alabama “honors our people.” Revolutionary War soldier and Shelby County pioneer David Lindsay will be honored at David Lindsay Day on Sunday, Sept. 9, in Liberty Hall at American Village on Alabama 119 in Montevallo.

Lindsay served with the Washington County Militia in Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War and moved to Alabama with his family before statehood. The celebration will honor Lindsay’s descendants as well as the renovation of the David Lindsay Historical Cemetery located on Shelby County 17 in Alabaster. The event is free and open to the public.

Audra White, Lindsay’s fifth great granddaughter, is chair and keynote speaker of David Lindsay Day. She is the daughter of Terry Davis and granddaughter of Erin Bristow and Ellis Lee Davis of Shelby. Grandmother Bristow descended Revolutionary War soldier John Bristow and from the owners of the Shelby Hotel, the first hotel in the county with running water and electricity located next to the Shelby Iron Works. Grandfather Davis is descended Elizabeth Lindsay who married Joseph Hale, daughter of David and Mary Casey Lindsay.

White is the online instructional designer at the University of Montevallo and lives in Calera with husband Gary. She is also the regent of the David Lindsay Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, named for her ancestor. The chapter was chartered in Montevallo in 1927 with 13 members, many with ties to Alabama College, now the University of Montevallo. The chapter was confirmed by NSDAR on Feb. 3, 1928.  White has been researching the early days of the chapter, its close ties to the university, and the cemetery’s history for her keynote speech. She recently created the chapter website, Davidlindsaynsdar.weebly.com.

In addition to the DAR chapter, the event is sponsored by the Cahaba-Coosa Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, Jane Bland Society Children of the American Revolution, Shelby Division Boy Scouts of America, Alabama Bicentennial Commission and American Village.

Tom Walker, founder and CEO of the American Village Citizenship Trust, will bring greetings as well as U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer. David Lindsay Day will be declared by proclamation by Gov. Kay Ivey, Alabaster Mayor Marty Handlon, Montevallo Mayor Hollie Cost, and the Alabama Bicentennial Commission. The DAR and SAR will present wreathes, BSA Troop 532 will present colors, and vocalist SAR Compatriot Robert Robinson will sing the National Anthem and songs of Alabama. Refreshments will be served after the program while a picture of all descendants will be taken on the steps of Liberty Hall.

For more information, contact White at audrawhite08@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/Descendants-of-David-Lindsay-Mary-Casey-Lindsay-158240771412667/.