By PHOEBE ROBINSON / Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER – The David Lindsay Historical Cemetery, located on Highway 17 in Alabaster, has been completely renovated and marked with new historical and grave markers thanks to the collective efforts of the DAR David Lindsay Chapter, SAR Cahaba-Coosa Chapter and Eagle Scout Caleb Jones, Boy Scout Troop 532.

The new Alabama Bicentennial historical marker was recently installed by the Elders of the Alabama Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Lindsay served in the Washington County, Pennsylvania, Militia during the Revolutionary War and moved to the Mississippi/Alabama Territory in 1816, finally settling with his family in Shelby County by 1820.

Scott Martin, Lindsay’s fifth great-grandson, has worked extensively on the cemetery’s history and wrote the accepted application for the David Lindsay Historical Cemetery to be placed on the Alabama Historic Cemetery Registry with the Alabama Historical Commission on June 19, 2017.

In September 1825, David Lindsay’s son Elijah purchased land on Highway 17 where his father and mother, Mary Casey, Lindsay are buried. The land was sold to Lindsay’s son-in-law Richard T. Crowson who in turn sold it to James P. Lacey. In August 1906 Dr. James Hugh Blair interviewed Lindsay’s grandson Elijah Fulton Lindsay who tells Blair the location of the family cemetery. In 1953 Daniel Boone Lacey, who now owns the cemetery property, contacted the DAR David Lindsay Chapter, chartered in 1927 and named for Revolutionary War soldier and Shelby County pioneer. In December 1953 after extensive research by Mrs. A.W. Vaughn, the chapter placed a historical marker for Lindsay’s grave. In 1979, the cemetery was placed on the “Cemetery Census of Shelby County, Alabama Volume II.”

In 2008 after years of research, the Daughters of American Revolution approved David Lindsay as a Revolutionary War patriot. NSDAR gave approval on March 8, 2018, to place new historical markers at the cemetery with new, correct information about Lindsay’s birth, death and war service.

Alabama Bicentennial Commission gave a $2,500 grant to the chapter for the new Alabama Bicentennial historical marker honoring Lindsay. Steve McMinn, president of the Young Men’s Organization volunteered the Elders to install the sign with LDS member Bruce Willis to supervise the work. The ward, which also serves as the Alabaster Precinct 23 polling place, is located in the Lacey’s Grove subdivision off Highway 17 across from the cemetery.

“It was an honor to be involved in serving the city that has been so kind to us,” said Elder Howard and Elder Seegmiller who will serve for six months at the Alabaster Ward. “There is so much history in this area. It is an honor to serve and preserve the history by helping to install this marker.”