06/11/2026
Elmwood Cemetery is home to more than 80,000 individuals, each with a story. Over time, stories are sometimes forgotten, but one remarkable story has recently came back to light.
While researching historical records in Elmwood’s archive, volunteer Dale Schaefer uncovered references to the long-lost Elmwood Academy, a school operating in 1869 to 1870 near the cemetery. This discovery led to a deeper search and to the life of Alicia Russell Middleton Girardeau.
Alicia’s story connects Memphis directly to the American Revolutionary War. She was a descendant of the prominent Middleton family of South Carolina, whose legacy includes Henry Middleton, President of the First Continental Congress, and Arthur Middleton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and President of the Second Continental Congress.
Despite her distinguished heritage, Alicia’s life was marked by hardship. She married Thomas J. Girardeau, a minister and educator, in 1859, just before the Civil War. The couple endured years of separation during the war before eventually settling in Memphis, where Thomas founded Elmwood Academy.
Tragically, in September 1869, Alicia and her infant died of whooping cough and were buried at Elmwood. Like many families of the era who had lost so much, their graves remained unmarked, and their story was nearly lost to time. But not anymore.
The National Society of the Colonial Dames Memphis Town Committee has purchased and placed a grave marker for Alicia Girardeau, ensuring her story is honored and remembered. You can see the newly placed marker in the accompanying photo.
This rediscovery is a powerful reminder that Elmwood is not just a resting place. It is a living archive of history waiting to be uncovered.
You can explore more stories through Elmwood’s online database: elmwoodcemetery.org/burial-search
