Elizabeth Todd Edwards

Biography

Elizabeth Todd Edwards (1813-1888) is remembered not only as the eldest surviving sister of Mary Todd Lincoln but also as a steady presence in Springfield society, offering comfort to family and neighbors through times of triumph and sorrow. She guarded her household with maternal devotion and lent quiet support to public causes whenever duty called, finding peace among kin and friends now honored at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

As years passed, Elizabeth became a touchstone for the Todd and Edwards families, sharing her memory of frontier childhoods and the discipline of those early years. Her unwavering kindness helped sustain the community during the Civil War and its aftermath, and her gentle nature left a legacy of compassion now enshrined beneath the oaks.