Sena Dodson (bef. 1846)

Born before 1846 in Virginia, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Sena Dodson is a part of US Black heritage.

Sena (presumed to be female, but with no evidence) was part of a group of enslaved people named in the 1846 will of her owner Elisha Dodson Jr. Sena's age was not described in the will.^[1]

Sena was bequeathed with all the others named in the following quotation. Elisha Dodson Jr wrote: "Item 16th It is my will & I hereby bequeath to be divided at my death the following negroes namely Randolph Richard Sandy Lucy John Aggy Sena Rachel Caroline & Bird with the increase of the females after making Nancy Dodson Nancy Annie F. (Dodson) Roddin (abt.1827-aft. 1900) equal with Sally A. Olive & Susan L. (Waller) Bolton (1813-1869) alloting to her one negro worth four hundred dollars the remainder I bequeath to be divided equally among all my grand children namely Sally A. Oliver, Susan L. (Waller) Bolton (1813-1869), Nancy Annie F. (Dodson) Roddin (abt.1827-aft. 1900), Elisha Dodson Waller (abt.1817-aft.1865), John P Waller & William J. Waller during their lives & at their death I give the respective portions so allotted with the increase of the females to the heirs of their bodies forever." See Research Notes below for hypotheses about what happened to Sena after 1846.

Slave Owners

Sena was owned by Elisha Dodson Jr and then bequeathed to one of one of Elisha Dodson Jr's six grandchildren, named above. They were: Sally A. Oliver, Susan L. (Waller) Bolton (1813-1869), Nancy Annie F. (Dodson) Roddin (abt.1827-aft. 1900), Elisha Dodson Waller (abt.1817-aft.1865), John P Waller & William J. Waller.

Research Notes

There were no formerly enslaved women named Sena Dodson or Oliver whose vital records fit a person born before 1846 who had some ties to Elisha Dodson Jr's enslavement in Virginia.

Research was conducted to find a woman named Sena Waller, leading to a tantalizing potential mystery. A formerly enslaved man named Lewis Dodson (abt.1820-) was found in Mecklenburg County Virginia in 1870. It can hypothesized that this man was the real Lewis Dodson, who kept the Dodson last name.

However, there was a Sena Waller in 1870 who appeared living in Alabama with a Lewis Waller, her inferred father.^[2] The census record indicated that she was born in 1835 (and thus would have been about 11 years old when named in Elisha Dodson Jr's 1846 will). The census indicated that Lewis had been born in South Carolina and that Sena was born in Alabama.

In 1880 Sena is still living in the same place, with Lewis Waller labeled "father" and Sena labeled "wife."^[3] Lewis was enumerated as being born in North Carolina.

Records for Sena dry up after 1880.

The 1870 and 1880 census records may be correct, but they warrant further research. Lewis Dodson (abt.1820-) might have changed hs name to Lewis Waller (he had been enslaved by John D Waller, Elisha Dodson Jr's grandson). The name Sena is very unusual, and not found with any other related last name except for this one Alabama record. Could Lewis, who was named in an 1853 lawsuit between litigious members of the Dodson-Waller family, have desired to get away from the extended Dodson-Waller family based in Virginia? Could he have relocated to Alabama? Could Lewis have given false information in 1870 to an Alabama census taker in order to remain unknown to any other Dodson/Waller family members?

More research needs to be undertaken to discern who was the woman named Sena Dodson whose last name after the end of the Civil War was possibly Waller.

Sources

1. ↑ Halifax County, Virginia Will Book No. 21 (1845-1847) pages 272 to 277; Will books, 1753-1903; general indexes, 1752-1949: "Will books, 1753-1903; general indexes, 1752-1949"
   Catalog: Will books, 1753-1903; general indexes, 1752-1949 Will books, v. 21-22 1845-1850
   Film number: 007645126 > image 145 of 661
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-99P6-LVGW (accessed 29 August 2023)
2. ↑ 1870 Census: "1870 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1870; Census Place: Athens, Dallas, Alabama; Roll: M593_13; Page: 317A
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7163 #13318834 (accessed 22 October 2023)
   Senia Waller (35), Farm Laborer, in Athens, Dallas, Alabama. Born in Alabama.
3. ↑ 1880 Census: "1880 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1880; Census Place: Liberty Hill, Dallas, Alabama; Roll: 11; Page: 319B; Enumeration District: 060
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6742 #7331502 (accessed 22 October 2023)
   Sena Waller (50), wife, Housekeeping, in household of Lewis Waller (72) in Liberty Hill, Dallas, Alabama, USA. Born in Alabama.