Catherine Lavenia Smith was born and raised in Prince William County and grew up near Waterfall in Manassas. She was the eldest daughter of James Smith and Lavinia Custis Lee. She married James Henry Dodd on April 11, 1861, a mere 24 hours before the Civil war broke out with the attack on Fort Sumpter in Charleston, South Carolina on April 12, 1861. James Dodd had a successful grainery business in Waterfall named Dodd Mill, and built a beautiful home for his bride which they named Poplar Hill. He build a spring house that pumped the spring water up to the kitchen door. But the beautiful house was quickly taken over by soldiers, and the Dodd land became part of the battlegrounds which extended into Manassas. The soldiers took over the mill for food, and the spring house to supply their water. Catherine cooked for them, she nursed their wounded, and she buried their dead. And through it all she remained strong, gave birth to two of her children, and held her family together. When the war was finally over, Dodd Mill once again started grinding, and the families of Waterfall began to heal.
**Note. The historic photos of the farm house at Poplar Hill and Dodd's Mill are on file at the National Archives, Washington, DC
**Note. The historic photos of the farm house at Poplar Hill and Dodd's Mill are on file at the National Archives, Washington, DC
Catherine Lavenia Smith was born and raised in Prince William County and grew up near Waterfall in Manassas. She was the eldest daughter of James Smith and Lavinia Custis Lee. She married James Henry Dodd on April 11, 1861, a mere 24 hours before the Civil war broke out with the attack on Fort Sumpter in Charleston, South Carolina on April 12, 1861. James Dodd had a successful grainery business in Waterfall named Dodd Mill, and built a beautiful home for his bride which they named Poplar Hill. He build a spring house that pumped the spring water up to the kitchen door. But the beautiful house was quickly taken over by soldiers, and the Dodd land became part of the battlegrounds which extended into Manassas. The soldiers took over the mill for food, and the spring house to supply their water. Catherine cooked for them, she nursed their wounded, and she buried their dead. And through it all she remained strong, gave birth to two of her children, and held her family together. When the war was finally over, Dodd Mill once again started grinding, and the families of Waterfall began to heal.
**Note. The historic photos of the farm house at Poplar Hill and Dodd's Mill are on file at the National Archives, Washington, DC
**Note. The historic photos of the farm house at Poplar Hill and Dodd's Mill are on file at the National Archives, Washington, DC
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