Elnora and 1st Daughter Catherine
The 1940 U.S. Census shows Capus (35 yrs old) and Elnora (19 yrs old), married and living in Hilltonia Town, GA a city about 12 miles from Sylvania our family’s home and area. The Census showed too that living with them were Willie (6 Yrs old), Joseph (4 Yrs old; Capus’s son from a previous marriage), Catherine (2 yrs old) and Capus Jr. (1 yr old). Ethel Mae, Capus oldest daughter, lived with her mother. It is from here that their journey began…
Unfortunately, the family lacked the money to purchase farmland, seeds, livestock, and equipment they needed to begin farming. They were forced into sharecropping and tenant farming: sharecroppers and tenants rarely broke out of this system to become landowners themselves. Capus and Elnora settled into working the land and raising children. Over their next 20 years together they had 9 additional Children: Benjamin, Cyler (Jeff), Betty & Bobby (twins), Wilbert, Grady (Aleem), Jimmy, Mary and Dave.
Elnora’s family, who were farmers (sharecroppers) grew really envious of Elnora and Capus good fortune to have birthed 9 boys. Their fields were full of cotton, beans, corn and much more to pick; and then the fields would need to be cleared, ploughed, and replanted all over again. They had visions of being successful in the world of sharecropping; and, 9 boys were resources that could be used. There was still a lot of tension between Capus and the Knights resulting from their earlier treatment of Elnora and her child.
I would like to tell you that Elnora and Capus’s vision for sharecropping was realized but it wasn’t. Most common reason offered for their failure, especially by Elnora’s family, is that Capus was not up to the challenge of sharecropping. Also, like in a lot of families the children got older and started to leave the nest.
By 1952, the two oldest daughters, Ethel Mae and Catherine had married and left Georgia. Ethel married Jimmy For (Chinese) and moved to New Jersey where she lived and raised her family. Catherine moved to Daytona Beach, FL with her husband Albert Kelly (Sugar Babe) in pursuit of work. Capus Jr. age 15 with cousin Eugene followed Catherine to Daytona in search of work as well. Willie 17 moved to Washington DC where he lived around his father’s (John Prescott) family for a major part of his life. Capus, Jr. and Eugene got themselves into some serious trouble; they committed an act of robbery. They were caught, tried and sentence to 12 years in prison. Its during this time that the family lost track of Joseph; we do not know to where he migrated, or how he lived or even how long he lived. We do not know if he married or had children (we continue to search for answers). Ben was always the the Lion of the Ponder Family; when it came to family, Ben not only talked the talk, he walked the walk. He was the one person that was always there for you; no matter distance, no matter situation if you were in need he would be there to provide support. The landowner, Robert Morgan liked the way he worked. He was chosen to oversee two of his farms with all the perks that went with the position. He was given a house to live in with access to cars and trucks as needed. He did not leave Sylvania at this time.
Early 1957, to provide support to Ethel who was giving birth to twin sons (Bruce & Alfred), Elnora with her baby boy Dave travelled to New Jersey by train to visit Ethel. After returning home to Sylvania Elnora was ready to move to Daytona Beach, FL. Based on information relative to work being available, Capus left Hilltonia Town, GA and moved to Daytona Beach. He prepared the way for his family; Elnora, Jeff, Betty, Bobby, Wilbert, Grady, Jimmie, Mary and Dave to join him there. So in mid 1958, the Ponder Family of Screven County, Sylvania & Hilltonia Town, GA pulled up stakes and relocated to Daytona Beach, FL, Volusia County, where the Ponder Family’s Journey continued!
2019 © Dave Ponder
Elnora's Children 