W. G. Ponder Plantation

Location of the William G. Ponder Plantation

The William G. Ponder Plantation was a large cotton plantation of over 5,756 acres (2,329 ha) situated in northeastern Leon County, Florida, United States and established by William G. Ponder.

Location

The plantation was located west of the settlement of Miccosukee and not bordering any other plantations. Today that land encompasses private property north of Moccasin Gap Road and Veteran's Memorial Drive.

Plantation statistics

The Leon County Florida 1860 Agricultural Census shows that the William G. Ponder Plantation had the following:

• Improved Land: 1,000 acres (400 ha)
• Unimproved Land: 4,000 acres (1,600 ha)
• Cash value of plantation: $48,000
• Cash value of farm implements/machinery: $1500
• Cash value of farm animals: $6,125
• Number of slaves: 99
• Bushels of corn: 8,500
• Bales of cotton: 206

The owner

G.W. Ponder was one of two absentee planters in northeast Leon County. Originally from Thomas County, Georgia, Ponder began purchasing land in Leon County in 1846.

Agents for William Ponder.

• B. Regan
• Jno. J. Courtney

The 1900s

In 1913, the W.G. Ponder Plantation grounds were purchased by Lewis S. Thompson of Red Bank, New Jersey renaming it Sunny Hill Plantation.

References

• Wealth of land owners
• Slave holders
• Paisley, Clifton; From Cotton To Quail, University of Florida Press, c1968.