owned by Ephraim G. Ponder, a successful and
influential slave-dealer.

In 1859 Mr. Ponder, having retired from business,
returned to Georgia from Virginia with a number of
mechanics, all slaves,and among whom was the father
of young Flipper. He established a number of
manufactories in Atlanta, then a growing inland town
of Georgia. He married about this time a beautiful,
accomplished, and wealthy lady. "Flipper," as he was
generally called,had married before this, and had
been taken back alone to his native Virginia to serve
an apprenticeship under a carriage-trimmer. This
served, Mr. Ponder joined his wife in Thomasville,
bringing with him, as stated, a number of mechanics.

All were soon ready for transportation to Atlanta
except "Flipper." As he and his wife were each the
property (?) of different persons, there was, under
the circumstances, every probability of a separation.
This, of course, would be to them most displeasing.
Accordingly an application was made to Mr. Ponder
to purchase the wife and son. This he was, he said,
unable to do. He had, at an enormous expense,
procured and fitted up a home, and his coffers were
nearly, if not quite, empty. Husband and wife then
appealed to Mr. Lucky. He, too, was averse to parting
them, but could not, at the great price asked for him,
purchase the husband. He was willing however, to sell
the wife. An agreement was finally made by which the