James Ponder Passes Away

Today in Masonic History James Ponder passes away in 1897.

James Ponder was an American politician.

Ponder was born on October 31st, 1819 in Milton, Delaware. He worked as a merchant and eventually inherited his father's business which he expanded to shipbuilding, agriculture and banking.

In 1857, Ponder was elected to the Delaware House of Representatives. He served in the House until 1859. From 1865 to 1869 he served in the Delaware State Senate, serving two terms.

In 1870, Ponder was elected as the 42nd Governor of Delaware as a Democrat. When Ponder became Governor the wounds of the Civil War were still open. It was in the election of 1870, by Federal law, African-Americans were given the right to vote. During and after the election there was strife due to the change in voting laws. Ponder was certainly not sympathetic to the situation and stated to the Delaware General Assembly the Federal Government was wrong in extending the right to vote to “uneducated Negroes.”

During the 1870 election, voter lists were rigged to prevent African-Americans from voting. This guaranteed Democrats all of the seats in the General Assembly. In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant sent in Federal Troops to police the election. This led to more strife between Delaware and the Federal Government. It also led to the passage of the “Assessment Act of 1873." The Assessment Act allowed tax collectors to easily remove voters from voting lists with the claim they had not paid their taxes. It also made it exceedingly difficult for voters removed from the list to get back on.

Ponder's term did include an expansion of state offices in what is now called the "Old State House" and a restoration of the building including adding the first heating system and gas lights.

Ponder's most controversial act of the time was appointing his brother-in-law, disgraced United States Senator Willard Saulsbury as Chancellor of Delaware. Saulsbury left the Senate as a disgraced alcoholic. He promised Ponder he'd change his ways. It is presumed Saulsbury followed through since he was never removed from office and in fact remained as Chancellor of Delaware until 1893, long after Ponder had left the Governors office in 1875.

Ponder passed away on Novermber 5th, 1897.

Ponder was a member of Endeavor Lodge No. 17 in Milton, Delaware. He also served as Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Delaware.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.