Carl Ponder

Overview

Carl Milton Ponder had great impact on Greer throughout its history; he built Ponders Ice Cream and Bottling Co. into a substantial force.

This document is for collecting all related research, and all information here should be provided with source citation. Discussion and unsourced information should happen in the comments below.

Family

Carl Milton Ponder

• Find-a-Grave entry
  • Born 25 Jan 1884
  • Died 9 Jan 1954
• Most data from obituary article in Greenville News, Jan 10 1954, P. 32
  • Son of the late Thomas Butler Ponder and Sarah Gibson Ponder
  • Born in the Washington community
  • Came to Greer in 1903 and entered the grocery business; 1905 entered the ice cream and bottling business
  • Never married, had no children
  • Had lived at 401 North Main
  • Member of First Baptist Church, Greer
  • Charter member of the Greer Kiwanis Club
  • For a number of years, member of Greer CPW and served as chairman
  • Operating the Ponders Ice Cream Co. at the time of his death
  • Died at 4 pm on January 9, 1954 at age 69
  • Died in a Greenville hospital after two years of declining health and a serious illness of two days
  • Survived by three brothers: Henry Jackson "Bub" of Greer, and James Reginald and Thomas Herman [though obituary says T.J.] of Greer Route 2.
• The State (Columbia) Feb 8 1954, P. 13 — estate was valued at $445,000

Businesses

Ponders Brothers Groceries

• A Drace photo was marked on the film as "Ponder Bros Groceries." This is now 114 East Poinsett, on the corner of Poinsett and Trade (at the time, it was all Trade Street); in fact, it remains the same building, though it's had a facelift along the way.

C. M. Ponder Hats and Notions

• Shown only as a sign in a photo; most likely in the 114 Poinsett corner building (where the groceries business was) or beside it on Trade Street. [Conjecture: it's very possible this was the sign of the business listed above, and Drace may have not been using a business name but rather just listing what was in the building. It's also very possible that Ponder started this when he very first arrived in Greer in 1903, quickly converting it into the grocery. Note his obituary article above.]

Ponders Ice Cream

• 1930s Exterior photo
• Early Interior photo and again
• A Salute to Mr. Ponder by Norma Jean Nesbitt Givens; noting it as the only business in Greer which allowed blacks in the front door and treated them respectfully.
• LOCATIONS
  • Greer, 114 East Poinsett, what is now Carolina Upstate Property Management, was the home of Ponders Brothers Groceries.
  • Greer, 107 Trade Street, what is now the empty patio of Los Portales Mexican restaurant. Our Omeka entry states that this was Ponders ice cream and bottling some time in the first quarter of the 1900s, though I don't know original sourcing for that. The building was created between 1904 and 1911. The 1911 Sanborn map shows the building, with the front (Trade Street) half holding a butcher shop, and the back half being a bottler, which I assume to be Ponders. The big building/factory on E. Poinsett was built between 1911 and 1922, and Ponders had moved over all of the ice cream and bottling functions by 1922.  The Greenville Daily News Jun 15, 1928, Page 12 reports that Ponders expanded and renovated this building, but every indication is that he was renting out to other businesses.
  • Greer, what is now a vacant building at 127 East Poinsett Street.
  • Greer, 1940s, approximately 227 Trade Street. Ponders Ice Cream sign is clearly seen in a photograph of Trade Street, where CBL is now. It's conceivable that this was a different store advertising that they carry Ponders ice cream, but given the other signs that seems unlikely.
  • Gaffney, SC: Gaffney Ledger Oct 1, 1929 p5 reports a new branch location of Ponders Ice Cream and Bottling Company opening October 5, 1929 "with Frigidaire equipment" in the Baker building on Limestone Street, formerly Becker's Bakery. The manager was Miss Vera Westmoreland of Greer, and only ice cream would be sold at this location.
  • Anderson, SC: Greenville News May 31, 1932 p5 reports of a fire in an Anderson location of Ponders Ice Cream on West Earle Street.

Bowling

• The September 8, 1931 p5 Gaffney Ledger article about a minor fire references the "Ponders ice cream parlor and bowling alley," and describes the bowling alley as being on the lower floor below the ice cream parlor. This was at the Gaffney location, not in Greer.

Key events

• Minor fire at Gaffney location: September 1931
  • Gaffney Ledger paper, September 8 1931 P.5, reports a minor fire caused by electrical manufacturing equipment. However, this was (almost certainly) at the Gaffney store
• Major fire at Anderson location: May 30, 1932
  • Greenville News, May 31, 1932, P.5 reports "considerable damage" of $4,000 partially covered by insurance.
• Major fire: January 28, 1936
  • Sumpter Daily Item, Jan. 28 1936 P.1
    • discovered about 1:00 am
    • destroyed Ponders Ice Cream, W.M. Thompson automobiles, and the Grand Theatre; damaged Western Union
    • 10 firemen from Greenville assisted
    • cause not yet determined
    • Losses around $75,000
  • Greenville News, Jan 3 1943 p20 — mentions this prior fire which almost destroyed it.
• Major fire: Thursday, January 2, 1943
  • Greenville News, Jan 3, p20:
    • J. T. Broadus died. Worked til 2am, told nightwatchman to wake him at six, went upstairs to sleep.
    • Firemen started to fight the fire about 3:30am. Greenville firemen arrived in support about 5am.