Frederick Douglass claimed to be owned by two masters.The first was Captain Anthony who was "not considered a rich slaveholder. He owned two or three farms, and about thirty slaves." Both Douglass and his mother, Harriet Bailey, were owned by Captain Anthony until she was sold when Douglass was still an infant. It is assumed that Captain Anthony is the father of Douglass.

Douglass says when he was between seven and eight years old, he left the plantation and Captain Anthony wanted Douglass to go to Mr. Hugh Auld in Baltimore. Hugh Auld is the brother of Lucretia Auld's husband, Captain Thomas Auld. Lucretia Auld is Captain Anthony's daughter.

On the second page of Chapter 1, Douglass states that he had two masters in his lifetime.  The first he remembers by the name Captain Anthony.  The second was Hugh Auld.