Ella Daniel & James Springs
Ella married James Springs in 1920 in Johnston, SC and they raised eight children including children from his previous marriages. When James died in 1955, Ella moved to the Washington, DC area and lived with her daughter Eunice, where she remained until her death.
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Ella is remembered as a very sweet, good-looking woman who loved to cook and crochet. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren remember her love of delicacies like mango, coconut, and pomegranate – things uncommon in a mid-1900s Southern palette. She groomed her skin and hair with Pompeian olive oil and could still braid hair well into her 80s. She adopted her husband’s Seventh-Day Adventist faith and raised her family in a Sabbath-keeping, devout biblical religion. But even against her husband’s claims of “vanity”, she always remained well-coiffed, wore heeled shoes every time she left home, and dusted her perfect cheekbones in Max Factor pancake foundation. She gardened with her son-in-law Johnie and made nutritious meals from scratch but now and then, she’d hand a couple of crumbled dollars to the nearest grandchild and wink for them to get her a Big Mac.
Children of Ella and James Springs: Jimmel, Mattie, Rosa Mae, Leonard, and Eunice.
Jimmel Springs
Jimmel is Ella’s son, born in 1920. He married Bessie Talbert in 1944. He disappeared and was never found. Not much information is known about his whereabouts.
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Rosa Mae (1922-1988)
Rosa Mae married Harold Byrd of Edgefield. They made their home in Philadelphia, PA. They had one daughter Marion Pierre who has three sons Robert, James, and Brendad.
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Leonard (1923-2002)
Leonard was known as a master brick mason and he left a legacy of craftsmanship in the many
homes, schools, churches, and office buildings he built. Leonard his childhood sweetheart Mildred had six children Ella, Lenny, Melvin, Brenda, Marvene, and Elaine.
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Eunice Willis (1926-2006)
Eunice married Johnny Willis. They made their home in Clinton, Maryland. She was a busy homemaker with six children including three adopted children and 12-13 foster children at various times. Eunice loved to talk. She’d have daily chats wither her sister, Mattie. Eunice was also known as a bit of a prankster with a great sense of humor. Johnny Willis died in 2008.
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Children: Gwen Scott, Johnny Jr, Harold, Antikonette, Linda Willis, and Tashea (Toni) Cotton.
Getnie (1911-1991)
Getnie is the son of Viola Rosenboro and James Springs. Getnie left South Carolina as a teenager and died in the Washington area. He had eight children who reside in the Washington Metropolitan area. Grady, Shirley, Vivian, Getnie (June), Connie, Louis (Bubble), Carolyn and Yvette.
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Minnie Pines (1914-1990)
Minnie is the daughter of Viola Rosenboro and James Springs. Minnie was married to Clarence Pines from Maine and lived in New York. Their children are Clarence Pines of Seattle, Washington, Violet Sample of New York, and Raymond Pines of Greenville, South Carolina.
Mattie (Lil) Burrell
Mattie was one of the original officers of the DC Chapter of the Daniel family reunion group and was very active in all family reunion activities. Born in 1915, Mattie was raised by Ella and James Springs. She married Mr. Burrell of Takoma Park, MD who died in 1965. Mattie was a hard worker throughout her career working as both a practical nurse for the Washington Home for the Aging and the main nurse for the John T. Rhines Funeral Home where she attended families during wakes and funerals. Mattie was a natural caregiver and was always ready to care for sick family members or make a wedding dress when asked. She raised three daughters. Lauretta Newport, Winifred Donaldson, and Janice Burrell.