Thomas Jefferson Daniel and Ella Amanda May
Wedding Day Nov 14, 1909.
T. J. Daniel and Ella May were together for 68 years. Grandpa was over 6 feet tall and Grandma was 4 foot 11. They were married in Manchester, Tennessee and had six children there. They lost their oldest child, Lottie Louise Daniel in 1915, when she was only four years of age. They spoke of Lottie often telling their other children about their sister as they grew up. The other children felt they knew Lottie, even though she had died before three of them were born. T.J. drove a bus route in Manchester and also farmed his land to support the family. Ella was a dedicated homemaker sewing all the family's clothes, making feather bed mattresses from the saved feathers of their geese and ducks, made beautiful quilts in fancy designs and cooked elaborate meals that they all raved about all of their lives. When I was a child in the 1950s I loved to go into the guest room and lay down on the feather bed. Grandma said she made that mattress and it made it even more wondrous to sink down into it.
The family moved to California in about 1934, when my dad, John was about 21 years old. Eventually they settled on Oleander drive in Merced, California. For many years T.J. worked in maintenance at Lake Yosemite keeping things running smoothly. He was a sheriff also for many years, working at Lake Yosemite, keeping the peace there.
Each year they would have a large family reunion at Applegate Park or Lake Yosemite, with family coming from Tennessee many times for the get together. Everyone brought lots of goodies to eat and there were always plenty of kids to play with all day. Food never tasted so good as it did at those reunions. My mother always brought the macaroni salad and fried chicken that went very fast because everyone loved her cooking. There was always plenty of fried chicken, salads, bisquits, pies, cakes and cookies. Grandpa would bring watermelons, from his garden, that were bigger than any I have ever seen since.
T.J. and Ella had 13 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. The family continues to grow larger each year, but have scattered far and wide. At this writing (Oct. 3, 2009) they have been gone a little over 30 years, but never forgotten. Four of their children have now passed. Besides Lottie, Sallie, John and Minnie have all gone on to be with their parents.
This photo was found in Ella(May)Daniel's box of special family photos.
I am not sure who the people are in the photo. However, it had to be important
to her for it to be neatly tucked in with the others.
If you know these people please let me know.
James David May. Father of Ella Amanda(May)Daniel.
Ella Amanda May 1891.
Thomas Jefferson and Ella Amanda(May)Daniel.
Thomas and Ella(May)Daniel.
Photo taken in Tennessee when TJ Daniel worked as a bus driver.
Front left to right in front of the car;Charles standing, Dorothy and Thomas seated on the bumper.
Along the side of the car behind Charles;Ella, John, Sally, Minnie. Taken about 1935 in Tennessee.
Sally and John Daniel 1920.
John Daniel in the early 1950s washing dishes
at a little cafe on 16th St. Merced, CA.
John and Dimple(Stephens)Daniel 1961 in Madera, CA.
Minnie(Daniel)Willis with her two sons
Raymond and Richard Willis about 1962.
Brother and sister, John Daniel and Minnie(Daniel)Willis
Daniel and Gentry Left to right front; David Daniel (child), Ella Amanda (May) Daniel, Otis Gentry,
Next row; John Daniel, Melissa Dimple (Stephens) Daniel, Sally (Daniel) Gentry, Thomas Daniel.
In Back; T.J. Daniel.
Thomas and Ella(May)Daniel. 1969 when they went on vacation back to Tennessee.
They are standing by the kind of wagon they had when they were young married couple.
Tom and Ella Daniel married 63. This article was in the Merced Sun Star, Merced, CA.
Tom and Ella Daniel married 65 years.
John and Melissa Daniel, married 50 years.
1961 (Me) Carolyn Daniel age 11 and (Mom) Melissa Dimple(Stephens)Daniel. We were living in Madera, California at the time.
Left to right; John Daniel, Thomas Daniel, Minnie(Daniel)Willis, Dorothy(Daniel)Huckabee and Sally(Daniel)Gentry.
Not sure of the date, but probably around 1988.
John Daniel and Melissa Stephens wedding day.
Left to right: Ottis Gentry (best man), John Daniel, Melissa Dimple Stephens Daniel and Dorothy Daniel (maid of honor)
Me, Carolyn Daniel, with parents John and Dimple Stephens Daniel.
John Daniel ready for church.
Carolyn Daniel age 7 riding the merry-go-round at Applegate park during a family reunion.
Richard and Raymond Willis 1957 at Applegate park during Daniel family reunion.
Richard is the one in front.
Sons of Minnie Daniel Willis