 Following her wedding, Spelman remained active in the church (she joined Rockefeller's congregation, the Northern Baptists) and with her family.Once the family business, Standard Oil, began to take off, she further devoted her time to philanthropy and her children.Together, they were the parents of five children; 

Throughout their lives, the Rockefeller family continued to donate ten percent of their income to charity, including substantial donations to Spelman College.