About Us

The International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons was founded in 1886 in New York by Margaret Bottoms. Their mission: “The development of Christian activity and service, quietly fulfilling the needs that come in hand.” In 1889, the West Virginia Branch was formed by the Wheeling Circles organizing to open a child-care center for working women. In the later 1890’s, employment for the women in the Ohio Valley occurred primarily in three occupations: the Marsh-Wheeling Tobacco Company, hand rolling leaf tobacco into stogies, the Stifel Textile Mill in the production of yard goods and employed in various glass factories along the Ohio River, sorting and packing handblown glassware. In 1897, the original site was over the first B&O Station in the industrialized area, which was convenient to the majority of these industries. The fee for a full day of child care in these early days, was $0.05. Hours of operation for the Center were 7 am to 6 pm.

Child care continued until 1910 when the focus changed from child care to residential nursery care to meet the needs of the changing community. Until 1960, The King’s Daughters Nursery, as it was called then, cared for hundreds of children who were separated from their families. During this period, the nursery occupied at least two more sites: 3534 Eoff Street in South Wheeling and 124 Elm Street, which was purchased in 1928 through gifts and bequests. In 1928, the nursery was incorporated as The King’s Daughters Nursery to board children from infancy to six years old. The nursery functioned at Elm Street until 1960. At this time, the State of West Virginia began to license family foster homes as the preferred environment for abandoned children. During these years, some 7,000 children were cared for by King’s Daughters Nursery.

Faced one again with the need for reorganization, The King’s Daughters chose to revert to their original service concept which was to provide child care services for children of working parents. This continued at the Elm Street location and expanded to East Wheeling in 1965 at the Laughlin Memorial Chapel.

A financial bequest in 1971 enabled The King’s Daughters to purchase the Bethlehem Temple at 60 – 13th Street and several lots across the street which became a parking area. The same financial bequest enabled the building at 60 – 13th Street to be renovated for child care. Named after the donor, Eliza Logan Frizzel, it became known as the ELF Center. In 1976, the Centers together served 90 children daily during the hours of 6:30 am to 6 pm providing them with lunch and snacks.