The Order of the Daughters of the King was founded in 1885 by Margaret J. Franklin and her women’s Bible study class at the church of the Holy Sepulcher in New York City.
The following are selections from “The Order of the Daughters of the King In Celebration of One Hundred Years of Prayer and Service 1885-1985” written by the History Committee.
Victoria Scott Gary – Chairman, Diocese of Washington Mary Lou Johnson – Literature Chairman, Diocese of Texas Elizabeth W. Mundy – Research and Compilation – Diocese of Atlanta
In the Beginning A Bible class for young women in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, New York City, was named Daughters of the King. Desirous of a more earnest zeal for Christ and the Church, their teacher, Mrs. Margaret J. Franklin, called a meeting on Easter Even, 1885.
The purpose was to arouse their interest and to urge their cooperation as a class of definite workers for Christ and His Church.
With the Rector’s consent the class was fully organized before Whit-Sunday of the first year. Each Daughter felt that to do God’s work she must pray to God for the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
The class resolved that there would be prayer to God every day of their lives and that He would empower them for His work. Prayer was old to them, but the power of prayer and its reality came to these women afresh.
Allied to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew in origin, the Order started out in apostolic simplicity to spread the Kingdom of Christ among young women.
Other church groups asked to affiliate and this led to the adoption of the original Constitution, which remained in force until November, 1891.
It was not expected that the Order would in any way supersede the established “Aid Societies,” Women’s Guilds, or other parochial activities. It was purposely organized as a semi-religious Order. The Order started at once upon the highest plane. Magnanimiter Crucem Sustine, “Bear forward, almost aggressively, with lofty minds uphold the cross” became the watchword, and For His Sake its motto.
By 1889 six chapters had affiliated. In 1890 there were eleven full chapters and one in partial union organized. In 1891 sixty-three chapters were added. In 1894, 103 chapters became affiliated; in 1895 ninety-four chapters; and in 1896 sixty-six chapters were added, bringing the total number of members for the Order to 11,697. The first convention of the Order was held in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 25-27, 1893. Delegates were present from Connecticut, Long Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Iowa. Mrs. E. J. Warner of Morrisiana, New York, was elected president of the convention.
The constitution in its present form was recommended to the Council. The amendments proposed were adopted by the Council at its first meeting, held in St. Agnes’ Chapel, New York City, January 10, 1894.
Before continuing our forward march in history, let us take a look at the beginning of the Order in 1885, with the ALPHA CHAPTER, which consisted of the following members:
Mrs. Margaret J. Franklin, founder and teacher of the Bible Class Miss Elizabeth Ryerson, listed as Secretary Miss Anne E. Kragel, listed as Treasurer Mrs. Maurice Cormack, listed in 1935 as still being a member of the Order Mrs. Henry Kahrs, also listed in 1935 as still being a member of the Order Miss Minnie Ryerson, sister of Elizabeth Miss E. Louise Molloy
In the early years of the Order the secretary and treasurer of Alpha Chapter served as officers of the entire Order. Elizabeth Ryerson also served as editor of the Royal Cross when publication began and as office manager for all records of the Order. This was true through 1907.
The Rev. Ralph Wood Kenyon, the Rector of the Parish, was listed as Chaplain of the Order. He must have been a man of vision. He participated in the writing of the first constitution to be adopted by the Order when the number of chapters reached fifty.
Margaret Franklin stepped down from the presidency of the National Order after 1894, having served since its beginning, a total of nine years. She was born April 28, 1854, and was married to Eugene B. Franklin. There were two daughters from this union; Mary F. Broadwell and Edith F. Heald. From the memorabilia in National Office we have one keepsake of the founder, her Bible, presented to the Order by her son-in-law, Mr. Heald. Family records show that her husband died December 9, 1910. Mrs. Franklin died January 19, 1931, at the age of 77 and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York City.
The Cross, the emblem of the Order was designed by a small committee, and a jeweler made the original crosses in the same design which we now have. Size and materials from which the emblems have made have varied over the years. The cost of the crosses has increased accordingly. The original cost of a cross was only $.25.
Junior Daughters of The King No history of our order can be written without a chapter about the Junior Division. The dreamer who brought this Division into being was Mary (Mrs. Williard G.) Davenport.
For many years she was president of Emmanuel Chapter, Senior Daughter of the King, charter number 28 on the list of chapters, also serving as president of the Washington Diocesan Assembly. She was a member of national Council for twenty-four years, with an additional twelve as an ex-officio member.
In 1896 the first Junior chapter was formed from a “group of young girls of proper age” taken from the children’s guild. Mrs. Davenport “formed” them into a young chapter on the lines of the Daughters of the King Order. She called them her “Junior Daughters,” and gave them little silver crosses to wear – designed by her husband, the Rev. Williard G. Davenport. They elected officers and learned the rule of prayer and the rule of service. Part of their service was to look up absentees of the Sunday school, look after the girls of their own age, and to visit the sick, the aged and afflicted and to read to them. This work went on for several years before other Senior chapters began organizing Junior chapters. Finally as soon as the movement began, a charter was applied for and issued, without number, under the style and title of the “Alpha Chapter” of the Junior Daughters of the King. There were sixteen girls in the Alpha Chapter.
By the year 1928, if not before, provincial representatives were a part of the National Council membership.
Margaret J Franklin, Founder and first president 1885-1894 Mrs. Margaret J. Franklin, teacher and founder of the Bible Class named the Daughters of the King was a moving force for the Order, presiding at the meeting, sharing the vision of the chaplain, the Rev. Ralph Wood Kenyon, that the Order should become a reality when fifty chapters were established. She presided at the first National Council Meeting held November 5, 1891, at the Church of St. Bartholomew, New York City.
The second National Council meeting convened on November 3, 1892, at the Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York City. Initial plans were set in motion for the first General Convention to be held at the Church of the Ascension in Baltimore, Maryland in 1893. In 1894, at the second Convention, Mrs. Franklin stepped down from her position of leadership for reasons of health.
From her writing, we have one essay by Margaret Franklin about the origin of the Order, and from later life a paragraph sent in appreciation of the worth of The Royal Cross:
The Royal Cross I consider the human touch necessary to show what others are doing in spreading Christ’s Kingdom. In the long ago, what an inspiration it would have been to ‘Alpha Chapter’ (for it was not until later the magazine was published).
Mrs. Franklin died at the home of her daughter, Edith Heald. She was very modest, never writing any personal biographical data for others. The two photographs we have of her were supplied by friends. Most of her biography appears in the opening chapter.
