Epworth Children and Family Services has a long history related to four other significant child welfare organizations: the Central Wesleyan Orphans Home, the Methodist Children’s Home (formerly the Methodist Orphans, and the Epworth School for Girls. In 1975, the Epworth School for Girls and the Methodist Children’s Home of Missouri merged to form a single agency of the United Methodist Church, officially incorporated as the United Methodist Children’s Service of Missouri but popularly known as the Epworth Children’s Home. In 1996, the name changed to Epworth Children and Family Services.

On 19 May 1864, members of the German Methodist Episcopal Church purchased nine hundred thirty-two acres in Warrenton, Missouri, for an institution named the Western Orphan Asylum and Educational Institute. It opened on 3 October 1864, to assist with children who were orphaned during the Civil War and to provide educational opportunities to German children in the west. In 1869, the name changed to Central Wesleyan College and Orphan Asylum to reflect an enhanced curriculum. The institution legally separated its two parts in 1884, becoming two entities: Central Wesleyan College and Central Wesleyan Orphan Home. The Central Wesleyan Orphan Home closed in 1939; the children were transferred to the Methodist Orphan’s Home in St. Louis, as the two institutions merged under the governance of the Methodist Orphan Home Association.

On 19 May 1864, members of the German Methodist Episcopal Church purchased nine hundred thirty-two acres in Warrenton, Missouri, for an institution named the Western Orphan Asylum and Educational Institute. It opened on 3 October 1864, to assist with children who were orphaned during the Civil War and to provide educational opportunities to German children in the west. In 1869, the name changed to Central Wesleyan College and Orphan Asylum to reflect an enhanced curriculum. The institution legally separated its two parts in 1884, becoming two entities: Central Wesleyan College and Central Wesleyan Orphan Home. The Central Wesleyan Orphan Home closed in 1939; the children were transferred to the Methodist Orphan’s Home in St. Louis, as the two institutions merged under the governance of the Methodist Orphan Home Association.

The Methodist Orphan’s Home was founded in St. Louis in 1865 by W. H. Markham, a member of the Southern Methodist Church. It was the first children’s home established by the Southern Methodists, with Rev. and Mrs. W. H. Prottsman in charge of a small number of orphans at 1743 N. 12th Street. In 1867, the Southern Methodist Church created the Methodist Orphans Home Association, which was comprised of a Board of Trustees (male) and a Board of Managers (female). Mrs. John J. O’Fallon served as president of the Board of Managers for many years.

By 1869, the Home’s new address was 3533 Laclede Avenue, where up to 45 children resided. In 1892, the Home sought larger quarters. In 1896, Samuel Cupples presented a three-story dwelling at 4385 Maryland Avenue to the Methodist Orphans Home Association in memory of his late wife who had served on the Board of Managers for many years. In 1907, the Methodist Orphans Home Association operated two homes: the Methodist Orphans Home at 4385 Maryland Avenue, which housed up to 200 children; and the Methodist Orphans Home for Boys at 3533 Laclede Avenue. In 1947, The Home sold the Marlyand Avenue dwelling for $85,000 and relocated to an apartment house at 5661 Waterman Avenue. In 1951, the Methodist Orphans Home moved into its a new facility designed by architect Harris Armstrong at 3715 Jamieson Avenue, which was lauded as an innovative, family-style approach to child welfare service. In 1953, the Home legally changed its name to the Methodist Children’s Home of Missouri.

By the 1920s, the Methodist Orphans Home took in more children from broken or abusive homes than orphans. Its focus changed from adoptions only to also keeping families together, serving children both in residence and outside the Home. By 1938, the Methodist Orphans Home was the only child welfare agency in Missouri which had full membership in the Child Welfare League of America and the only agency approved by Washington University as a training center for social work.

Deaconesses from the Epworth Evangelistic Institute found two young girls who required medical attention and protection in 1909. They petitioned the court to take care of the girls and worked at the Methodist Episcopal Emergency Home at 4310 Morgan Street (also listed as 3410 Morgan Street). Soon, the Home was qualified to serve girls and changed the name to the Methodist Episcopal Emergency Home for Girls and incorporated under the St. Louis Deaconess Association. In 1915, the home changed its name to Epworth School for Girls and incorporated under the Women’s Home Missionary Society of the St. Louis Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1919, it became a full member of the Women’s Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1922, the Epworth School for Girls moved to an estate at 110 North Elm Avenue in Webster Groves, Missouri, where it has remained to the present day. It continued to educate and nurture girls spiritually, most of whom were placed at the school by their families. Epworth maintained a teaching staff and educated some girls on campus, tailoring educational needs to the individuals. Some of the girls attended public school. In additional to a formal education, Epworth trained the girls to be self sufficient and taught life skills such as cooking, laundry, various crafts such as sewing and knitting, and bible study. By the 1950s, Epworth employed case workers and by the 1960s, the school altered its focus from home making to meeting the needs of troubled girls. The 1955 Annual Report (B /f ) noted that “Epworth has the distinction of being one of the few institutions in this area dedicated to the rehabilitation of the teenage girl outside the of a penal institution.”

In 1975, the Epworth School for Girls and the Methodist Children’s Home of Missouri merged and was named the United Methodist Children’s Service of Missouri, an agency of the United Methodist Church. However, most people used the popular name of Epworth Children’s Home. In 1980, the campus underwent an extension which allowed it to bring more of the agency’s children to Webster Groves. Between 1975 and 1980, adolescent boys continued to reside at the former Methodist Children’s Home on Jamieson Avenue. Beginning in 1970, the Methodist Children’s Home placed older, more independent young people at Hayes House at 6186 Kingsbury Avenue. It is unclear how long this transition location operated after the merger. Epworth Children and Family Services expanded its services and in 2019, operated three locations: Main campus (Webster Groves), Transitional Living (University City), and Drop-In Center (Normandy).