Maria Love died on July 19, 1931 at the age of 91. Born in Clarence, N.Y., she was a philanthropist and social visionary from an elite Buffalo family. Her father, Judge Thomas C. Love, was a veteran of the War of 1812, where he was wounded and captured at the American sortie at Fort Erie in 1814. He later became a prominent local abolitionist. Her brother was George Maltby Love, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his capturing the South Carolina battle flag during the Civil War. Maria Love was a staunch Episcopalian and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was one of the most prominent adherents to the "Social Gospel," a movement among late 19th century Protestants who were fervently humanitarian and interested in the solution to urban problems, especially poverty. In 1881, she established the Fitch Crèche, at 159 Swan Street in Buffalo. She did so after a trip to France where she became aware of the plight of children of working mothers. The Fitch Crèche was nationally recognized as the first day care center for the children of working women in the United States - one which would serve as a model to be emulated by other American cities. She also worked with William Prior Letchworth to make arrangements for children from Buffalo orphanages to have two-week stays at his home at Glen Iris. In 1903, Miss Love organized a group of 31 prominent Buffalo women to raise funds and implement a program of convalescent respite care for mothers and their children. This was the beginning of what is known today as the Maria M. Love Convalescent Fund. Maria Love is buried in section F in Forest Lawn.