ALBERT FRANKLIN WELLS I was born in Marshall, MI to Lewis J. and Jennie Conklin Wells. After his parents died in 1907, he was sent to an orphanage in Lansing, Mi. He was adopted in 1908 by Edward and Eva Conklin Westfere (Jennie's sister)who later returned him to the orphanage. Mr. and Mrs Westfere had a son born to them about that same time. From there he was taken to Benzie County, Mi as a foster son to Frank M. and Margaret Marshall Bailey where he was raised to adulthood.

(Edward Westfere Death notice Toledo Blade 1/8/1942 Find a Grave # 103844320)




WHAT HAPPENED TO ALBERT ???

Over the years many of us have wondered what took place during the time period leading up to Albert Franklin Wells, Sr. first years leading up to his adoption and fostering by Frank and Margaret Bailey in Benzonia.
Below is a timeline that I put together showing some of the traumatic events of that time. Considering the times and lifestyle (not to mention the medical aspect) around the turn of the century, we can easily understand the difficulties these people had to endure. I would think that with the events I have described below, it is no wonder that placing Albert in a suitable home would be met with much difficulty.
I'm sure that, considering that these events were taking place in the same family of Eva Conklin Westfere, her life was also stressed to the extreme and possibly, along with the new baby comming , keeping Albert would be more than their domestic life could endure. The (possibly) logical dicision would be to return Albert to the Orphanage.......... FRH
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Jennie Conklin married Charles I. Martin 20 Aug., 1888
Pearl Martin b. May, 1891
Martin Baby Boy died @ 3 days in 1894
Charles Ira Martin b. died 1895
Jennie Conklin Martin married Lewis Wells 1896
Wells infant boy died ca. 1900
Albert F. Wells born 1903-1904
Albert F. Wells sr. born Apr. 17, 1903 per Lansing Probate Court Judge. (Celebrated Birthdate).
Albert's (actual birth record in Marshall, Calhoun County, Mi Court House found by Albert Wells II & Fred Henry in 1981) was Mar. 17, 1904. At the time when Al and I went to the County Clerk's office we were allowed to enter the vault and search the actual books showing birth records. Shortly afterward the county closed the vault to public access due to public birth identification fraud.

Grandmother, Elizabeth Conklin died 1904
Pearle Martin died May 30, 1905
Jennie Conklin 2 youngest brothers, Melvin Conklin Killed Delbert Conklin 1906
Lewis J. Wells died 1907
Jennie died 1907
Benjamin Conklin (widowed) aged 71 in 1907

Albert's adoption by Edward and Eva Conklin Westfere began Oct. 30, 1908
Albert F. Wells adoption finalized by Edward and Eva Conklin Westfere Dec. 8, 1908
Edward and Eva Conklin Westfere conceived their own son ca. Feb. 7, 1909, Westley was born on Oct. 31, 1909l
Albert F. Wells (Assumed) returned to Orphanage 1908-1910
Albert F. Wells fostered by F. and M. Bailey 1908-1910
1910 Michigan Federal Census taken Apr. 20, 1910 shows Albert @ Frank Baily's household.
Grandfather, Benjamin Conklin died 1922 aged 86 yrs.
** HARRY BEGOLD: Wife was Cornelia Marsall, cousin of Margarete Marshall Bailey. Harry told Albert later that he knew Albert’s father in Lansing and apparently worked with him. Per Betty Wells Kalbach, (Assumed) Aunt Mary Marshall and Margaret (and possibly Cornelia Beghold went to Lansing and brought Albert to the Bailey home.