Birth certificate lists his name as Frank Wells. Went by "Frank" and used the initials "B. F." (for Benjamin Franklin). Birth certificate says he was born Oct 8th, contrary to his Draft registration, funeral record and family, which give his birthday as Oct. 25th! In 1900 his family lived in Perry Twp, Morrow County, and he was iisted as Frankey. But in 1908 his mother died of cancer and by 1910 they (or the county line) had moved to Perry Twp, Richland Co. where he is listed as Frank. The 1909-1910 school record for Rinehart School, District No. 6, Perry Twp, Richland Co, OH lists Lloyd L. Craven as the teacher and Frank, Oliver, Robert and Bessie Wells as students. Of all the kids, he was said to look the most like his dad. According to JoAnn Cooper's family bible, they were married in the First Christian Church in Mansfield. At the time of their marriage in 1914, he lived in Fredericktown and his name was recorded as Frank V. Wells. She was pregnant and living in Bellville. He listed his name as Frank Benjamin Wells when he registered for the WWI draft in Richland County during June of 1917, and said his birthdate was Oct 25th.
In 1920 he and his family are listed in Perry Twp, Morrow Co. He is a farmer, renting, age 26 and shown as Frank B. Wells. He inherited the Cherry Dresser from his father's will in 1929, which is now in the possession of his great gandson, Shawn Wells. He farmed 500 acres with horses when the children were small during the depression.
In the 1940 census he is listed as Frank B. (45, OH) a farmer who owned his home. His family consists of his wife Edythe G. (45, OH), Raymond J. (24, OH) who was working on a roofing crew, Thelma (19, OH), Jason G. (17, OH) and Joanne (9, OH). It shows Frank as having completed the 8th grade and Edythe with 3 yrs of high school.
By 1950 they had moved to Pike Twp in Knox County, where he is listed as Benjamin F. Wells (56, OH) a shovel operator in a gravel pit. With him are his wife, Edythe G. (56, OH), son Raymond J. (35, OH) and his wife Anna M. (25, OH), as well as Anna’s daughter from her prior marriage Myrna A. Clark (6, OH).
Frank spent most of his life farming. At one time was in business with logging trucks, but went bankrupt, and was a foreman for Knox Co Highway Dept before his death.
Died at the Morning View Care Center of asphyxiation caused by cortical atrophy 1-2 months earlier. Services at Snyder Funeral Home, Bellville by Rev. Minard Scott.
His Social Security death record lists his name as Franklin Wells, while the Ohio State death records list him as Benjamin F. Wells.
[Obituary] News Journal, Mansfield OH - Thursday, 10 September 1981, pg 9
BELLV1LLE:
B. Franklin Wells, 87, formerly of Danville, RD 2, died Wednesday afternoon in Morning View Care Center, Knox County, after an extended illness. Mr. Wells was born Oct. 25, 1893, in Morrow County and lived the greater part of his life in the Richland-Knot County area. He was a retired foreman for the Knox County Highway Department. Mr. Wells is survived by two sons, Raymond J. of Mt. Vernon and Jason G. of San Jose, Calif.; three daughters, Mrs. Juanita Hoffman of Mansfield, Mrs. Leo (Thelma) Richter of Lexington and Mrs. Loring (Jo Ann) Cooper of Frazeysburg, Ohio; 22 grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren; one brother, Robert of Butler, and one sister, Mrs. Iva Countryman of Bellville, RD 3. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Snyder Funeral Home in Bellville. Burial will be In Bellvile Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.