Margaret Amelia "Margie" Wells was born on April 2nd, 1878 in Florida, Massachusetts to Lewis Henry Wells and Celestia Jane (Colby) Wells.

"Margie" Amelia Wells met George Edward Farmer, at a Grange Dance in Conway, Ma., and they married on November 18, 1899 in Conway, MA., Rev. C.S. Pease officiating. Margie was 20 years old.

In 1910 "Margie" was 31, and lived in Greenfield, Franklin County, MA with her husband George Edward Farmer, now an electrician for The Electric Light Co. (WMECo), age 30 and their son Eldred George Farmer, age 5. In 1920 Margie was 40, a home-maker, and living on Wells Street in Greenfield with her husband George E. Farmer, electrician, age 40, son Eldred G. Farmer age 14, and her father Lewis H. Wells age 70, a wood-worker in a rake shop.

In 1924 Margie's son Eldred G. Farmer, age 18, was killed in an automobile accident. A short time later, Margie and her husband George adopted the youngest daughter of Margie's sister. Margie's sister was Antionette Celeste "Nettie" (Wells) Jenkins. The child they adopted was Celestia Jenkins, who was later known as Dorothy Celestia Farmer.

In 1935 Margie lived at 3 Davis Street, Turners Falls, Mass. According to her granddaughter Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau, Margaret (Wells) Farmer loved hats. "Hats were for many years her downfall, she was always coming home with a new hat, and wore hats all the time. In those days women wore hats to church, to the grocery store, to the movies, etc. Her husband George would say "What's this Margie, another hat?" She had a closet full of hat boxes in their Davis Street home. There was a millinery shop on Avenue A in Turners Falls, called The Reen Shop. It was run by the Reen sisters, Agnes Reen and her sister Mrs. Ella (Reen) McCarthy. There was a big viewing mirror inside the shop to try hats on in.

Margie Farmer and her husband George E. Farmer used enjoy going to the moving-picture shows that would play at The Shea Theatre in Turners Falls, MA., and The Garden Theatre in Greenfield, MA., very often bringing their granddaughter Margaret Sowell. Whenever the film being shown would change, they would go and see the new one.

Margie Farmer's granddaughter Margaret remembered the time she was a little girl visiting her grandmother and a tramp came to the door looking for a hand-out. This was the time of The Great Depression. Young Margaret had never seen a tramp before and was frightened. Margie Farmer took young Margaret aside and explained to her, "You must never turn away someone in need, my mother was that way, and she taught me to be that way." Margie Farmer then made a meal for the man, and sent him on his way well-fed.

In 1940 Margie was 61, and lived at 3 Davis Street in Turners Falls, MA with her husband George age 60, and her sister Dollie Jane "Nellie" (Wells) Munson, age 63.

Margaret Farmer was accomplished in needlepoint. She would spend hours creating items to frame, also pillowcases, and the like. Her granddaughter Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau as a young girl remembered watching Margie Farmer doing her needlepoint. Margaret Farmer had a set of chairs covered with fabric which she had covered in her exquisite needlepoint. One day a nice couple came to the door who had heard about the chairs, and the chairs were brought out to the foyer to be shown to them, and the chairs were sold that day to the couple.

Margie is remembered as being a wonderful cook who could make "just about anything."

Margie and her sister Daisy would to like to eat at Turnbull's Restaurant in Greenfield, on Friday nights with her daughter-in-law Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau and granddaughter Beverly Bourbeau.

Margaret (Wells) Farmer was an aunt to Claude Henry Munson of Leominster, and Thurston Wells Munson of Springfield.

Half-sister Georgiana Peabody, born in New Boston, New Hampshire in 1862. She died on October 5, 1879, in Dover, New Hampshire.

Half-sister Sarah Peabody, born 1866 in New Boston, Hillsborough County, NH; died on May 28, 1888, in Conway, MA.

[material provided by the Sowell and Bourbeau families, and US Federal Census Digital Archives at ancestry.com]

Margaret Farmer

TURNERS FALLS - Mrs. Margaret (Wells) Farmer, 93, of 17 Chestnut St., passed away Thursday afternoon at the Franklin Nursing Home. She was the widow of George Farmer. She was born in Florida, Mass., on April 2, 1879, the daughter of Lewis and Celestia (Colby) Wells. She was educated in the Conway schools. Mrs. Farmer had lived in Turners Falls for 62 years. Mrs. Farmer was a 50-year member of the First Baptist Church of Turners Falls. Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Sowell of Turners Falls, two grandchildren, Mrs. Margaret Bourbeau of Turners Falls and Thomas Sowell of Shreveport, La.; six great-grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Services will be Saturday at 2 p.m. from the First Baptist Church with Rev. Ellsbroy Robbins officiating and burial will be in Springdale Cemetery. Visiting hours at the McCarthy Funeral Home, 14 Prospect St. will be tonight from 7 to 9.
[published in the Greenfield (Mass.) Recorder newspaper on May 5, 1972]

FARMER FUNERAL

TURNERS FALLS - Services for Mrs. Margaret A. (Wells) Farmer, 93, 17 Chestnut St., who died May 4, were Saturday from the Baptist Church in Turners Falls with Rev. Ellsbroy Robbins officiating.

Burial was in Springdale Cemetery. Bearers were Leonard F. Bourbeau, Lawrence S. Young, Frederick R. Neipp and Paul D. Mahar.
[published in the Greenfield (Mass.) Recorder, Monday, May 18, 1972]