Felix was born in the Manhattan borough of New York City to the Italian immigrants, Joseph and Mary (Reim) Franklin. He was left at the New York Foundling Hospital in New York City, when he was 45 days old by his mother who was unable to care for him. In June of 1914 Felix came to Minnesota aboard an orphan train where he was taken in by Steven and Katherine Kieke of St. Augusta. He was legally adopted through the county of Stearns on March 8th, 1917.