LISA MANNETTI WINS TOP 4 BOOK AWARD
December 31, 2008
My friend Lisa Mannetti has been acknowledged for writing one of the Top Four Horror Novels of 2008 for her work, The Gentling Box.
You can read about the award here: Four Top Horror Novels of 2008.
Lisa has a wonderful gothic website – check it out at my Blogroll to the right.
Way to go, Lisa! We are all so proud of you!
Merry Christmas from the Bordens (2008)
December 22, 2008
It has been speculated on how Lizzie Borden and her family celebrated Christmas. Click these links to find out. Be patient on the loading – it’s worth it!
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE WITH THE BORDENS AT CHRISTMAS!
SNOWBALL FIGHT-VARIATION ON A THEME
Meanwhile, down at the Mellen House, here’s what Mayor Couglin, Dr. Dolan, Marshal Hilliard, Inspector Fleet, and pharmacist Eli Bence were doing back in Christmas 1893.
I’ll be adding a few more between now and Christmas, so check back soon. 
Mirella Patzer
December 15, 2008
Author Mirella Patzer writes a terrific blog with outstanding links on “historical fiction”….. She’s from Canada. Bright mind, this woman. Check her out by clicking HERE.
Helen Leighton and Her Sister, Mary
December 8, 2008
In her Will, Lizzie Borden left much of her estate to her cousin, Grace Hartley Howe and her closest friend, Helen Leighton. But there are 21 other specifically named individuals to whom she left other real estate, personal property, jewelery, and/or money. It’s always a rewarding challenge to find out more about who the lesser known recipients were.
Xerox copy of Lizzie Borden’s actual Will (Right click for larger image)
Helen Leighton was born 16 Jun 1866 in Columbia (near Millbridge), ME.
Helen’s parents were John Calvin Leighton and Susanna T. Jacobs who were married on March 10, 1865 in Milbridge, ME. (about 10 miles from Columbia). Her father went by his middle name, “Calvin”. (Susanna may also have been known as Lucy Therese Jacobs but she was named Susanna on their marriage license.)
John Calvin Leighton was born at Columbia, ME, about 10 miles from Milbridge. At age 94, his father Harrison Thatcher was interviewed by the Boston Sunday Globe 8 Dec 1895 concerning his recollections of day-to-day life in the past.
When Helen was 5 years old, her mother, Susanna, died at age 32 in Portland, ME. Three years later, Helen’s father married Hannah D. Robbins at Portland, ME on 8 July 8, 1874. So, Helen also had a stepmother by the time she was 9 years old. Then, two years after this second marriage when Helen was a month shy of her 11th birthday, her father and stepmother had a little girl, Mary Woodbury Leighton, born May 14, 1876. From all accounts it appears Helen and her younger sister were close and remained close for most of their lives.
In May of 1893, at the time Lizzie Borden was languishing in the Taunton jail awaiting her role in the Trial of the Century, Helen, about to turn 27 years old, was just graduating from the Fall River Nursing Training School. And on Sept 9, 1904, Helen’s stepsister, Mary W. Leighton married Henry L. Orters.
Thus, she became Mary Orters. For a few years their household included Helen.
As close as Lizzie Borden and Helen Leighton were, Lizzie undoubtedly met Helen’s younger sister and her husband Henry. She must have been fond of both of them, or at least Mary (perhaps being told by Helen: “Be good to her, she’s rich!”) endeared herself to Lizzie, because this Mary – Helen Leighton’s sister, is the subject of bequest #12 in Lizzie’s Will:
12. To Mrs. Mary L. Orters of Sharon, Massachusetts, the sum of five thousand dollars; if she shall not be living at my decease I give the same to her husband, Henry L. Orters.
Now, besides this stepsister thing, Helen can trace her ancestors to Thomas Leighton born about 1604 and died at Dover, NH 22 Jan 1672. Thomas was among the planters of Dover (then known as Northam) with significant land holdings in the area. A monument was erected to him along the west side of Back River Road in Dover. So Helen’s ancestor, Samuel Leighton, was the pioneer founder of Columbia, ME. In 1763, and was active during the Revolutionary War defending the coast against the British.
Gee, fellow historians, is this ringing any bells about Lizzie Borden’s ancestors? Can one imagine Lizzie and Helen conversing of what they had in common beyond the love of animals? For example, much like Lizzie, I’m sure Helen was very much aware of her own roots. Perhaps SHE had her own sense of entitlement.
Helen certainly came out ahead financially from being a nursing companion to one Borden (Eudora Borden Dean), being a close friend to another (Lizzie), and companion to a long time friend (Gertrude Baker).
It’s nice to know Helen – having prior experience – was savvy enough to see to it her stepsister got a “piece of Lizzie” (estate) as well.
Sources:
- Leighton Genealogy, CD, 2001 pg. 501
- Genealogical Record 9 [1898]:86-9, 221-3, Autobiography of Levi Leighton [Portland, 1890], 9-11; and in
- Levi’s Centennial Historical Sketch of the Town of Columbia, 1796-1896 (Machias, 1896].
- Julia Cornman and Perley M., A Leighton Genealogy, Descendants of Thomas Leighton of Dover, NH, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2 Vols., Boston, 1989.
- Leonard Rebello, Lizzie Borden Past & Present, Alzack press. 1999. pp330-332.
- Conversations/emails with Mary Leighton Proebstle.
New Photo of Emma Borden
December 2, 2008
From a recently acquired photo comes another purported image of Emma Lenora Borden, sister to Lizzie Borden. Stefani Koorey, obsessed with all things Borden, quit her tenured teaching job in theater history at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida and moved to Fall River early last summer. Unemployed and sharing an apartment next door to “Maplecroft” where her boyfriend lives, she spends time digging thru old boxes of old photos in search of Borden family members. But this time she saw an old photo for sale and bought it, believing it to be Emma Borden. Lucky for us Stefani Koorey made the move and pulled out another photo – this time identifying it as Emma Borden. Personally, I think it is Emma. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Above carte-de-visite taken at Melville Sumner studio on 5 So. Main probably between 1873 and 1877 when Emma would have been 23 to 27 years old.
I know, I know. At first glance, anyone familiar with the often published Emma Borden as seen below would say “That ain’t her.” Here is the Emma we are familiar with:
Here she is obviously older – perhaps the pictures are around 10 years apart – it certainly would serve the maxim that stress ages a person rapidly, doncha think?
What I find remarkable is comparing the “new Emma” with the “young Andrew” – remember that?
In this new image she certainly seems to have her father’s nose, bulbous eyes and mouth. The downward
curvature of the lip lines as they grew older seems to have been a Borden trait.
Poor Emma. Her disapproval of Abby bore upon her countenance as she aged. Perhaps not just that, but also her self-imposed life of quiet restraint and solitude contributed to the appearance of a woman who radiated little joy or happiness upon which her friends could remark.
How about these, folks?
Nah. We’ll just have to wait until the next ” big reveal”. Some, like me, may think it stupid to leave a good paying job in these economic times just to chase Lizzie in Fall River, but those of us interested in the case certainly reap the benefits of her finds. Keep ‘em comin’!
