Lizzie Borden’s Will and Who Got the Cars

Lizzie Borden died on June 1, 1927.  Her highly publicized Will was probated for six years.  We learn much from those probate proceedings.  For example, Undertaker Winward charged $696.70 for her funeral arrangements.  We learn that Lizzie’s two cars, which were not listed among her bequests, were subsequently given away to her chauffeur, Ernest A. Terry,  and business manager, Charles C. Cook as assigned assets disposed of in the 4th and Final Probate Accounting.

Conformed Copy of the original of Lizzie Borden’s Last Will and Testament.

(Right click images for better viewing)

There were 4 Probate Hearings as follows:

Proceeding	Inclusive Dates	Held
1st Accounting	June 24, 1927 - May 1, 1929	October 2, 1931 (Fall River)
2nd Accounting	May 2, 1929 - Jan. 1, 1932	February 17, 1933 (Taunton)
3rd (Substituted) Accounting	Jan.1, 1932 - Nov. 28, 1932	February 17, 1933 (Taunton)
4th Final Accounting	Nov. 28, 1932 - March 3, 1933	March 24, 1933 (Attleboro)

Conformed Copy of the original probate documents as filed with the probate court in Fall River.

As executor of Lizzie’s Will, Charles C. Cook had listed his services at $10,000.  That was reduced to $5,000.  There was also the initially unreported sale of the Henry house (for $10,000 on April 14, 1928) adjacent to Lizzie’s that was contested by the primary “human” heirs, Grace Hartley Howe and Helen Leighton.   As if the money and the “so called Baker lot” were not enough, Mr. Cook ended up with the car below.   He had served Andrew Borden in his business interests and then Lizzie and her sister for the past 35 years.   He had earned Lizzie’s respect and gratitude for his loyalty and discretions.  Perhaps, like Lizzie, Charles had his own sense of entitlement.

The vehicles pictured below are for illustrative purposes and not the actual cars.

1923 Lincoln Sedan went to Charles C. Cook.

Charles C. Cook was born March 28, 1854, and died on  September 28, 1934, only 18 months after the final probating of Lizzie’s Will.

1924 Buick Sedan went to Ernest A. Terry

Ernest A. Terry was born January 26, 1886,  and died October 11, 1955.

Both these cars would have been garaged in the special structure Lizzie had built for her first automobile in 1913.  It still stands on French Street but is used for storage.  Robert Dube, owner of “Maplecroft” tells me that when originally constructed there was only the center doors.  The doors on both ends were added years later.  Dube showed me the original drawings.

Rear of Maplecroft showing the area behind the Swift residence to the right.  This shows the pathway on which Lizzie wanted to have a driveway built to her garage with it facing towards Belmont Street.  Due to restrictions set forth in the sale at the time, she was not able to build where she wanted.

Besides Ernest and Charles and the cars – both Grace and Helen gained from the “residuals” of the estate.  In addition to the furniture, carpets, books, jewelry, silver, glassware, etc., they were given cash payouts earned from interest on properties and stock dividends earned since Lizzie’s death to the final accounting – a period of 6 years. Grace was in Fall River on March 3, 1933 to sign (along with Helen Leighton)  the Fourth and Final Accounting of the Probate of Lizzie’s Will, wherein they both received $6,000.  That was a chunk of change to receive in the middle of the Depression.

The very next day Grace Hartley Howe, cousin to Lizzie Borden and wife of the private secretary and chief political strategist to Franklin Delano Roosevelt,  was in Washington, D.C. for the inauguaration of the President of the United States of America.  She and Hartley took the train.

Why she and Helen chose not to keep these cars is a puzzlement to me.

Mary Livermore and “Poor Girl” Lizzie

Mary Livermore had been a friend to Sarah Morse Borden, mother of Lizzie Borden and Emma Borden.  She was a staunch supporter of Lizzie during her incarceration and Trial, but she paid a price for that support.  Read of her harrassment by the press – not totally unwarranted by the way – at this link:

im3510_20080818_145529

I wonder what Ms. Livermore thought of Lizzie’s prompt move to “The Hill” when she purchased Maplecroft as reported in the papers the second week of July, 1893?  Indeed, after Lizzie’s stay in Newport beginning three days after the Trial (June 23), and her visit with Emma to Taunton to thank Sheriff Wright and his wife (June 27), most of their time was spent looking for a new home where “cultured girls”  lived, i.e., The Highlands.

In fact, they purchased #7 French Street even before they settled with Abby Borden’s relatives on her money and possessions, as can be read at this link:

im3510_20080818_144504

Thus, Lizzie and Emma secured their new and much improved digs less than two months after her “Not Guilty” verdict.

Home, Sweet Home, Lizzie darlin’.

Ownership of the House Next Door to “Maplecroft”

UPDATE:  Not only do I get emails like this one from “JC” (also scroll down to see “Recent Comments” on the right side of this page) but there were several negative comments on the FRHN online site about Ms. Koorey.  People posted that she was not liked, had caused some grief to friends of people in Fall River, and was all about “look at me! Look at me!” in her unabashed self promotion.  I’ve found out Ms. Koorey demanded the FRHN remove those comments.  Clearly she’s frantic to protect a reputation that is already tarnished.  Here’s “JC’s” comment with the IP address partially deleted by me:

—–Original Message—–
From: JC [mailto:donotreply@wordpress.com]
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 1:12 PM
To: phaye@npgcable.com
Subject: [Tattered Fabric: Fall River's Lizzie Borden] Comment: “Ownership of the House Next Door to “Maplecroft”"

New comment on your post #2512 “Ownership of the House Next Door to “Maplecroft”"

Author : JC (IP: 71.2211.clsp.qwest.net)

E-mail :

URL    :

Whois  : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=71.22

Comment:

“What a great listing for researching Fall River online.  Thanks for the links.

btw, sk is not received well here in FR.”

****************

Stefani Koorey posted on her blog, “Mondo Lizzie”, about a grass roots project which attempts to put people in touch with the history of the houses they live or lived in to foster pride in their community.  Below is the video posted in the Fall River Herald News of 6/18/09.

A separate article explains the project further and provides the link to the project home page and it can be read HERE.

It confused me when Stefani referred to “my house”, implying ownership of  328 French Street  – the house next door to “Maplecroft” (where Lizzie Borden resided for the entire second half of her life).  Stefani has incorporated this property with its ownership history into the project as  if it were her own house.

At the project home page given in the second article, a nifty comprehensive listing is provided of public access sites for researching data on properties, such as deeds, mortgages, grantor/grantee, etc.  I used many of these over the years and thanks to the digital age, over the past several years access can be done “remotely”.  Using these public records sites for property research is easy.

For example, if you don’t know who the owner of a property is you can find out through the public access records of  PATRIOT PROPERTIES which is very easy to use.  This fairly new public records online site gives information on sale price, assessed value, deeds, mortgages, any liens, etc., etc.  Pretty cool, huh? Just type in the Fall River Street name and scroll down to the property address and click to get the information.    By typing in the street name of  “French” and scrolling down to the address of 328, you get the name of the owner -  and it isn’t Ms. Koorey.

Bristol County Registry of Deeds on Rock Street

The  BRISTOL REGISTRY OF DEEDS online public access is fairly new, i.e., the past year. By typing in the name of the person or business who owns the property and clicking Search, you get information on Deeds and Mortgages, date of sale, etc.   (I used to have to wait until my visits to Fall River and spend hours inside the Registry of Deeds on Rock Street to get this type of data).

If you’ve already tried these two resource sites you’ll see how easy it was to verify true ownership of 328 French Street.  One has to wonder why a person would convey a false impression as to their status as a property owner, especially when that person makes it known they quit their tenured teaching job as a junior college theater history professor to move to Fall River primarily to live next door to “Maplecroft” and chase the Lizzie Borden legend.   Sadly, when Ms. Koorey was on WSAR Radio this week helping to promote the Lizzie Borden Live! play, she asked the radio host, Mike Herren, to mention on air that she was still looking for a job.  He did and I was quite embarrassed for her.  I wondered if she chose to give an impression of being a Fall River property owner to lend more credibility to her project which is targeted for Fall River property owners?  Perhaps that impression was better than merely stating she was a transplanted Floridian to Fall River of just one year.

Meanwhile, and more importantly, for those wanting to do further research, here are the public records resources:

• Deeds and Abstracts list land owners. These are found at the Bristol County Registry of Deeds, 441 North Main Street.
• Maps and Atlases show the city from the past. These can be found at three locations: The Fall River Public Library in the Fall River Room, the Bristol County Registry of Deeds, and the Fall River Historical Society.
• City Directories tell us who lived at what address and what their occupation was. City Directories can be found in Microfilm at the Fall River Public Library, in an incomplete set at the Bristol County Registry of Deeds, and at the Fall River Historical Society.
• Published histories about the City of Fall River are available at the Fall River Public Library, and online at the Keeley Library.
• Old copies of the Fall River Daily Globe [1889-1929], the Evening Herald [1905-1928], the Daily Evening News [1868-1926], and the Fall River Herald News [1929-present] can be found on Microfilm at the Fall River Public Library. There are also reels of microfilm with other early Fall River newspapers, a few dating from before the Civil War. Recent issues of the Herald News are available in print. Old newspapers can be a valuable source of information as well as providing a portrait of daily life in different time periods; unfortunately, they are not indexed and often lack a table of contents, so researchers should be prepared to spend some time, especially with 19th century materials. Also note that newspaper obituaries were not standard until around the 1920s; ancestors who died in the 19th or early 20th century may not have had a printed obituary.
• US Census Records are on Microfiche at the Fall River Public Library, and online through AncestryPlus.com (use this source for free with a Fall River Public Library card) at the Fall River Public Library. Census Records are available for the years 1850, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930.
• Water Permits indicate when water mains and/or meters were installed, which can then be used to verify the date of construction of a building. You can find this information by calling the Fall River Water Department at 508-324-2720.
• Survey of Historic Properties are forms that were completed when the city was applying for historic status from the Massachusetts Historical Commission. These pages contain valuable data and information regarding properties all over the city of Fall River. You can find this information at the Fall River Historical Society.
• The Obituary Index can be used to research people and relatives who lived in your house. The index is online at the Fall River Public Library.
• The Fall River Collection at the Fall River Public Library has materials relating to the people and history of Fall River. The collection includes vintage postcards, maps, vital records, city documents, church records, family histories and books. Here you will find information on immigrant groups, businesses, mills, the Fall River Line, schools, churches, historic buildings and the history of Fall River.
• Other sources at the Fall River Public Library include: Vital Records – Various city demographic records, such as births, marriage intentions and deaths, are available in microfiche for the years 1803-1889. These are not indexed and are arranged by date, not name, so searching can be a challenge. Draft Registration Cards – World War I draft registration cards are available on microfiche. Local Histories and Genealogies – Many books of Fall River, Massachusetts and New England history are available in the Fall River Room. There are also genealogical and biographical works, including some individual family histories. 
Church Records – A limited number of church records have been transcribed and are available in the Fall River Room.
• Fall River Property Assessment Data is now online at Patriot Properties.
• Local Fall River History Slides are online.
• Durfee High School Yearbooks are online for selected years.

Lizzie Letters

Reading letters written in Lizzie Borden’s own hand is always a fun and interesting exercise.   We’ve found them in books, newspapers, estates, libraries, and private collections.  They keep popping up.  There are plenty more out there.   Lizzie was consistent in doing what was proper to the customs and practices of the time, and this included her letter writing.   Here is a sampling of some of the letters we know of which give us a glimpse into this woman who continues to fascinate.  Just click on each image for a larger, clearer view.

The noisy bird letter:

Brayton’s son discovered the letter in an old desk and subsequently gave it to the 1st Congregational Church who had it mounted and displayed in the Church office as you see above.

The Fall River Historical Society promises (again) to have the new book Parallel Lives out by the end of the year.  Part of the promotion are little ticklers like this intentionally cryptic letter written by Lizzie.  If each character (which disguises the true word) represents the actual number of characters in the word, translating becomes a little more easier.

Lizzie’s vanity case

A fairly new letter discovery was published in David Rehak’s book, Did Lizzie Borden Axe For It? (3rd edition, 2007, page 197).

She wrote this note just ten days after turning 52, and 20 twenty years after the murders. Also, this was written just 3-1/2 months after the sinking of the Titanic. The interesting provenance of this note can be found in Rehak’s book, which is a very entertaining read and reviewed HERE.

Translation:

“C/O A. Stomell & Co. The toilet case came to me safely
and is very satisfactory. I have a fitted suitcase with toilet articles in white, can you put a blue (bluish?) B. on each piece if they were sent? Very Truly Yours, Miss L. A. Borden, July 29, 1912″

Funeral Instructions

Translation:

My funeral to be strictly pri-
vate with a short prayer at
the grave.

At the house I wish read
“The Crossing of the Bar”
Also the 14th chapter of St. John
and the 23rd Psalm.
Also sung the first and fourth
verses of “My Ain Countrie”
& wish to be laid at my
fathers feet.

A small headstone to match
the others of my family
Lizbeth to be cut on the stone

Lizbeth Andrews (?)
with the date July 1861 (?)

The minister of the Church
the Ascension is to conduct (?)
the services.

Grave to be bricked.

Lizbeth A. Borden
March 31 – 1919
Fall River

Lizzie Borden Live! in Fall River June 20th

This is not to be missed.  I saw it 3 times when she played in Sedona, Arizona.  Wrote a review which can be seen by clicking HERE.

PRESS RELEASE

Lizzie Borden Returns

Lizzie Borden is coming back home to Fall River on the 116^th anniversary of her acquittal in New Bedford Superior Court this June 20th.    New York writer and actress, Jill  Dalton,  resurrects the spirit of Fall River’s most infamous character in a chilling, solo performance entitled, Lizzie Borden Live.

“I wanted to give Lizzie a voice to tell her own story following

her day in court,” stated Ms. Dalton.  “That’s something she was not able to do

when she was doped up on morphine during her famous murder trial.”

Lizzie Andrew Borden was found innocent in a court of law, but judged guilty in the court of public opinion.  She was condemned by society and shunned in her hometown.  Ms. Dalton powerfully evokes Lizzie’s emotional turmoil and psychic trauma. She wrote the play from Lizzie’s point of view so that “the audience can hear her side of the story for the first time.”

The legend comes to life with humor, empathy and insight when Lizzie steps on stage at the Eagle Performing Arts Center on 35 North Main Street at 8 PM on Saturday, June 20^th.   This production, sponsored by the Luso American Gallery of Antiquities, is funded in part by grants from the John and Abigail Adams Program of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Four Cities Collaborative of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.

“In addition to this state support, the Mayor’s Office and the Arts Uniting Fall River collaborative have participated in the planning and promotion of this community event and fundraiser,” noted LAGOA curator, Stephen L. Cabral. “Our organization is committed to promoting the arts, preserving our cultural history and providing scholarship funds for promising students. Lizzie Borden Live will help support these goals.”

Jill Dalton is an award winning New York actress with a long list of television and theatre credits.  She has appeared in Law and Order, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, As the World Turns, All my Children, One Life to Live and Saturday Night Live.   The East Lynne Theater Company in Cape May, New Jersey commissioned this play, which opened to standing ovations from the audience and critics alike.  Ms. Dalton won the 2007 Jacoby Award for her portrayal in Lizzie Borden Live.

-2-

This dramatic crime thriller is set 13 years after the double murder at Maplecroft, the Highlands mansion Lizzie bought with money inherited from her father.  According to the Red Rock News of Sedona, Arizona:

“Dalton gives a compelling performance capturing the

humanity, humor, irony and sadness of a woman who had time

to reflect on horrific events.  She enacts a Lizzie that has never

been portrayed anywhere in stage, screen or literature. ”

Fall River native son, Jack McCullough, is the director of the show, which has toured New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Arizona.  Mr. McCullough, a graduate of the Trinity Repertory Conservatory in Providence, RI, has also made his mark on stage and screen, but prefers to work behind the scenes of Lizizie Borden Live.  Jack has envisioned this homecoming since the play first opened.  He insists that this production will make the audience think twice.

“We are very excited about performing on stage in the heart

of Lizzie’s old neighborhood.  Jill and Lizzie have a compelling

story to tell.  People come to see Lizzie expecting to find a monster

and instead they discover themselves.”

Check your calendar and order your $40 tickets from LAGOA, Inc. by calling 508-673-6624.   Seating is limited to 160 so make your reservations now.  The doors of the Eagle Performing Arts Center will open at 6:30 PM.  Harpist, Judy Mitchell will set the musical tone for the night, and members of the Mutton Eaters, dressed in period garb, will greet and engage the guests at the light buffet and cash bar prior to the show.

Lizzie Borden Live challenges the audience to rethink the legend that is Lizzie Borden.  Think you know her?  Think again!

Stephen L. Cabral, Ph.D.

Curator/President

Luso American Gallery of Antiquities, Inc. (LAGOA)

484 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA  02720

Tel.  508-673-6624

www.lagoagallery.org

On the Trail of Lizzie Borden – by Charles Reis, Jr.

Countless guests video tape their stay at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast and often times put them up on YouTube.com. Some are more entertaining and informative than others. Charles Reis, Jr. has done a very good job with this 4-part presentation of his January 30, 2009 visit.

Random Shots of Fall River

Here’s some shots I just picked at random from my different digital albums of Lizzie Borden’s home town – Fall River. Also some of nearby locales. Enjoy.

Mary Borden Hartley rests near her father, Cook Borden – the mother and grandfather of Grace Hartley Howe.

The beautiful church seats at The Narrows, 45 Anawan Street.

Staircase at The Narrows – imagine the millions of steps up and down by the factory workers, holding the railing, descending after a 14 hour day.

Central Congregational Church

Academy Building Courtyard fronting on Second Street

Sitting Room closet shows bounded Trial transcript. and my “Journey to Maplecroft” game on second shelf.

Rear view of the “Kelley house”, directly south of 92 Second.

The “Henry House”

Kennedy Park

Main Library, post renovation.

Sitting at the bench, New Bedford Superior Court

Oldest house in Fall River

One of the few remaining “grand” carriage houses

Lafayette-Durfee House

From the corner of the grand old carriage house looking at the former Sarah Brayton house.

Seashells at the sea shore.

Center courtyard off the kitchen at Central Congregational

You can’t stand here and get this shot anymore.

Refrigerator at Lizzie Borden B&B.

Home for the Aged – rear view.

Views from Swansea, across the street from Marconi’s

Bet you’ve never seen this shot before.

David Rehak book, Did Lizzie Axe for It?  has first time published portrait of Andrew Borden seen above.

Center Street as seen through window of New Bedford Whaling Museum

Old Gardner cemetery in Swansea

Newport

Helen Leighton and Her Sister, Mary

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 11^th 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.

“Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”

No, not the 1974 Scorsese film but instead the public sentiment in Fall River about Lizzie Borden that surfaces at varying levels of interest and concern.  The town, chamber of commerce, businesses involved in tourism, history buffs, and the resident curious care but not so much for others who believe she should be kept in perspective within the bigger picture of the place in which they live.  So when a new Fall River resident criticizes the sale of a piece of property remotely connected to the Borden case – the 4th estate – and the natives – speak out.

Yesterday’s Fall River Herald had a piece in “Our View” which illustrates this sentiment quite well.   Below is an extract, but you can read the full piece HERE.

“Thumbs down to those criticizing the purchase of 18 Hillside St. by Charlton Memorial Hospital, which plans to combine the land with other area property purchases to use for parking or an expansion of hospital services. The purchase is drawing some controversy because the house at one time was rented to Alice Russell, a friend of Lizzie Borden who testified she saw Lizzie burning a dress in the kitchen stove three days after the 1892 double murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. Lizzie was tried and acquitted of the crimes.
“I am saddened by how Fall River takes care of its history,” said Stefani Koorey, author of “The Hatchet,” a quarterly publication about the murders. “I am sickened that another piece of the story that is Fall River will soon face the wrecking ball.”
First of all, a brutal double murder hardly represents Fall River’s identity, and any suggestion that it does is rather insulting to the city’s 92,000 residents, most of whom will never have any connection to a capital crime. The murders were simply one moment in the city’s history, albeit a famous moment.  Secondly, 18 Hillside St. played no part whatsoever in the historic events. Russell, who was not even a central character in the grisly drama, moved into the house in 1909, 17 years after the murders, long after her friendship with Lizzie Borden had ended.  Any connection to the Borden story is pure fabrication. Charlton shouldn’t think twice before swinging the wrecking ball.”

The “Alice Russell” house

Here is the original Herald article (and the outraged responses) that prompted the “Our View” article.  It gives the background of the property and the Alice Russell connection.  Click HERE.  Not exactly the kind of press Stefani Koorey likes to see of herself.

“This home is at best on the extreme periphery of the Borden saga, if it were Maplecroft itself, that would be a different story. Also, for the record, grand jury indictments are not ‘handed down’, they are handed up.”

“first of all the mayor has nothing to do with this situation, second im so sick of lizzie borden this and lizzie borden that.. fall riverites should be ashamed of lizzie borden. what did she do to benefit fall river anyway….if Stefani was so sickened about the house she could have bought it herself, where does she get off even making a comment about it and why does the herald news even print that crap… Go charlton memorial hospital, you are making fall river a better place every day. progress is progress….”

“What history does this house have except that Lizzie Borden visited it? Lizzie Borden –that’s something Fall River should preserve. I we going to preserve all the houses on 4th and 5th street 100 years from now and say the ‘Bloods’ and the ‘Cripts’ lived here and killed 100 rival gang members???”

*****************************

On another note (no pun intended) here’s a little known opera titled “Maplecroft” depicting Lizzie’s post trial life by Paul J. Bothelho produced in 2001.   The video is dark and surreal, the music stunning.  Click HERE.

Jill Dalton and Lizzie Borden Live

LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE plays only two days at the Columbus Theatre this weekend, November 14th and 15th. It will be shown on the smaller Cinematheque theater stage, much smaller than the stage when I saw this performance twice in Sedona. As there are only 200 seats for this brief 2-day run, only 400 people in the New England area will get the opportunity to see this wonderful one-woman play. If you live in the area, be one of the 400!

Below is my original review of Jill Dalton’s outstanding performance:

Spent a long weekend in Sedona, AZ with three of my geocaching, quad-riding friends for the purpose of seeing Jill Dalton’s original one-woman play, LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE at the Canyon Moon Theater.

The theater is nestled in the back of a gallery store-front in an outlet stores shopping mall in the Village of Oak Creek, just on the outskirts of Sedona.

Right click for bigger image

It is a considerably long run as can be seen by this schedule.

Click HERE for a history of its runs and info on other’s responsible for this wonderful production.

Jill Dalton has done a few t.v. stints per her IMBd profile but one would not know from that what an incredible actress she is nor of this brilliant script which she herself wrote.  Jill is distinguished by having won the 2007 Jacoby Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress for her portrayal of Lizzie Borden in this play.

The lovely Jill Dalton

Lizzie Borden Live is a one-woman play in one act-one scene set in Fall River in 1905 at Lizzie’s home “Maplecroft”, and runs approximately 90 minutes.  There are no other actors and no musical interludes.  Dalton is on the stage the entire time.  Though looking nothing like Lizzie Borden in 1905, Jill Dalton quickly has you in suspended belief that she is Lizzie.

From the Cape May (NJ) County Herald

The more familiar one is with the principals and nuances of the Borden murder case, the more appreciative one is of Dalton’s research and the brilliance of her script.  The dialog she has written when speaking in the “voice” of others is taken from the legal proceedings or newspapers of the time.  She exposes those principals as Lizzie views them in her mind, be they friend or foe, and gracefully sways in and out of moods using her hands and arms and general movement and expressions on stage to accentuate her shifting emotions.  She has us mesmerized.

From Lizzie Borden Live website

Jill gives us a performance that compels us to see this woman as a 3-dimensional human being beyond the one dimensional persona from that inaccurate quatrain so repeatedly quoted and serving to cement the caricature of this enigmatic woman.  She puts us inside Lizzie’s head and Lizzie’s heart, but more than that there is a multi-layered texture to the portrayal she maintains and upon which she builds  when transitioning to the child Lizzie, to the young Lizzie, to the Lizzie accused, and to Lizzie alone.  And while we feel for this woman we can fear her as well, for Dalton’s acting talent portrays a Lizzie that is raging within herself but asks us to question our own selves about that same rage.  It is frightening and forceful.

East Lynn Theatre Company

There is also much light-heartedness to this Lizzie within the play, and at times we chuckle and laugh out loud at her words (again the cleverness of the script).  But nothing impressed me more than when Lizzie tells us of her Grand Tour to England, Italy and France in 1890.   With a sudden switch in stage lighting we are transported to Paris and we are in an almost dreamlike state as Dalton depicts Lizzie’s passionate emotions at the height of her life’s happiness in enchanting Paris.  She twirls and spins and laughs as a young girl and tells of her travels and we are so happy for her – for these 19  weeks of blissful joy before suddenly being back in Fall River.  This was one of my favorite parts of the entire play and Dalton’s acting was absolutely incredible in pulling off this transition and heightening our suspended belief.

From the Canyon Moon theater website.

When Dalton interjects Nance O’Neil into the play those who are familiar with the facts will get more out of the dialogue than those who have little to no knowledge of this component to the Borden saga.  But here again the script does not lead us to a definitive conclusion as to whether they were lovers or just friends.  And her one-way dialogue with Nance on the phone is spot on to those familiar about Lizzie Borden’s history with the manipulative Nance O’Neil.

What is extraordinarily powerful, however, is Dalton’s performance by word, tone, and expression regarding the abandonment of her life-long surrogate mother and confidant – her sister Emma.  And just on the heels of that – the abandonment of her friend, Nance.  Dalton’s performance at this point in the play stirred my heart, put an absolute hush in the audience and kept the entire audience riveted to every single word and movement.  It was an acting tour de force the likes of which we seldom see on stage.

From the East Lynn Theater Company

I can’t say enough about the brilliance of this script and how Jill Dalton gives us many Lizzies throughout the play and yet ultimately only one emerges:  A multi-faceted woman of real flesh and blood with all the same feelings and foibles we all have.  What Dalton has accomplished is given us a Lizzie we can hold on to.  She’s made her less allusive by allowing us to see through Lizzie’s eyes, laugh with Lizzie’s own spirited humor, and feel sorrow at Lizzie’s torment and depression.  But Dalton goes to just the edge and no further – sculpting a Lizzie so finely that her portrayal neither erodes the mystery of the woman herself nor diminishes the variables and allure within this most facinating case.   Indeed, Jill Dalton’s absolutely stunning performance in this play – so aptly titled – truly gives us: Lzzie Borden Live.

I so loved the experience because of Jill’s performance I’m going back before it closes.  If this play comes to your area, do not miss it!!

LIZZIE BORDEN ART – NOT ON eBAY

Original art work – particularly drawings and paintings of Lizzie Borden herself – run the gamut of grotesque to incredibly unique and exceptional in artistic achievement. I’ve come across so many (not on eBay) but done by people interested in the case and have traded or bought many of these. On a few occasions I’ve actually just asked friends who have talent to draw me scenes which I describe. I’ve kept all of these in a scrapbook over the years. Last month a fellow local quad rider and geocacher made one for me because I most always leave a little “Lizzie” treasure on our runs. And now, a non-local friend of mine, who happens to be an artist and knows my interest did this one below, which I’m buying.

This sketch was taken from the classic Lizzie photograph when she was about 30 years old. I think this photo of Lizzie was taken when she went on her Grand Tour in 1890. Compare the two:

I think this drawing looks more like Lizzie probably looked at age 38 – 5 years after the 1893 Trial, after the 1897 broohaha over the Tilden Thurber shoplifting incident and the “engagement” nonsense splashed in the papers re her supposed engagement with Orrin Gardner. I think by then, 5 years later, she came to realize she was a social pariah in her own home town – but still a Borden, a pedigree that always made her feel entitled. And so she was already depressed and unhappy at 38. She would, however, always remain dignified and refined, and conduct herself in public with the deportment expected of the era. But I think her inner angst and demons might very well have reflected upon her visage. Perhaps she softened upon meeting Nance.

But if I had bumped into Lizzie in 1898, this is pretty much how I would expect her to look – more aged, more troubled, more pissed off, but ever so the proper lady.

Response to Leonard Pickel’s Open Letter re: Lizzie Borden Museum

The litigation I referred to a while back between Fall River’s Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum

and the proposed True Story of Lizzie Borden Museum in Salem

can be read HERE as told by the Fall River Herald News.

I indicated I would comment on Mr. Pickel’s “open letter” below. My brief comments appear in color below:

“Leonard Pickel
http://www.lizziebordenmuseum.com | lizziebordenmuseum@gmail.com | 70.22.220.232

I find it interesting that a museum, which has not opened to the public as of yet, (we are working hard on that people, trust me!), has been dragged through the mud as much as The True Story of Lizzie Borden has.

“Home Haunter?” Do you even know what that means? I have built Attractions for Universal Studios, Madison Square Garden and 6 Flags Parks across the country. I have over 30 years in attraction design, own and edit the industry magazine, and own a convention. I am no hack!

Why don’t you at least wait for reviews of people who have been through the museum, or perhaps even tour the museum yourself, before casting disparaging criticism on the level of experience quality, amount of preparedness or fact checking. I think many people are wishful of a first class operation and anxious to see that is exactly what it turns out to be.

I contacted the FRHS many years ago about getting photos, and they assured me there would be no problem. Then when I was ready to purchase them, everything was different. They have been trying to put together a quorum to even have a meeting for 2 months now. We will be open before they decide if they are willing to assist us in developing the museum content. Sounds like you got the run-around. The FRHS is very proprietary about Lizzie. They are, of course, the repository of and safeguard to much of the physical evidence presented at the Trial. They have regularly scheduled Board of Director’s Meeting. Just how savvy are you, Mr. Pickel? hmmm?

I had all the most of the photos I needed already, what I was looking for was photos with the best resolution available. I just spent $15,000 enlarging photos for the museum, most of which have never been enlarged, or enhanced. Very exciting! You paid too much. Not very prudent for a business man. That’s a lot of $10 admission tickets just to cover costs of those enlargements. And you’re wrong about them never having been enlarged or enhanced. I have 3 feet x 5 feet enlargements in my collection which I’ve used for presentations going back to the mid 1980’s. But perhaps you have better resolution.

While a Lizzie Borden attraction has been in my thought since 1992, I did not have the funding and the right location at the same time until January of this year. I am a busy guy and was not willing to devote the time to fully develop this back burner project until it was real! By then time was short. If you’ve been successful with your Haunted House attractions at premiere venues, why didn’t you have the funding since 1992?

We are behind on opening because of building permit, construction, and contractor delays, and may not be able to open on Monday due to a Fire Alarm panel programming issue. But I am sure we will be open by the end of the week. Then I worry about the web site!! Your website is your branding. It is a primary marketing tool. A rush to open may sacrifice quality, and for visitors, initial impressions are lasting.

Will we be where we want to end up when we open? No. A museum as a constant work in process. We will be critiqued and fact checked by every person walking through the attraction, and we will make changes and corrections to the museum content as we go. Add better photos as they become available, and nuances as we or others thing of them. “Critiqued and fact checked.” You got that right.

We are in this for the long run! Taking our time now to get it right is what is important. “get it right’….I would certainly hope so. Advertising the “true story” puts the burden of TRUTH on you, Mr. Pickel.

As for the lawsuit rumor, there are some people who think they own Lizzie! And that no one is allowed to do anything with her without their permission, which they do not give anyone. Maplecroft tried to open a B&B at one time, and those plans were squashed by the self appointed owners of Lizzie. Too bad, I would have loved to spend the night at Maplecroft, wouldn’t you! “Maplecroft” DID open as a B&B, albeit for a short while. Nice research, Leonard.

So now they think they own the idea of a Lizzie Borden Museum, and no one can open one because they own it! They own Lizzie Borden!! I haven’t heard any person, organization or entity say they “own Lizzie Borden”. That’s YOUR phrasing. Clearly, the issue has been the word “museum”.

Sorry… I thought we were free in America, that pursuit of happiness thing, and monopolies were against the law. Monopolies? Monopolies? They ain’t got no stinkin’ monopolies.

The other thing that is against the law is slander! And when you announce a lawsuit in the newspaper, you had better stop wining and moaning and file the thing! All I have gotten so far are angry temper tantrum emails from some attorney, demanding that we take “Museum” off the logo and signage, demanding that we give them our URL, demanding that we take “Lizzie Borden” off of our logo and signage! Because they own Lizzie! Chill, dude your professionalism is showing.

So either file your lawsuit or shut the hell up! Someone didn’t shut up.

The sad part is that The True Story of Lizzie Borden is the best thing that ever happen to the B&B and the FRHS. There are 600,000 tourists that come to Salem each year. And most of them have no idea where Fall River is, or that Lizzie Borden lived there. Only an hour and a half south, we will drive more people to Fall River than the Fall River Tourism Board (if there even is such a thing), could ever dream of doing! Read my type Leonard, your exhibit is NOT the best thing that ever happened to the B&B and the FRHS. It hasn’t happened yet. The B&B has done very well for well over a decade. A first class exhibit in Salem would probably drive more tourists into Fall River, but not that much. People interested in the Borden case come to Fall River anyway. Why? Because its where the House is. Because it’s where the evidence artifacts are. Ask yourself why Willie Sutton kept robbing banks.

Our plan was to have an internet terminal, so people could find out the hours of the FRHS or rent a room at the B&B while in the museum. An internet terminal. How early 90’s. People have cell phones with internet access, text messaging. Again, good research, Leondard. Good out-of-the-box thinking.

But why would we do that if they are going to be ugly about the whole thing. If they don’t want the exposure, we can always tell people that, the Murder House is still a print shop, that the FRHS’s Borden exhibit is about the size of our men’s room, and that Fall River is in Rhode Island! Your charming professionalism is exceeded only by your creative wit, as displayed here.

-end

Note: I hope the trademark issue is resolved with no further litigation than the current Restraining Order and Temporary Injunction. I hope the Salem exhibit DOES open and I hope it is a first class operation as is the B&B and the FRHS. But “first class operation” means accurate information. And it has been very apparent to me that ever since Mr. Pickel had this idea (by his own admission back in 1992), he has done little to acquire or read source documents or become knowledgeable about the case and its principles. Something a curator would do. Something an historic B&B owner and manager would do. Something enthusiasts do. Like I said, I’m not holding my breath.

From Lizzie’s A-Twitter Be it Salem or Fall River!, 2008/08/03 at 7:17 AM”

116th Anniversary Weekend of Borden Murders

Tour Guide Kathleen describes discovery of the murders to visitors at the Borden house on July 31, 2008. (FRHN video)

How fortuitious that the fatal fourth of August falls on a Monday this year – 116 years later from the 1892 Borden murders that made Lizzie Borden an enduring fascination. This week day date allows for a long preceding weekend for the local media, particularly the Fall River Herald News, to do what it has continuously done from that very day (when it was known as the Fall River Globe), i.e., fill its paper with remembrances of the case and its iconic female enigma, Lizzie Borden. It is The Big Weekend for the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast and the Fall River Historical Society.

Also, more vehicles will pass through the beautiful entrance of Oak Grove Cemetery and follow the arrows painted on the pavement leading to the Borden family plot than any other weekend of the year. And traffic on French Street, already congested with insufficient curbside parking, will be heavily traversed with the “lookie-loos” getting a gander where Lizzie lived the rest of her life – the once stately abode she named “Maplecroft”.  Lizzie died in the add-on bedroom over the veranda she had built as seen in this photo.

So it’s no surprise that the papers are full of Lizzie. It’s that time of year. Always has been, and (as long as the case remains one of the great murder mysteries) it always will be. The anniversary draws more tourists to Fall River and thats good business for the City and its tourist attractions. We can also look forward to the annual re-enactments and (don’t hold your breath) the opening of the Salem “Lizzie Borden Museum”. Come Tuesday, August 5, 2008, the local and regional papers will be still be full of Lizzie.

Yep, one long weekend. A virtual Lizzie bonanza for the media looking to increase viewership, radio listeners and on-site visitors! Free publicity all around. Especially for a town long suffering in its economic development that could use an infusion of revenue. No wonder they love her. Go, Fall River! Go!

On Monday, August 4th, I’ll post an updated Timelime of events the day before and the day of the murders.

Two One-Woman Lizzie Borden Plays Worthy of Mention

There are two one-woman plays centered on Lizzie Borden’s post-trial life at Maplecroft. One is the more contemporary Lizzie Borden Live and the other, Miss Lizzie Borden Invites You to Tea. The former stars the lovely Jill Dalton and the latter, playwrite and author Marjorie Conn. Both convey to the audience a Lizzie of conjectured character and substance based on case facts and what we know from newspaper reporting and court documents of her later life.

LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE

Jill Dalton gives an entertaining, humorous and insightful performance as a post-Trial Lizzie Borden in “Lizzie Borden Live”. Here’s a 6 minute excerpt from this engaging play. This video was shot by Richard Behrens of Gardenbay Films and is of exceptional quality.

“Spend an intimate afternoon with Lizzie as she speaks out for the first time about: the bad mutton, prussic acid, handleless hatchet, burned dress, betrayed confidences, morphine injections, confused inquest testimony, newspaper lies, dead reporter, bungled investigation, double murder reenactment, to her grand parties, European tour, and the relationships with her miserly father, overbearing stepmother, mouse of a sister and the stunning beauty and great Shakespearean actress, Nance O’Neil.”

The website for this play can be found here.

MISS LIZZIE A. BORDEN INVITES YOU TO TEA

For over 15 years Marjorie Conn has been performing her play, Miss Lizzie A. Borden Invites You to Tea. It continues to be been performed at various venues around the country by different actresses.

“In “Miss Lizzie A. Borden Invites You To Tea” by Marjorie Conn, Lizzie is an aging, lonely spinster in 1913. Twenty one years after the murders of her parents, the notoriety of her trial has waned and her status as ’social celebrity’ has faded. She’s been forgotten by all but a handful of hungry local journalists, and a bitter, taunting few. In this one-woman tour-de-force, starring Karen Asconi and directed by Frank Avellino, we witness Lizzie’s powerful lust for freedom and learn how such a yearning can drive one to acts of unimaginable desperation.” -website

I first saw Marjorie’s performance at the 1992 Lizzie Borden Centennial Conference at Bristol Community College in Fall River. I thought she captured the essence of Lizzie’s loneliness at Maplecroft and how much she valued her few visitors.  She still performs and was, in fact, slated to appear in this play at the now defunct Lizzie Borden Conference 2008.

LIZZIE BORDEN “ALONE” PAINTING AT MAPLECROFT

UPDATE: “ALONE” ARTIST IDENTIFIED

My stepbrother (who was so cool to give me a brand new Garmin GPS tracker for Christmas) was looking over my blog today and came across this entry and said: “Hey! I know that artist!” Well it turns out its Herman Alfred Leonard Wahlberg, a Swedish artist born in Stockholm February 13, 1834 and died October 4, 1906. Nordic landscape painting was popular during those years, and this Swedish landscape is typical of the Dusseldorf version of wilderness paintings. Known as just “Alfred Wahlberg” you can see a picture of him here. Like many of those artists of that style during that period, prints of his paintings are still available.

(Original post follows):

There are numerous known and unknown people all over Fall River and environs who have “stuff” that belonged to Lizzie. On my last visit while shopping at an outlet store at the Durfee Mills I chatted with the store owner who told me she had an old rocking chair that belonged to Lizzie and if I came back she’d show me a picture of it. I never made it back but we did exchange addresses and I’ve yet to write her. Meanwhile, here’s something I can relate and show now.

Some months ago, Jeff Masson of Somerset, MA noticed an elderly gentleman admiring the house he lives in and Jeff, his mother and this man got to talking. Eventually the subject of Lizzie Borden came up (Jeff is a frequent visitor to the Lizzie Borden B&B and has a keen knowledge of the Bordens and others buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Fall River.) During the conversation the gentleman, Elliott Barrows of Somerset, related that he had a painting that was given to his grandfather by Lizzie Borden. The story goes that Lizzie had some work done at her house she named “Maplecroft” #7 French Street (now 306) in Fall River, and it was Mr. Barrows’ grandfather who did the work – “handyman” kind of work, not major construction. The painting below apparently hung in Lizzie’s house and Lizzie, so the tale goes, gave Mr. Barrows the painting as partial payment for his labor. Just exactly when this occurred is not known.

Mr. Barrows subsequently brought the actual painting back to Jeff’s house and allowed him to keep it for a while and to photograph it, which are the images you see here. Remarkably, Mr. Barrows stated the painting had been appraised for $8,000.

The handwritten notation on the back of the painting reads as follows:

“This picture framed for the house of Lisbeth and Emma Borden, 306 French St. Fall River, Mass whose father Andrew Jackson Borden and stepmother, Abby Durfee Gray Borden were murdered at their house, 92 Second St., Fall River, Mas, Aug. 4, 1892. The trial was held in June 1893.

Art Supplment to the New York Recorder Sept 30th, 1894, The Knapp Co., Sttr. N.Y.

Famous Paintings of Europe; “Alone” by (unreadable)”

It is very hard to distinquish the lettering in the name of the artist but it appears to be an “L” or “F” and then “V” and Rberg or Aberg. I believe this is a swedish artist. There is a rather famous painting by Dawn Parkinson titled “Alone” showing a lone seagull soaring past a white chaulked cliff. Searching through various artbooks, Googling the name in assorted variations yielded no results. Unfortunately Mr. Barrows was not available for an interview on my most recent visit to Fall River. I’m currently awaiting follow-up from “Cemetery Jeff”. I know several people pursuing this find further as well, so maybe more information will be forthcoming.

The painting certainly evokes meloncholy sadness and makes us wonder what it meant to Lizzie. I can not think it meant a great deal because to just give it away as partial payment to a handyman is not what one would do with a piece of art for which they had a strong emotional attachment. Perhaps this painting was a gift she received rather than a purchase made. Perhaps gazing upon it evoked emotions for an already sad and depressed woman to be even sadder. Maybe it clashed with that garish wallpaper of Victorian times. Who knows. But it’s a great little story, isn’t it?

Maplecroft Neighbors: Lizzie on French Street

(Recycled post)

Here’s a question I’ve pondered from time to time: Of those French Street and nearby neighbors, who might have visited Lizzie Borden that last year of her life? Weak and not recovered from her gall bladder operation, who went a-calling? No mystery in finding out who lived nearby; more difficult is assessing which neighbors would have visited her. One can only speculate. Here’s a scan from my 1926 and 1927 Fall River City Directories. Let’s take a peek at a sampling of those neighbors

.

Directly across the street from Lizzie at 309 French was Mrs. Emma Lake. Her son, Arthur Lake praised Lizzie in Joyce Williams’ Casebook, but there had been a property dispute between Lizzie and Mrs. Lake after Lizzie acquired half a lot adjacent and wanting it for an open park. It would seem Lizzie and Mrs. Lake ended their friendship on ugly terms. Perhaps Arthur was never made aware of that dispute.

Lizzie’s nearest neighbor to the east would be at 328 French Street, shown above. The 1926 Directory shows this house as apartments with Edwin Belcher a tenant and school teacher Harriet E. Henry (listed in the Directory as “Hervey”). By the time of printing of the 1927 Directory, Edwin Belcher is no longer a tenant. This property was purchased in 1925 by Harriet and then sold to Charles C. Cook, Lizzie’s business manager, in trust for Lizzie about 7 months before Lizzie’s death. That particular transaction would end up being reviewed by the State Supreme Court, but we’ll skip the details for now. This property is alternately referred to as the Henry House or the Davenport House (a previous owner and relation to Harriet). Note: The rod iron spiked fencing separating the properties was installed by Lizzie.

Lizzie’s nearest neighbor to the west, 324 French, would be John T. Swift. Swift was the lawyer Alice Russell, her conscious weighing heavily, first told of the dress burning incident. Had Swift not advised Alice to tell it to District Attorney Hosea Knowlton, we would not even know who Lizzie Borden was 115 years later. Shown here left to right is the Swift house, Maplecroft, and the Henry/Davenport house. Photo taken in 1998.

The next house east is 344 French where the widow Mrs. Isabella Hooper lived. Perhaps she and Lizzie visited? Exterior re-hab has been going on for years with this house and it looks much better in 2007. This photo was taken in 2005.

Across the street and slightly east from Maplecroft, this structure existed in 1926 but I’m unable to locate the number from the 1926 or 1927 Directory. It is now a commercial property and often referred to as the “Baker” lot. Lizzie bequeathed to Charles Cook “my so-called Baker lot on French Street across from where I live.” I took this photo in 1999.

At the southeast corner of French and Belmont was John Summerfield Brayton, Jr., a BC&C (Big Cheese & Connected) whose crowing bird annoyed Lizzie and made her nervous over a quarter century before she died. Did John and Mary Brayton visit Lizzie? I don’t think so.

At 257 French was Everett M. Cook, Vice President of BMC Durfee Trust Company. Another BC&C, like so many on French Street.

At 243 French was Elizabeth J. McWhirr, widow of Robert A. McWhirr, who may have been related to the great McWhirr department store. Did she go a-calling on Lizzie? I don’t think so.

At the southeast corner of French & June at 421 June was Marion Jennings – the daughter of attorney Andrew Jennings. It’s safe to say she did not call upon Lizzie. It’s further safe to say Marion had no knowledge of what lay inside an old hip bath covered with a tarp up in the attic of this house. Most likely, neither did Lizzie.

ON ROCK STREET:

Carrie L. Borden is listed in 1926 at 492 Rock Street, but in 1927, only her sister Anna H. Borden. These ladies went on the Grand Tour with Lizzie in 1890. It is my educated guess that they were the two sisters that spoke in confidence to author Edmund Pearson when he was writing his long, first essay on the Borden case in Studies in Murder. It’s highly doubtful these ladies went a-calling to Miss Lizbeth of Maplecroft.

At 618 Rock was Jerome C. Borden, son of Cook Borden and Grace Hartley Howe’s uncle, and strong supporter of Lizzie in 1892-93. Jerome succeeded Andrew as President of Union Bank, but it’s doubtful Jerome ever presented his calling card at Maplecroft during Lizzie’s last year. While most genetic threads were woven tightly, some weaves became irreparably tattered.

At 451 Rock Street was the formidable Elizabeth Hitchcock Brayton, whose nephew, having inherited this stately granite beauty, donated it to the Fall River Historical Society in 1935.

Actually, the 400 thru 700 blocks of Rock Street in 1927 reads like a Who’s Who of Fall River. However, after Lizzie died, Fall River had about one good year remaining before its economy and stratified society would fade and dissolve like so much smoke drift from the iconic mill chimineys that marked its once great prominence and vitality.

BACK TO FRENCH STREET

The interesting thing about French Street is that at #96 French Street, just west of Rock Street, we find Gertrude M. Baker, long time English teacher at BMC Durfee High School. ( The 1927 Fall River High School Yearbook, “The Durfee Record”, is dedicated to Gertrude Baker). Gertrude owned a summer house on the beach in Linekin, East Boothbay, Maine. She was a friend of a later friend of Lizzie’s, Miss Helen Leighton (we’ll get to her in a moment) but the important thing is through this thread that bound, Miss Baker was a founder and Treasurer of the Fall River Animal Rescue League from 1914-1930. It seems more a gratuitous gesture for service rendered than one steeped in a personal friendship that Lizzie left Gertrude $1,000 in her Will. Miss Baker never married and when she died she left her money to her close friend, Helen Leighton, along with her beach house in Linekin. Lucky Helen.

Helen Leighton struck half of the mother lode upon Lizzie’s death being one of two primary legatees. Seven years younger than Lizzie, Miss Leighton graduated from nursing school in Fall River a month before Lizzie went to Trial for the double hatchet homicide. Helen had been nurse and companion to Eudora Borden Dean, daughter of that very wealthy Captain of Fall River Industry, Jefferson Borden. Smart Helen. In 1913, she had successfully solicited money from Lizzie to start the Fall River Animal Rescue League of which she became its President. Clever Helen. She moved to Boston in 1919 and Lizzie visited her there, taking in galleries and the theatre. She moved to Brookline, MA. in 1924, and when she died in 1947, newspapers reporting on the Borden case were found stuffed inside the walls of the Linekin beach house.

So there they are: Gertrude, Helen, and Lizzie – they could have all three been sisters judging by how they looked in these photographs. It’s anyone’s guess as to who introduced who to whom in this three-some, a constellation in orbit around Lizzie’s moon. These dames were really out of the same mold. Same hair styles, same glasses, same kind of dresses. I can almost visualize them at the Animal Rescue League Board of Directors meeting or even taking their time walking through some museum in Boston or New York. Not exactly your party-hardy type broads. Uh uh. But oh so very proper, yes indeed. Decorum, decorum, decorum. All were proper spinsters who loved animals. None ever married or had children of their own to enrich their lives, to nurture, to enjoy, to love, and who would return that love.

Grace Hartley Howe hit the other half of the mother lode, inheriting half of Lizzie’s half of Maplecroft, furniture, jewelry, books, carpets, personal effects, etc. Grace’s grandfather was Cook Borden, a brother of Abraham, Andrew’s father. In 1926, Grace and her husband Louis are in the 1926 Directory as having a residence at 636 Rock Street, but in 1927 Grace is living at 464 Locust. Louis McHenry Howe was chief advisor and political strategist to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt but lived in the White House, visiting his family at their Westport residence in Horseneck Beach. (Louis would die in 10 years and be buried at Oak Grove with FDR attending his funeral.) But here we see Grace was literally in walking distance to Lizzie in 1926 and 1927, and surely she must have visited her. I have long believed Grace was called by the Reverend Cleveland of the Church of Ascension and was at Maplecroft when Lizzie died. She would have been, after Emma, the next and, literally, nearest of kin. Ten years after Lizzie’s death, two years after the final probate of Lizzie’s Will, and one year after her husband died, Grace was appointed Postmistress of Fall River by President Roosevelt.

Of these three women, Gertrude, Helen and Grace, two (Helen and Grace) gave newspaper interviews in the week after Lizzie died. One other woman, definitely not neighbor nor friend of Lizzie’s when she died, also gave an interview – Nance O’Neil. Nance met Lizzie in 1904. By 1927, Nance had successfully transitioned from the stage to motion pictures. In the newspaper interview she remarked on Lizzie’s kindness, refinement, and intelligence, downplaying their relationship and characterizing it as “ships passing in the night.” She was not named in Lizzie’s Will. Nance lived long enough to have read several books on Lizzie published prior to 1965. Her ashes are entombed with her husband, Alfred Hickman at Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California.

I think Lizzie was probably always ladylike and refined and masked her inner angst and depression when in public. We know she let that mask down with Miss Leighton, who, after Lizzie’s death, commented so definitively on Lizzie’s loneliness and depression in her later years. The Roaring Twenties, shorter skirts, bobbed hair, Lindberg racing across the Atlantic through the skies while she, Lizzie never did anything in a hurry. The “Flapper Age” must have come on like gangbusters and not suited her at all, much like the sexual liberation of the 1970’s to the Born Again Christians. No, I don’t think Lizzie liked the changing times. She was nervous and depressed enough and now all this fast living. (Mammy to Scarlett: “It ain’t fittin’, it just ain’t fittin’).

I can envision her, in her last year of life, sitting on her window box seat in her summer bedroom in Maplecroft. More alone and isolated than ever with only a tiny few who ever came a-calling. Dressed in a stylish lounging gown, too weak to go up and down the stairs every day, she would have spent much time wistfully looking at the houses below and at the young people coming and going. Perhaps a young man honking the horn of his tricked out Model T Ford for his girlfriend to come out. Twenty Three Skid-doo. I envision one of Lizzie’s dogs in her lap feeling the gentle strokes of her hand as she remembers a quieter time of proper deportment. The era of when ladies were ladies and conducted themselves accordingly was gone forever. Stroke…….Sigh……Stroke.

No wonder our “Lizbeth of Maplecroft” preferred Dickens and Trollup over F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Sources:

1926 & 1927 Fall River City Directory

Unveiled: Miss Helen Leighton by Leonard Rebello, Lizzie Borden Quarterly, October 2000, Vol VII, #4.

1927 BMC Durfee H.S. Yearbook.

Last Will and Testament of Lizzie Andrew Borden.

Knowlton-Pearson Correspondence, Fall River Historical Society.

Famous Actors and Actresses on the American Stage, vol. 2, by William C. Young, 1975.

Lizzie Borden- Past and Present, Leonard Rebello, Alzack Press, 1999.

Conversations with Robert Dube, owner, at 306 French Street, August 3 & 5, 2007.

AUGUST 5, 1892 – VICTORIAN MOURNING FOR ABBY & ANDREW BORDEN AT THE LIZZIE BORDEN BED & BREAKFAST

Good print coverage of this successful turnabout from the usual “re-enactments”. (Right click”View image” for bigger picture.)

Lizzie’s antics breaks up a guest (he and his wife spent the night as did the couple shown below).

The parlor, sitting room, front entry and dining room were decorated with victorian mourning consisting of covering mirrors, personal funereal cards, exquisite floral arrangements, floral offerings from close friends and family, prayer cards, printed hymms and prayers. These elaborate additions to the rooms contributed to the deportment of the guests who came…somber, respectful, quiet, almost sullen….But the best was that the “actors” never broke character and did some wonderful ad-libs playing off the individuals from the more than 300 guests. Great stuff!

 

Donald Woods escorts Lizzie and Bridget into the “barn”.
Barbara and JoAnne (Emma and Mrs. Churchill) covering mirrors.
A floral offering from Alice Russell.
A distraught Emma contemplates funeral arrangements, her sister’s state of mind, and the bloody wash basin near her used by so many doctors.

The crowds lined up from around the house, down the driveway and almost to the gift shop. Groups of 25 went in at a time. To make their wait entertaining instead of tedious, I stood on the front steps and used blown up official photographs mounted on poster board to illustrate what the house and both sides of the street – looking north and south – actually looked like in 1892.

Alice Russell tells the guests of her ministrations to Lizzie the day before and how she is spending nights – but not in the guest room – to help the grieving sisters.

Taking a break on the cellar stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This gentleman came dressed to the gills, could have played Undertaker Winward. But actually he was there to present Donald & Lee-ann with an 1892 full edition of August 5, 1892 Fall River Globe newspaper. He represented the Southeastern Mass. Convention & Tourism Bureau of Bristol County. I escorted him into the kitchen and “Emma” and “Mrs. Churchill” immediately played off his amusing intro as “Mr. Swift from the Wasamutta Mill coming to pay respects to Andrew on behalf of the Board of Directors” of which AJB was a member. Hilarious.

 

In my 5 days in Fall River I spent part of two days with the owner of Maplecroft. We had a matter of mutual interest to discuss so I was lucky enough to be invited into his home for several hours. On Sunday, after chatting on the porch (great swing) he invited me to brunch at Abby Grille, the old Central Congregational Church on Rock Street, now a culinary institute. While I had been inside many times, including the church structure, I had never eaten there. Back at French Street, Robert D., the owner of Maplecroft (and there’s only been 4, not counting Charles Allen) showed and explained to me the changes Lizzie made. This was my fourth visit inside but this time I was able to see parts of the house I never had before, such as using the first floor bathroom with the original gas lighting scounce still in place – a different commode and sink of course, but this little bathroom was original to when the house was built.) It is a beautiful home, immaculately kept, and Robert is a gracious host, a true gentleman.

In New Bedford, I met up with my friends Carl and Linda who are staying in Swansea for 6 months while engaged in a grant program at the UMass-Dartmouth Marine campus. We had lunch at Davey’s Locker just around the bend from Fort Taber. It was so hot that day that I just jumped into the Achusnet River, clothes and all! Great to watch the little sailboats, jet skiis, etc. in the water….Loved the feel of the salt water – something we don’t have here in the high desert of Arizona!

Carl Becker, President of the Swansea Historical Society, opened up Luther’s Museum on a day and time it was normally closed and spent over an hour with another new friend, Kristen P. (yes, the Wheaton discoverer) giving us the history of the strucure, the four corners, the artifacts inside. I was more impressed with the big black chair George Washington sat on during the time of the Battle of Monmourth (sp) than I was the aledged chairs of Lizzie Borden. There’s a lot more history to Swansea than that farm house, that’s for sure!!

I’ll be relating more of my Fall River trip later but it was great to see old friends again and, as is usually the case, make some new ones.