Michael Poirier of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a Titanic historian friend of mine for many years, has uncovered many source documents on passengers of that ship and other ship disaster personalities.

Recently I asked him to help me to uncover more information on Lizzie’s trip to Europe aboard the Cunarder Scythia which ran the Boston-Liverpool route. Happily, this application for a passport document was found quickly at the National Archive in Washington, D.C. and reveals some interesting details in what appears to be Lizzie’s own handwriting.

[Click on the image to see a larger verstion, then click again to see it expanded even further.]

 

Some possible conclusions may be inferred from close examination of this document. Lizzie traveled to Boston to begin her paperwork as evidenced by “Suffolk County” in the top left hand corner as well as the clue of the Washington Street, Boston address of the form supplier. Lizzie has also waited rather late to get things underway for her passport. Perhaps her trip was decided upon at the last minute. The application is dated June 4, 1890 and her ship was to leave port on the 21st.

It is interesting to see that she has drawn a slash through “occupation” as of course, she is a lady of leisure thanks to her father’s position in the city. Also of note is that either she or Mr. Benedict has crossed through any reference to “him” and substituted “her” in the bottom paragraph.

Most interesting is that she gives her height as 5 feet 3 inches. Many recent Borden writers have given 5 feet 4 inches as her height. She would therefore, have been of the same height as Abby Borden, based upon Abby’s autopsy report. They would have faced each other eye to eye on a daily basis.

The fact that she lists her eyes as grey is not surprising. This confirms what is already written in the police arrest book. Inasmuch as photographs were not used on passports during this time, physical descriptions had to be more detailed. The straight nose, full face, pointed chin and “medium” mouth Lizzie gives for her features tallies with the photographs we have of her face.

Perhaps the most important fact that she gives is her hair color. Twentieth century writers have instigated and repeated the myth that Lizzie was a redhead. Maybe this is a popular conjecture because of the reputation redheads have for temper. The Fall River Herald, on the day of the Borden funeral describes Lizzie as having black hair. The shadow that falls from under a hat brim, or descriptions made from viewing Lizzie at a distance may have led to so many varying accounts. Other newspapers mention brown or mousey –brown hair, with Emma Borden’s hair being a darker shade. Here we have, in Lizzie’s own hand, a clear description of her as having “light brown “ hair.

Lizzie’s signature is a well-known entity and on this form we see her name written by the notary in the middle of the form (note the different formation of the middle initial “A” and the disjoined letters in “Lizzie”), and then Lizzie’s own familiar hand at the very top in the section “I, Lizzie A. Borden a native and loyal citizen of the United States . . .” and again at the bottom on the certification signed by Mr. William L. Benedict. Mr. Benedict may have resided in Boston, not Fall River. The fact that he gives only his street address, not city would imply Boston.

Finally, the finished passport is requested to be sent to Thomas J. Borden of Fall River. The Fall River City Directory for 1889 lists Thomas J. Borden as president and treasurer of the Fall RIver Manufacturers' Mutual Insurance Co., with a business address as 60 No. Main, Fall River, MA. His home address is listed as 112 North Main Street (In the same year, Thomas was also the president of the Richard Borden Manufacturing Co. and Mechanics Mills).

The booking of tickets, arranging of travel documents and the like were often the domain of gentlemen, managing this sort of task “for the ladies.” It is interesting that Andrew Borden did not seem to have a hand in the proceedings of getting his daughter ready for her trip abroad. Thomas James Borden is the father of Carrie and Anna Borden, Lizzie’s companions, and so it makes sense that he managed the paper work for all “the girls.”

Examination of the applications of Anna, Ellen Shove, and Carrie Borden reveal three of the “girls” went up to Boston on the same day, Ellen Shove went on May 5th to arrange her passport. Ellen Marion Shove'‘s application also uses a different form and the notary is none other than Andrew J. Jennings. It is interesting to note Anna H. Borden lists her hair color as gray although she is only 32. Anna and Carrie both apply for a passport again in 1910. Ellen Shove and Lizzie, however, do not appear to have applied again.

This document has some importance, if in not shedding any light on the murder, then of confirming certain physical characteristics of Lizzie Borden, and how preparations for her one great escape from Fall River came about.

Special thanks to Michael Poirier and Leonard Rebello for assistance in locating the document and providing historical background on places and persons mentioned in the document.

November 26, 2007
Kingston, RI

© 2007 Shelley Dziedzic. All Rights Reserved.