EDWIN AUGUSTUS BUCK, 1824-1903. City Missionary of the Central Congregational Church in Fall River from December 1867 until he retired in 1899 at age 75. With the Rev. Mr. Jubb, he was a strong supporter of Lizzie “almost every day from the time of the murders… until her acquittal”. Born in Bucksport, Maine, his parents were James and Lydia (Treat) Buck. In January 1853 he married Elmira R. Walker of Medway, Mass. After giving birth to five daughters, she died on 16 February 1877. The Rev. Mr. Buck died on 9 March 1903, after a brief attack of pneumonia. His daughter Alice Lydia Buck was a good friend of Emma Borden and “an ardent supporter of Emma and Lizzie Borden during the latter’s trial.” Mr. Buck was Emma’s advisor until his death. After Emma left Maplecroft in 1905, she lived with Alice Buck at least briefly during the year 1912.
http://tinyurl.com/zoleswq
Reverend Buck was Emma’s advisor until his death. There is controversy regarding if the article of Emma’s interview that was published in the Boston Sunday Post, on April 13, 1913, is actually true or not. Here is a partial of the newspaper article:
‘Guilty - - No! No!’
Lizzie Borden’s sister breaks 20-year silence
"The happenings at the French Street house that caused me to leave, I must refuse to talk about. I did not go until conditions became absolutely unbearable. Then, before taking action, I consulted the Rev. A. E. Buck who for years had been the family spiritual advisor.
After carefully listening to my story, he said it was imperative that I should make my home elsewhere.
Before going, I had an agreement drawn up by our lawyer so that no trouble could arise regarding the French Street house.
Although the general public believes that Lizzie owns that house, such is not the case. It is our joint property and so is the land it stands on. Under the agreement we entered into, Lizzie is to occupy the house as long as she lives, and is to pay me rent for the use of my half of the estate. Lizzie is sole owner to the land she added to the original estate.
I do not expect ever to set foot on the place while she lives." Boston Sunday Post, April 13, 1913, p. 25.
However, Revered Buck died in March of 1903, and Emma did not move out of Maplecroft until several days prior to June of 1905. See following link for article of Emma’s departure from Maplecroft:
http://tinyurl.com/jkngb5l
Posted by Kat on Nov 01, 2011:
Rebello
Page 312
“After Emma's departure from Maplecroft, an agreement was drafted for Emma and Lizzie.”
Agreement
Whereas Emma L. Borden and Lizzie A. Borden, of Fall River, Massachusetts, all equal owners in common of a certain lot of land containing about 34 5/8 rods of land and a dwelling house, thereon numbered 306 French Street, in said Fall River, and also of certain personal property located in said house, said lot being the same purchased by them of Charles M. Allen.
Now therefore we the said Emma L. Borden and Lizzie A. Borden do hereby covenant and agree, the one with the other as follows to wit, --
1. Said Lizzie shall have the right to exclusively use and occupy said premises and property as a home and place of residence so long as she chooses to do so during her natural life upon condition however that during such time she shall and does pay all water bills and taxes, make and pay for all necessary repairs in connection with the premises and property, keep the undivided half of said Emma in said premises and property insured against fire in the sum of sixty-hundred dollars ---, also $4,000 on the house and $2,000 on the contents ---, and also pay unto said Emma one hundred and fifteen dollars every six months for such use and occupation, the first payment to be made January first A.D. 1906 for six months in advance. .
2. If said Lizzie shall before her death cease to use or occupy said premises and property as foresaid, then forthwith said house and property shall be put into the hands of Charles C. Cook of said Fall River as broker to sell the same at private sale or public auction as he deems expedient, or in case of his decease, in the hands of some other broker to be designated by Andrew J. Jennings and said personal property shall be divided by the parties, or if they cannot agree upon a division, be sold in the same manner as the real estate, the proceeds of such sale after deducting expenses to be divided equally between the parties.
3. Neither party shall during life except as thereinbefore, provided sell, mortgage, lease or otherwise dispose of her said undivided interest without consent of the other.
4. Said Emma and Lizzie shall each provide by will or otherwise so that in case the said undivided interest has not been sold or disposed of as aforesaid the same shall go and belong to the other if she survives her.
Page 313
In witness Whereof we the said Emma L. Borden and Lizzie A. Borden have hereto set our hands and seals this twelfth day of October A.D. 1905."
Emma L. Borden Seal
Lizzie A Borden Seal
http://tinyurl.com/hsjggf4
It is unfortunate that we don’t know when Revered Buck allegedly advised Emma to leave Maplecroft, but I think the controversy lay in the fact that Revered Buck died in 1903 and Emma didn’t leave Maplecroft until several day prior to June of 1905. I also think another part of the controversy is that in Emma’s interview, she stated that
before she left she had an agreement drawn up by their lawyer so that no trouble could arise regarding the French Street house, however, the date on the actual agreement is October 12, 1905.
