Lizzie Borden Society Forum

This land auction notice article appeared in the Feb. 21st, 1999 New Bedford Standard Times:

"... Public Auction at eleven o'clock A.M. (11:00 A.M.) (E.D.S.T) if in force; otherwise (E.S.T.) A.M. on Saturday, the twenty-seventh (27th) day of March, 1999, on the premises at 126 Dartmouth Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts, all and singular the premises described in said mortgage, To wit: The land, with any buildings thereon, situated in New Bedford, Bristol County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point in the easterly line of Dartmouth Street, distant southerly therein one hundred twenty-six (126) feet from its intersection with the southerly line of Fair Street, and at the southwest corner of land now or formerly of Edwin L. Potter; thence EASTERLY in line of last-named land, one hundred (100) feet to a point for a corner; thence NORTHERLY still in line of last-named land, twenty-six (26) feet to land now or formerly of Matthew Lawrence; thence EASTERLY in line of last-named land, thirty-nine (39) feet to land now or formerly of Harrison T. Borden, et al; thence SOUTHERLY in line of last-named land and land now or formerly of Lizzie A. Borden to other land now or formerly of said Borden, et ali; thence WESTERLY blah, blah, blah .......

FOR TITLE, see deed from Luzo Community Bank, Mortgagee, dated April 11, 1991 and recorded in the Bristol County S.D. Registry of Deeds in Book 2663, Page 161."

It is undoubtedly another Lizzie A. Borden but curious anyway since Uncle John did have connections to New Bedford. Might be worth some local Bordenite looking into. Was there a Harrison T. Borden in the family?

Yes Harry:

Can't remember where I found the information but there was another Lizzie A.Borden who lived either in New Bedford or Dartmouth, Ma. Also it was around the same time as the murders. We found her in some directory? Not sure. But, I do remember another Lizzie Borden but I am not positive whether she was a Lizzie "A".

I think there was another one in New York.

But this land transfer was 1999? I, too, think "John Morse" when I think of property in New Bedford.

I bet Cynthia could find the connection!

I think you're right, Harry -- it's unlikely that it's our Lizzie A. According to the 1912 New Bedford Directory there were tons of Bordens in the New Bedford area. I gave up trying to count them.

See:
http://www.archive.org/stream/newbedfor ... r_djvu.txt

Here's an excerpt from that Directory providing the business and home address of one:
"BORDEN HARRISON T coal and real estate 126 Dartmouth h 154 Fair " The item you cited mentions Fair Street, so that connects.

Also a Harrison T. Borden -- resident of New Bedford MA -- was a passenger on the Morro Castle on Feb. 16, 1915. His age is given at that time as 48. (Source: Ellis Island shipping records).

None of this forwards the topic really – I just found it interesting….

Thanks for the info, Diana! It is interesting that it says "now or formerly owned" by Lizzie A. Borden.

Interesting that Harrison was on the Morro Castle. There was a fire aboard that ship killing well over 100 crew and passengers in 1934.

It is pretty certain the fire was started by a crew member, the radioman, deliberately. Ironically he was at first thought to be a hero.

There's quite a few websites on the disaster. A good book on the case is "Shipwreck: The Strange Fate of the Morro Castle" by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts. The paperback edition was by Dell. Paid a whole $1.50 for it way back when it came out.

Lizzie Almy Tripp married (in 1890) Harrison Taylor Borden who developed properties on Dartmouth St., Harrison St., Borden Street and other side streets in my neighborhood. He was also a dealer in coal and wood. This "Lizzie A. Borden" has dozens of signatures at the New Bedford Registry of Deeds. She had to sign away her dower rights on all her husband's real estate transactions. They lived at 154 Fair St. in New Bedford. Lizzie and Harrison had 4 children together.

While Hetty Robinson Green's attorneys were involved with my property, "Lizzie A. Borden" signed off on my next door neighbor.

If I'm not mistaken, Harrison Borden's parents lived on Butler St. in New Bedford.

From the 1880 Federal Census:

Charles M. BORDEN Self M Male W 52 MA Farmer MA MA
Catherine A. BORDEN Wife M Female W 50 MA Keeping House MA MA
Mary E. BORDEN Dau S Female W 15 MA House Work MA MA
Harrison T. BORDEN Son S Male W 13 MA At School MA MA
Ann A. BORDEN Dau S Female W 11 MA At School MA MA
Horace BORDEN Son S Male W 8 MA MA MA

Oooo! You're so good to us, Cynthia!

Where have you been?

Between sick and busy--I have a lot on my plate right now between house, work, and medical appointments. Boring!