Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts

Graphology, the “pseudo-science” of deciphering personality attributes by analyzing handwriting samples provokes mixed opinions as to the validity of these observations.  The formation of letters, the slant of the writing, the way a “t” is crossed- and many other points come under the lens in formulating possible characteristics of the writer.

Janice Warren, master certified handwriting analyst, will present “You Are What You Write,” on Friday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Christ Church, 57 Main St. in Swansea. The owner of “Different Strokes” in Fall River, Ms. Warren gives workshops for teachers and lectures for civic groups and cruise ships.

The program will feature discussion on various traits revealed in handwriting, samples of the rich, famous and infamous, including Lizzie Borden,  and will include audience participation by helping to analyze their personal handwriting samples.  This is far from the first time that Lizzie’s handwriting has been examined.  It will be interesting to see if Ms. Warren agrees with other graphologists.

Refreshments will be served after the program, and tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling Marsha at 508-678-6486. The fundraiser will benefit Christ Church outreach projects.

Happy Mother’s Day to Mothers, Stepmothers, Mothers-to-Be, Like-a- Mother and Mothers-in-law EVERYWHERE!

Over the decades since Lizzie Borden’s death in 1927, the pansy has become the flower associated with her.  She herself never claimed that this was her favorite, and we have only the well-known photograph of her wearing the pansy brooch at her throat as any indication that she liked the flower.  Whether it was a favorite of Lizzie’s or merely a favorite blossom of the era cannot be known with any certainty.  Postcards, other ephemera, jewelry, household decorations, needlework, painted china, and such are all lavished with pansies.  It was a sentimental favorite, probably second only to blue forget-me-nots.  Violets, which signify faithfulness, and rosebuds of varying colors were other flowers most often seen.  The Language of Flowers was a popular code of the times, of which most ladies were very knowledgeable.  Pansies, from the French “pensees” means “thoughts”.  Naturally this was an ideal flower to associate with card sending and gift-giving.  There is a very good possibility that Lizzie’s pansy brooch was a gift given to her by a lady friend of close acquaintance.  Lizzie seemed to have a great many dresses in her closet which featured blue, so perhaps the blue-violet shades of pansies appealed to her for that reason.  Another well-know name for the tiny johnny-jump up, a diminuative pansy cousin, was “heart-ease”.  The motif was very popular in handwork for ladies of the time.  A lady reporter who wrote about Lizzie’s neat bedroom mentions a pale blue coverlet worked in embroidered flowers by Lizzie.  Too bad she did not mention what kind of flowers!  Today a vase of silk pansies is kept in Lizzie’s bedroom on Second Street, a Victorian oil painting of pansies hangs above her bed and pansies are always planted in the garden at #92.

Here is a poem by Louisa Don Carlos, born in 1874, one of many Victorian verses about the beloved pansy.

O give me not red roses,
That early dews have wet!
They speak to me of kisses
That are remembered yet.
 
O bring me not white roses,
That summer winds have drest!
For once I placed white roses
Upon a quiet breast.
 
But bring me purple pansies
If so you wish to please,
For them I have affection;
For pansies are “heart’s ease”.

Recently a letter surfaced in England written by Lizzie to a friend living there.  The woman now owning the letter in the television programme that aired last week in Britain had the letter written to her grandmother by “L. A. Borden,” signed thus, over three pages, that was very conversational and ordinary in tone, being pre-murders. It was valued, very conservatively, at £600-800  or $1,200 to $1,600.

With the upcoming publication of the Fall River Historical Society’s Parallel Lives, (now delayed until late March -early Spring), Lizzie letters are much on the minds of Borden enthusiasts everywhere.

If a Lizzie Borden signature is out of your wallet range, many Lizzie-affiliated signatures can still be had for a bargain.  The signatures of the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 1892-96 and the former Governor, George Dexter Robinson, also better known as Lizzie’s head defense attorney, were bought recently for $30 on Ebay. Another former Governor’s autograph (John Davis Long 1880-1883) was thrown in as a bonus.

 

Roger Wolcott (1847-1900)  was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1892-1896 and Governor from 1896-1900.

Roger Wolcott

John Davis Long (1838-1915)

Governor of Massachusetts 1880-1883, Secretary of the Navy 1897-1902

The Navy destroyer USS Long (DD-209) was named after him. 

These high quality, full-color calendars are spiral bound and printed on heavy cardstock

Our calendars feature photographic contributions by Mary Beth Rigby and William Moniz as well as historic images donated from private collections

Layout by Ann Keane

Additionally, the birth dates of notable historical figures are observed throughout

Limited quantities of our calendars are available for $15 and make a wonderful holiday gift

Shipping is an additional $1 per calendar.  Those in the Fall River area may arrange for pickup.  Please call or email to reserve your copy or to arrange for pickup

Payment may be mailed to:

The friends of oak grove cemetery

96 colfax street

Fall river, MA 02720

Ph: 508-642-9636

Sung by Vida Turner at Lizzie’s private wake, many seem to find meaning in Lizzie’s requested and favorite hymn. Rev. Cleveland from the Church of the Ascension on Rock St. gave the prayers to a select few employees.  Miss Turner received a check for her services and was told not to repeat where she had been.  This version is from a period hymnal and the text is the text Lizzie would have known.  Do you see any hidden significance? Try it at home on your piano.

‘Who, in the “Lily” under Belasco’s management has demonstrated her right to be considered the great actress the admirers of her earlier work prophesied. (from American Magazine  August, 1911)’

Nance is shown with a come-hither look all decked out in Titanic-era cartwheel hat with feathers.  At this point Lizzie Borden was a long-gone memory as Nance advanced with her stage and film career. Nance, always somewhat of a spendthrift, sold her large estate in Tyngsboro, MA (where Lizzie once visited) with 250 acres of it purchased by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1907.  It is now the site for Notre Dame Academy, a co-ed Catholic school. http://www.ndatyngsboro.org/page.cfm?p=13

Rick Geary has spent a good many years as illustrator and cartoonist, capturing on paper  some pretty grisly tales from the corridors of dark history.  The Borden case caught his fancy and was immortalized as a graphic book, some years ago.  It is a must-have for fans of the case and is available on Amazon for as little as five dollars. 

Mr. Geary also produced a charming paper cutout sheet of the house on Second Street, which was, for a time available for sale at #92. It is not now so readily available.  Once selling for $1.95, the cardstock cutout, which when colored and assembled is a strikingly good facsimile of the house, is now sought after by Bordenites.  If readers know where it might be purchased- send us a comment!

Visit Rick Geary’s website at http://www.rickgeary.com/

After the success of the 1992 conference at BCC, some of the organizers including Jules Rykebusch and Ken Souza wanted to repeat a smaller version of the gathering every year on the first weekend in August.  So the Lizzie Expos were conceived and sponsored by the Down Under Cafe.  The image above is from the 1994 Expo and details some of the events.  This was also the year the mannequin of Lizzie (which held a pear and was in the entry of the Down Under) was kidnapped.  A reward was offered and she returned mysteriously by the second day.  The Herald featured the tale on the front page.  She is shown below with Ed Thibault.

Carriage rides and city tours were part of the fun.  Here are some of the city guides in costume and in character as 1892 Fall Riverites on the way to Maplecroft.

The Sweet Nightingales sang songs of the 1890′s at the old Central Congregational Church.  This stage area in the photo below is now part of the Abbey Grille restaurant downstairs.  The song being performed here is You Can’t Chop Your Pappa Up in Massachusetts!  By 1996 #92 Second Street had opened, and the Expos were no more-but they were fun while they lasted!

The following poem (click on poem for full size) was written by Michael Wilkerson for the Barrister Production of The Country Lawyer.  A copy was at each place on the tables at the Quequechan Club for guests to take home as a souvenir back in 1993.