Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts

Opening tomorrow:  

October 28 Artists and Fall River Natives Jim Charette and Mark Delisle present Boneyard, a series of paintings, prints, photography, music, video and more inspired by Oak Grove Cemetery. The gallery opening will be from 6-9PM on Wednesday, 10/28 at the Cherry & Webb Gallery, 139 South Main Street. Jim and Mark grew up on opposite ends of Oak Grove and attribute the formation of their life-long friendship to their old “stomping grounds”. As such, this cemetery holds a special meaning to both Jim and Mark.  Both artists have generously agreed to donate a portion of the profits from the sale of their artwork to the Friends of Oak Grove. Please mark your calendar and consider attending this event and support these two local artists.

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

Don’t forget this Sunday’s tour which includes Borden-related grave stones!

History Underfoot III Tour – The Fall River Garden Club, Fall River Historical Society and The Little Theatre of Fall River, Inc. will be hosting their 3rd tour of this historic cemetery, sponsored in part by Citizens-Union Savings Bank.  The group has graciously agreed to donate a portion of their profits toward the purchase of a Memorial Tree.  F.O.G .has been invited to provide an informational table on our group and the work we are doing to restore Oak Grove. Past tours have been a tremendous success and we hope that you will plan to attend.  Tour will be conducted from 11 – 3:30 and tickets for the fundraiser are $15.  Rain date is October 11.

The cast of the August 4th re-enactment at #92 Second Street pay their respects to the victims with two minutes of silence and floral tributes.

It was on this day in 1892, 116 years ago, that the bodies of Abby and Andrew Borden were removed from the holding tomb where they had reposed for a full week, and transported to the Ladies Comfort Station just inside the gates of Oak Grove Cemetery. It was here that the heads of the victims were removed from the bodies.

The holding tomb was a fixture in all cemeteries in the North where extreme winters made gravedigging impossible until the Spring thaw. 

The Ladies Comfort Station, which is now a break room for the cemetery grounds staff, consisted of two rooms, one white-tiled with sinks and lavatories, the other paneled in dark wood wainscotting.

Andrew Borden:  Aged 69 years. Autopsy performed by W. A. Dolan, Medical Examiner, assisted by Dr. F. W. Draper. Witnesses F. W. Draper of Boston and John W. Leary of Fall River. Clerk D. E. Cone of Fall River. Time of Autopsy 11.15 A.M. August 11th, 1892, one week after death.

Abby D. Borden, aged 64 years. Thursday August 11, 1892. at 12.35 P.M. One week after death.The Autopsy was performed by W. A. Dolan, Medical Examiner, assisted by Dr. F. W. Draper, and witnessed by F. W. Draper of Boston, and J. H. Leary of Fall River. Clerk of Autopsy D. E. Cone of Fall River.

Preliminary Testimony by Dr, Dolan describing the skull removal.

Q. He told you to remove the skulls?

A. Yes Sir.

Q. The Attorney General?

A. The Attorney General of this state, yes sir.

Q. I do not assume the Attorney General of any other state has anything to do with this case. You did so?

A. Yes Sir.

Q. What did you do with them?

A. I cleaned them.

Q. You cleaned them?

A. Yes Sir.

Q. Do you mean to say these bodies are now buried without the heads?

A. Yes Sir.

Q. Where are these skulls?

A. In my possession.

Q. Where?

A. At my office.

Q. Has it been said to any member of this family, or any friend, that these people were buried without their heads?

A. I do not know.

Q. Have you said it, or caused it to be said?

A. No Sir.

Q. Did you photograph them, or cause them to be photographed?

A. Yes Sir.

James E. Winward was the man Lizzie Borden wanted immediately to undertake the funeral of her father.  On the day of the murders, just a very short time after Lizzie said she found her father on the sofa, she requested the services of Mr. Winward, who at the time had his business address at 13 South Main Street.  Even before the body of Abby Borden was found on the second floor, Lizzie was voicing the opinion that she would be the one to go down to Oak Grove Cemetery to arrange her father’s funeral and burial.  This may be construed as a curious statement as Mrs. Borden would have had this task herself-did Lizzie already know Mrs. Borden was lying dead upstairs?

Young Mr. Winward (aged only 38 on the day of the murders) came as requested, and was to find not one, but two bodies at #92 Second Street. He and his assistant had the grisly task of removing the heavily blood-stained sofa from the sitting room later in the day. 

Mr. Winward enjoyed a successful career in his field, and fitted the ideal of a funeral director in every aspect of appearance and decorum.  A photograph of Mr. Winward is soon to be published.  At the end of his life, Mr. James E. Winward lived in a prosperous section in the north end of the city on Madison Street.  He is buried with his wife Annie, his daughter Helen Winward Brown and his son-in-law in the cemetery where he spend  so many years organizing funerals for so many city clients- Oak Grove.

The role of Mr. Winward was ably performed by funeral director Andrew Correia for the recent August 4th re-enactments at # 92 Second Street.

The Great Arch 1873 The Shadows Have Fallen and they Wait for the Day

Sunday, March 2nd at 9 a.m., the Friends group will begin surveying Oak Grove Cemetery plantings.  Diseased and dead trees will be noted as well as thriving species as a first step in the ambitious tree replanting program.  The city arborist will be on hand to help with determining species and condition.  The group, made up of preservationists in the city and also out of state, has already planted two oaks and has actively been encouraging sponsors for future plantings.  The official website for the group may be found at http://www.oakgrovecemetery.wordpress.com where a membership application can be found and a  full-sized map of the cemetery which may be printed out.

Although the Borden plot, holding tomb, and Ladies Comfort station is of great interest to many Lizzie Borden visitors, The Friends of Oak Grove was founded primarily to replant gardens and trees, repair broken stones, document nearly-illegible stones, and preserve the character and design of the old Victorian cemetery which was laid out by Josiah Brown in 1855 on land bought from Dr. Nathan Durfee.

 Dr. Durfee

Annual membership is $25.00 per year.  A list of benefactors and updates on projects, tours, lectures and exhibits for the future is also included on the website link above.  All contributions to the Friends go directly for the benefit of the cemetery.

Whether you enjoy strolling through old cemeteries on a Sunday afternoon- or take an interest in Borden case personalities, the companion blog, Friends of Oak Grove, may be a new blog site of interest.  A great many of the principle players in the case find their final rest within the walls of Oak Grove, in itself a superb example of the Victorian memorial park ideal of the mid-nineteenth century.  The Borden family, friends, attorneys, policemen, witnesses and others of interest will be showcased on the web blog, which will also serve as a companion site for the upcoming publication, The Shadows Have Fallen : A History of Oak Grove Cemetery. 

Victorian funeral customs, reference books, unusual stories and monuments, and historical background on the famous inhabitants will be featured. Friends of Oak Grove is a new group of locals who will undertake special projects for the cemetery under the direction of the superintendent such as guided history tours, planting and landscaping sessions, grave documentation and recording, photography, stone rubbing classes and other activities to benefit the cemetery.  Follow the blogroll link on this page or click on www.oakgrovecemetery.wordpress.com