Swansea farm sale - April 1893

[camgarsky4]

As I was reading Rebello's listing of transactions, one caught my eye that I was unaware of.

Lizzie Borden: Past and Present pg. 556.
On April 3, 1893, Emma and Lizzie Borden sold 74 acres located from the "highway" to Warren, 33' lane by road to Cole's Station & Highway in Swansea, to Leander E. Gardner(Book 12 pg. 364).

I just read the 2 page transaction noted above, and a cool little factoid is that Sheriff Wright's wife, Mary, witnessed Emma and Lizzie's signatures. That would make sense, since Lizzie was being held in the Taunton jail in April, '93. The signed agreement only states the property was sold for $1. As seems to be the case in many of the real estate transactions during that era, the terms of sale were kept private between the parties.

All that said, this is likely one of Andrew's much talked about Swansea farms. The very farms that many conspiracy theorists think was the cause of John Morse participating in the murders. Or one of the farms that Andrew had decided to leave to Abby causing Lizzie to murder.

I can only speculate that the sisters sold the property to raise cash for Lizzie's defense. I was surprised that the selling party wasn't Andrew's estate since the estate had not been settled (occurred Feb, '94). Andrew Jennings was the Justice of the Peace for the agreement and basically served as, what we call today, the notary of public. So I imagine the transaction was appropriate and legal.

Since the sisters sold the 74 acres even before the trial, and not to John Morse who could have bought it instead of Leander Gardner, sure seems like the Swansea farms (or at least this particular one) had no part in anyone's motive to kill the Borden's.

[Kat]

Did you see Land Transactions in Rebello where:
November 22, 1890, Andrew J. Borden sold to Frank Eddy of Swansea, Massachusetts, for $1.00+ approximately one acre of land at Luthers corner in Swansea, Massachusetts. (Book 146: 349) pg 554.

[Kat]

Yesterday in Old Fall River, A Lizzie Borden Companion, Paul Dennis Hoffman, Carolina Academic Press, Durham, N.C., 2000

Hoffman has 3 Eddy’s:
Eddy, Francis Wilmarth. (1831-1898)
Francis W. Eddy was on District Attorney Hosea M. Knowlton’s handwritten list of potential witnesses. He was listed as “Frank” Eddy under the label “miscellaneous.” Eddy was a hack driver and may have been in the vicinity of the Borden house at the time the murders occurred. He was not called to testify at the trial.

Eddy was a Fall River native. He married Sarah J. Gardner and was employed by Charles T. Kirby Company, Stables. He remained in that occupation until his death.
………

Eddy, James C.
James C. Eddy was a well-to-do financier and property owner in Fall River. He served as one of the pallbearers for Abby Borden at the double funeral for the victims that took place on Saturday, August 6, 1892. The other pallbearers for Mrs. Borden were Henry S. Buffinton, John H. Boone, J. Henry Wells, Simeon B. Chase and Frank Almy.
………

Eddy, William
William Eddy was the manager of farm property in lower Swansea owned by Andrew Borden. After the murders, policeman Patrick H. Doherty questioned Lizzie Borden as to whether Andrew had any Portuguese in his employ on his Swansea farms. Lizzie mentioned Eddy and Alfred C. Johnson as Andrew’s only Swansea employees. Lizzie told Doherty that Eddy was ill and neither man was in Fall River that day. She added, “neither Mr. Eddy nor Mr. Johnson would hurt my father.” * [sic- there has been controversy on this Forum as to whether that is a real quote of Lizzie, and a member showed it was actually a paraphrase from one of the attorney’s arguments in a legal proceeding.]

*(Closest I could find from Lizzie is in Witness Statements, pg 4 “Miss Lizzie had no suspicious on the farm hands.” By Doherty.

[Kat]

I’m supposing the 1890 sale of an acre at (Swansea) Luther’s Four Corners was probably to the Eddy who married a Gardner.

[Kat]

https://lizzieandrewborden.com/LBForum/ ... &mode=view
I don’t see Sarah Gardner on my tree who married an Eddy.

[camgarsky4]

I was lazily assuming it was the farm manager Eddy who bought the acre. Now I need to follow the trails you've laid out and look into a lot deeper. Thanks!

p.s. I keep waking up too early lately!!

[Kat]

I admit I did too, assume it was the farmer Eddy.
And I am also waking up too soon!

[camgarsky4]

Just read the real estate transaction on record and nothing really of note to add beyond what was already provided by Rebello. Charles C. Cook was the notary and witnessed the paperwork.

Rebello
November 22, 1890, Andrew J. Borden sold to Frank Eddy of Swansea, Massachusetts, for $1.00+ approximately one acre of land at Luthers corner in Swansea, Massachusetts. (Book 146: 349) pg 554.

[camgarsky4]

Emma put the Swansea farm on the market just a couple weeks after Lizzie's preliminary hearing in September. '92. Interesting they chose to sell one of the farms instead of liquidating some stocks.

This is the farm I presume Morse stopped by on his Swansea visit on August 3rd. He had his brief chat with Eddy about oxen and eggs and then headed back to Fall River. Re-emphasizing the comment I made earlier on this thread, ownership of this particular Swansea property must not have been a motive for Morse, Lizzie or Emma (if they were involved in the killings).

The 'for sale' ad below is the earliest I found, but Cook ran literally dozens of ads in pursuit of selling the farm.

Screenshot 2023-11-21 230403.png

[CagneyBT]

Hi Camgarsky!

Great find! It could very well be the Eddy farm that was sold. The other farm was run by Alfred C. Johnson. I believe that was the farm in Swansea that was the Borden summer residence. Wasn't that sold later in 1912 or thereabouts?