The narratives of “The Other Borden Murders” and “The Children In the Well” have become a source of ghostly folklore over the years. Many questions surrounding the story revolve around the identity of Lawdwick Borden’s wife, Elizabeth Darling, and the fate of their surviving child, Maria Borden. (Lawdwick Borden was the uncle of Andrew J. Borden).
Thanks to the forum members who have contributed their research over the years, I was able to compile the genealogy below. Once Elizabeth Darling’s maiden name was discovered, the pieces of the puzzle came together.
Elizabeth Hathaway, daughter of Michael Hathaway and Hannah Davis, married Silas J. Darling in Fall River on Dec. 1, 1830. Their known children were William W., b. 1833 & George Washington Darling, b. 1835, d. Jan. 4, 1840.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH4Z-YVS
Silas J. Darling , b . 11 May 1807 , d . 6 Nov 1840 ; 1719 m . 1 Dec 1830 in Fall River Elizabeth Hathaway , daughter of Michael and Hannah [ Davis ] Hathaway Source: Dennis Darling of Braintree and Mendon and Some of His Desecendants, pg. 143, William A. Martin, Lou Ella Johnson Martin, 2002.
Silas J. Darling died Nov. 5, 1840. He died intestate, and the details of the probate were published Dec. 21, 1840.
“To the Honorable Oliver Prescott, Esq. Judge of Probate in and of the county of Bristol, this may certify that I, Eliza Darling, am the wife of Silas J. Darling late of Fall River deceased, and that your honor would appoint Seth Darling of Fall River in said county in Bristol administrator to settle the estate of my said husband Silas J. Darling...” (signed) Eliza Darling. In Feb. 1841, Judge Prescott signed an order granting Elizabeth $150 out of the personal estate..
Source Citation Bristol County (Mass.) Probate Records 1690-1881; Author: Bristol County (Massachusetts). Register of Probate; Probate Place: Bristol, . DescriptionNotes: Probate Records, Damascus, Gabriel - Davenport, Abby D.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127 ... on-darling
Elizabeth (Hathaway) Darling then married Lawdwick Borden on March 16, 1843. She was his second wife (He first married Maria Briggs on Sept. 18, 1833).
Lawdwick and Elizabeth had three children together: Maria Borden, b. Oct. 22, 1844, followed by Eliza Anne Borden c. 1846 and Holder Borden in 1847.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28L-DQ2S
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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103 ... r-s-borden
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103 ... ann-borden[/i]
In May of 1848, Elizabeth Darling Borden murdered her two youngest children before taking her own life.
Tragical Event. One of the most deplorable events that has happened in this part of the country for many years occurred at Fall River last evening. The wife of Mr. Ladererich Borden, an estimable inhabitant of that town, drowned her two youngest children, one 3 1/2 years and the other 1 year old, in a cistern, and then took her own life. Mrs. Borden has within a few days shown undeniable evidences of an unsound mind, expressing fears that they should come to want, though her husband is in good circumstances, & c. Yesterday afternoon a girl who lived with Mrs. Borden went out to get a pail of water. On her return, Mrs. Borden and the two younger children were missing. She asked an elder child where her mother was gone and was told that she had gone to the cellar. (Note: The elder child must have been Maria). She went to the cellar door, but was afraid to enter on hearing the groans of Mrs. B. The neighbors were called in and found Mrs. B. extended on the floor with her throat cut and just alive. The children were both dead in the cistern. This dreadful tragedy has caused a great excitement in Fall River,, and a deep sympathy is felt for Mr. Borden in this sudden and dreadful bereavement. Boston Traveller
Melancholly Affair: A most melancholly occurrence look place in Fall River, Wednesday afternoon between the hours of four and five. The wife of Mr. Lawdwick Borden, one of our most respectable citizens, residing on Second Street, took her two youngest children; went down cellar, and drowned them in a cistern, then stepping behind the chimney, cut her own throat with a razor, and died almost instantly. No one was present at the time, the servant girl having just stepped out to draw a pail of water, leaving Mrs. B. with her three youngest children. One ot the children drowned was six months old. Mrs. Borden had appeared rather melancholly for a few days past, and it is probable that she committed the lamentable deed in a paroxysm of insanity. Fall River News.
After the tragedy, Lawdwick Borden married Elizabeth Chace in Fall River on Feb. 8, 1849. After her death, he married Ruhama Crocker on Oct. 19, 1864. Lawdwick died in 1874.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH9Q-1NF
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In 1850, Maria Borden, the surviving child of the murder/suicide, was living with her father Lawdwick and stepmother, Eliza.. She was recorded as 5 years old. Also living in the household was Samuel Hinckley, age 18, b. Maine.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD9N-GSF.
1855 Census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ4G-N12
1860 Census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZH4-KW6
1865 Census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQHK-N99
Maria married Samuel Hinckley on Oct. 2, 1866 in Fall River. He was a painter, born in Machias, Maine, and a civil war veteran. It was his second marriage and her first.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N479-9JM
In the 1870 census. Maria Hinckley was residing in her father’s household without her husband.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDS2-4MC
Maria next married John B. Chace on Nov. 27, 1873 in Fall River, MA. The record notes that it’s her second marriage. She married under her maiden name, suggesting that she and Samuel Hinckley had divorced. A divorce seems likely as Samuel also remarried on Jan. 31, 1874 to a woman named Julia Harris in Boston. He died in Riverside, CA in 1918.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPHY-2Z7W
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N443-ZZL
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/725 ... b-hinckley
Maria and John’s first child, Lawdwick Chace, was born on Dec. 31, 1874 and died on March 2, 1875. Their daughter, Emma, was born on May 20, 1876.(She married Harry F. Goulding).
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103 ... ck-b-chace
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The Chace family appears in the city directory at 96 Second St. in Fall River as early as 1876. Ruhama (Crocker) Borden, Lawdwick’s widow, is listed as a resident in 1878 and died there on June 18 1879.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH3P-729
In 1880, Maria was living at 96 Second St with her husband John & daughter, Emma. They shared the address with Alice Russell and Alice’s mother, Judith. And next door, at 92 Second, lived Maria’s first cousin, Andrew J. Borden. The Chace family lived at 96 Second until c. 1890 before moving to 517 Middle St.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH63-TKK
Maria Borden Chace died in June 1909.
Fall River Daily Evening News,17 Jun 1909: "Death of Mrs John B Chace. Mrs Maria (Borden) Chace, wife of John B Chace, died Wednesday morning at her home No 517 Middle street after an Illness of a year and a half, aged 65 years She was the daughter of the late Lawdwlck and Eliza (Hathaway) Borden. Despite her long illness, Mrs Chace bore up bravely under the ordeal and never one word of complaint was uttered by her. Her death will be a matter of sincere regret among her many acquaintances wilh whom she was a great favorite. Besides her husband, John B Chace who is a music teacher, the deceased is survived by one daughter, Miss Emma L Chace."
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N49W-PMP (The death certificate erroneously notes Lawdwick as "Frederick.")
Maria’s half brother and Lawdwick’s stepson, William W. Darling, would have been 15 years old at the time of the murder/suicide involving his mother and two half-siblings. In 1850, he resided in the household of Isaac and Martha (Hathaway) Borden in Fall River. Martha was William’s aunt.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD9N-KV7
William married Mary Hargraves on May 29, 1853 in Fall River.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N49G-H84
He’s listed in the 1859 & 1864 Fall River city directories at 13 Ferry St. William was an engineer for the Fall River Iron Works and assistant pumping engineer for the Fall River Water Dept. until his resignation in 1907. He died in Jan. 1913 in Fall River, age 80.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4W4-Z29