Priscilla Fish

[Jan]

In Robert Sullivan's book he mentioned a Mrs Priscilla Fish, who was Abby's sister, and who was also left a share in her father's house. Abby is said to have been very lonely and her only friend was her half-sister, Sarah Whitehead. Was this Mrs Fish a full sister? If so, it seems strange that she doesn't seem to have visited her sister at all, except to attend her funeral. Isn't that curious?

[augusta]

Priscilla was Abby's full sister. Oliver Gray, Abby's father, first married Sarah Sawyer, and they had two children: Abby and Priscilla.

Priscilla B. Gray was born in 1820 and died January 25, 1894. She married George H. Fish, who died January 4, 1894. Priscilla was Abby's only full sibling.

Sarah Sawyer, Oliver's first wife - and Abby's mother - died in 1878.

Oliver remarried. His second wife was Jane Eldredge D. (Baker) from Bakersville, Mass. Jane was Abby and Priscilla's step-mother.

From Oliver's second marriage came two children: "Bertie" (Sarah Bertha Gray), who was half-sister to Abby and to whom Abby was very close. There was some 36 years between their ages. It's been often said that Abby felt more of a mother to Bertie than a sister. Sarah's husband was George W. Whitehead. He died in 1898 at the age of 38. Sarah and George Whitehead had two children: "Little Abby" in 1884 and George O. Whitehead in 1887.

Priscilla died in Hartford. Connecticut. I would think that she lived there and she and Abby could not visit much because of the distance between them.

(The above can be found in Rebello, page 23.)

Interesting that Priscilla and George Fish died in the same month in the same year. I wonder if they died of some illness.

[Harry]

Good post, Augusta.

Probably anyone associated with Abby, family or not, would not have received a friendly welcome from the Borden girls and therefore not inclined to visit.

Sarah Whitehead testified at the Inquest, p156:

"Q. Did you know anything about the relations between Miss Lizzie and your half sister, Mrs. Borden?
A. I dont, for I never went there, very seldom, an account of these girls."

That sort of says it all. Sarah lived but 2 streets away.

I did find in the Evening Standard that Priscilla did attend at least one day of the Preliminary hearing which was held in Fall River.

Looking at the dates of birth in Rebello you see that Sarah Whitehead (Abby's half-sister) was born in 1864. Although she was Lizzie's and Emma's half-aunt (is there such a thing?) she would have been 4 years younger than Lizzie and 13 years younger than Emma. To have an aunt younger than yourself is in itself a peculiar situation,

[augusta]

That's an excellent point, Harry - that Abby's relatives would not be treated real swell by 'the girls'.

Interesting to know Priscilla was at the Prelim, at least for one day.

Lizzie was arrested for Andrew's death, but wasn't she charged with three counts at the trial? Andrew's death, Abby's death, and the death of them both?

I used to say step-aunt, but then just used "aunt". I think a 'half-aunt' is when you step on one at the stomach and you end up with two pieces....

[Harry]

Priscilla and her husband also attended the funeral. We can only imagine how cold that reception was.

Yes, that is peculiar that Priscilla and her husband died with 3 weeks of each other in 1894 and it would be intersting to find out the cause. Hopefully not Prussic acid poisoning.

[Jan]

Gosh, Augusta, that's really admirable research. Those Borden girls (though it seems mostly Lizzie) really resented anyone connected with poor Abby. Travelling might have been more difficult in the 1890s but I'm sure that Abby would have welcomed her sister into her home.

[augusta]

With Rebello's book, researching was made a lot easier.

Abby was supposed to have company coming on Monday and staying over. I always wondered if it were Priscilla and her husband. She was making up the guest room after Morse used it to prepare for her company. Strange, I've never ever read who it was supposed to be. Bridget and 'the girls' must have known who it was. I wish someone had asked them. Didn't they realize that a hundred years down the road people would be typing on computers cross country and wondering who that company was?

Emma disliked Abby even more than Lizzie. It's always those silent ones ...

[theebmonique]

Jan,

If you don't have the Rebello Bible, you may want to consider contacting him aout getting one. He may have some left.


Tracy...

[Jan]

Thank you, Monique. I have just ordered a copy of Frank Spiering's book and look forward to reading it.

Incidentally, I seem to remember that in the 1960s I read a book on the case which made out Lizzie to be innocent. I can't for the life of me remember the name. As I'm convinced that Lizzie is guilty I don't think I want to read it. Can anyone remember the title and author?

[Harry]

More than likely it was Edward D. Radin's book "Lizzie Borden: The Untold Story". He hints strongly that the murders were committed by Bridget Sullivan.

[Jan]

Thanks, Harry, for that information. I wonder what motive the author thought that Bridget would have for killing the Bordens. They seemed to have treated her well and if she had been dissatisfied she would have upped and left their house. I hardly think that being sent out to wash the windows on a boiling hot day when she wasn't feeling well was sufficient enough motive. Besides, when she was washing the windows she was seen by quite a few people during the time Abby was murdered.

[Kat]

Lizzie says she didn't see Bridget, or was unaware of her.
Bridget was probably seen by Mary Doolan, the Kelly's maid, about 9:30, as they spoke over the fence.
Then at about 10 am Bridget was seen on the front step by Pettee who used to live in the house, and by Mrs. Churchill throwing water on one window of the parlour, around to the north side of the house. And those are all the sightings of Bridget we have.
Depending on when exactly Abby was killed, there probably is no alibi for Bridget that would hold up nowadays.