Oak Grove Notables

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:05 pm

Two hours were not enough to hunt down all the Borden case personalities yesterday. Got photos?

Adelaide's name is getting harder to read every year.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:06 pm

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:08 pm

Abby's father Oliver Gray and wives Sarah and Jane. It just occurs to me Sarah Whitehead was probably named after Oliver's first wife.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:08 pm

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:09 pm

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:10 pm

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:36 pm

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:50 pm

Hey Shelley,
Great pics! It will help find these people when I go back. I'm sure
it will still be a challenge, but these pictures will help.
I was up there Saturday and had trouble finding them. Too bad you weren't there. I did find Andrew Jenning. It's funny because I was taking a break from the search and took a walk around the cemetary and
i just stumbled upon him in the back of the lot. I also found Robert Spears
Dunning. If I remember correctly, he was a famous painter.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:56 pm

Yes- that was Dunning the artist. Mrs. Churchill is easy to find. Go in the gate, turn left, pass the first turn off where the man is perched on top of the obelisk (he is a Borden) go down a little farther and look on the left of the road. There is a large monument to Buffinton out toward the wall, and Adelaide and her husband right next to that. Little Abbie and the Whiteheads can be found right behind Pardon Brightman as you round the corner on the road the Churchills are on.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 4:13 pm

Hey Shelley,
Since I had the early shift this AM. I did go back up this afternoon
and followed your directions. I did find Adelaide Churchill. I had to give myself a dope slap for that because that was easy.

Didn't find the other ones since I didn't stay there long.
Are you going to to be up there Saturday or Sunday?? maybe we could meet up and do some stone hunting. There was a beautiful red wreath
on the Borden marker.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:25 pm

Hi Jeff- I'm coming up Friday afternoon to work Friday night so Saturday morning is a possibility to meet up with local Lizzie friends for an autumn stroll through Oak Grove. I'll bring the apple cider!

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:21 am

Apple Cider sounds good

I have the weekend off so it's a good time for a historic stroll. What time do you usually go up in the morning?
I assume after the 10 am checkout. Do you meet people at the gate or
the Borden plot? Now just to decide to drive up or exercise the legs
again

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:29 am

Oh drive up from Somerset- you do enough walking in the cemetery!

mb- are you out there? Anybody else stopping by? Actually I thought maybe around 9:30?

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:51 pm

9:30 sounds good. I guess I'll park at the gate and meet you at the Borden plot. Oh, I talked to Dee today and says you have great apple cider!

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:14 am

Well, how did it go? Everything OK?
"Enquiring minds want to know"- especially since the meeting was arranged so publicly.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:57 am

Despite the rain off and on- we had some fun for about an hour and a half, cruising the stones, admiring and photographing some of the really great carving and confirming Ellen Shove IS indeed buried in the Shove lot. It appears she can be added to the list of "Old Maid" chums of Lizzie, although she was more Emma's age. We visited Blaisdell and felt bad about the early deaths of the Blaisdell sons,the Terry Family, the Grays, Churchills, Jennings, and old Hiram and Lurana, sniffled over the wee grave of poor Georgie Harrington, cleaned up the Borden lot, -laughed a lot, forgot the cider, and had a good discussion by the "ladies' waitingroom" about the case.

The foliage is beginning to turn, and in about 2 weeks Oak Grove will be awash with color. More stone-visiting next week, same time, same place. The more the merrier.

Now, where is Abbie Borden Potter's husband?!

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:27 pm

Did a quick check in Rebello and found that Abby Potter died in Warwick, RI in 1974 (page 500). No mention of her husband as a survivor. In June 1968 she wrote a personal letter to Victoria Lincoln and her address is listed as 72 Lenox Ave, Providence, RI (Oct. 1998 LBQ article). Perhaps he's buried in Rhode Island.

Potter is another one of those names that keeps cropping up in the Borden case.

It was a boy named either Arthur or Freddie Potter (depending on your source) who discovered the hatchet on Crowe's barn roof.

George Potter, of Westport, was the name of the first man selected for Lizzie's jury.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 3:49 pm

Makes me wonder if perhaps they were separated or divorced.

snokkums · Post by **snokkums** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:28 pm

I love those photos!! Good job.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:31 pm

New friend Jeff from Swansea holding up the back gate.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:35 pm

Jeff duplicating the famous pose- we could not find a wheelbarrow!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:04 pm

As promised- Ellen Shove, Lizzie's Grand Tour friend, apparently also a happy spinster to the end.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:01 pm

Oh my God!! Who is that ugly fellow?? Oh it's me

Just give me a hat a coat and I look like Mr. Cook

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:16 pm

Mr. Stafford's tribute to himself- maybe you can take it with you-Stafford Mill- sort of....

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:46 am

Hi Shelley,
That looks soooo cool! What cemetary is that in?
I like that mini house.

I will see you in a couple weeks at the house

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:02 am

Oak Grove, Jeff- where else do we hang out?! Hmm- what does this say about us? Drop by Second St. Halloween if you get a chance. I made up trick or treat bags for guests, and we will have hot cider, donuts and cupcakes, popcorn balls and lots of sugar. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for a lanternlight tour downtown and to the cemetery. I am planning on some rubbings of a few stones if I get a chance to go early to Oak Grove. I recall about 4 years ago being locked in Oak Grove with about 20 guests dressed in Lizzie drag of course, just to make it all even sillier. Took the police about 40 minutes to "spring" us, and they thought it was all a great joke. There are only 2 keys to that big old gate I was told- the director has one and the police the other. Thank God for cell phones. Oak Grove gets locked about 4:30 on Halloween evening-front and back. So- Be-ware!

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:16 pm

Hey Shelley, Oak Grove IS OUR hangout. Could we do the lanternlight
tour through downtown and cemetary NOV. 17( my night in :))
That sounds like so much fun!

I may stop by Halloween day if it is not to busy with tours, but have to
work 4-10pm. Maybe I'll get the nerve to fill out an application LOL

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:13 pm

I have been singing your praises to the Boss Lady Jeff! Yes, we will do the tour with all the frills when you come

Hope to see you tomorrow. I have a funny idea for a photo.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:00 pm

Hey Shelley,
I went up to Second street @ noon time. I was there for 10-15 mins
chatting w/ Dee. We didn't talk about me working w/ you guys and
I chickened out with filling an application.
Lee-Ann was all decked out in Victorian attire. Much prettier than Lizzie.
My tip was brief as a guest came early and wanted to watch a movie in the parlor.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:46 am

Hi Shelley,
Since there won't be a monsoon this weekend I will be at oak Grove
Saturday morning between 930 and 10:00am. I haven't been there
in a few weeks so I am ready to get back to it.

If you don't see me at the Borden plot I will be strolling in the vicinity
taking in the foliage.
Hope to see you there

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:01 pm

I just stocked up on film and had planned a trip to Oak Grove tomorrow -so I will see you in the morning. Am not sure if the library is open Saturdays but I'd like to stop in there too as it looks like the house gang is on a cellarquest this afternoon. We are armed with fast film, tape measure and a mallet! If we find the hatchet, you can bet there will be an update from the hayloft!

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:30 pm

Oh that's gonna be so exciting!!! Lizzie of course would know of any hidey holes in that house! What if...........Happy hunting!!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:48 am

Today is the 28th Year's Mind for one of Oak Grove's famous inhabitants- Cornelia Otis Skinner. Daughter of one of America's acting family elite- Otis Skinner, Cornelia was a shining star in film, stage, television, and a best-selling author, playright, columnist, and monologist from the 1930's-1960's. She is buried in Oak Grove beside her husband, Manhattan broker Alden Sanford Blodget. Born in Chicago, nobody is quite sure why she ended up in Fall River. Her father was born in Cambridge Ma. and grew up in Hartford before going into the theatre himself and acting with the likes of Edwin Booth and the great Helena Modjeska. Cornelia was a tour- de-force , one-woman showstopper of her age, and now sadly, is largely forgotten. My favorite role in which Miss Skinner appeared was that of Miss Holloway, the sanitarium director in The Uninvited, with Ray Milland. She had a dark, magnetic,and powerful screen presence. She was also memorable in Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (the story of Evelyn Nesbit of the Stanford White murder fame).

Tina-Kate · Post by **Tina-Kate** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:37 am

Oh, that's interesting. Had no idea she was in Fall River! Thanks, Shelley!

We shared a birthday---unfortunately, the same day as Bertha Manchester's death.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:46 am

I am a big fan of Cornelia's father Otis Skinner, -but we should all have a career as fabulous as Cornelia's. The Uninvited is one of the scariest ghost-haunting movies I ever saw-all in black and white and pure suspense. Netflix has it and most video rental places. Skinner is superb in the film as Miss Holloway. Like Nance O'Neil, much was made of Cornelia's sexuality, her marriage, and her portrayals on stage of powerful women. Clearly her most important relationships were with women.
She was a brilliant woman, and widely-quoted. I had to blog a little about her today.

Mostly now I am wondering how she ended up in Fall River- it was also a mystery to Mrs. Brigham many years ago when asked. I am having fun trying to find out!

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