Who is Hosea Knowlton?

affie4u · Post by **affie4u** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 3:31 pm

I have no idea who Hosea Knowlton is, who is Hosea?

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 3:40 pm

At the time of the murders and trial he was the District Attorney for the Southern District of Massachusetts. In that capacity he was the chief prosecuting officer against Lizzie Borden. He later became Attorney General for the state of Massachusetts.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:13 am

What's the context of your question? I'm intrigued. Are you staying in that room at the B&B, affie?

Tina-Kate · Post by **Tina-Kate** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:48 am

Hosea Knowlton as DA also questioned Lizzie at her inquest.

He was not meant to be the prosecuting attorney at Lizzie's trial, but ended up taking over for Attourney General Pillsbury due to Pillsbury's illness.

You can download copies of the Inquest, Trial, etc. here---

http://lizzieandrewborden.com/Resources ... uments.htm

Pictures & Bios of Knowlton & others---

http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Crime ... acters.htm

affie4u · Post by **affie4u** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:04 pm

Was that common back then for the DA to stay at a house when a crime happened? How long did Hosea have to stay at the Borden house for?

I did ask who Hosea was because of the B&B.
I am not visiting the fall river area anytime soon, I know I should! but about 6 or 8 months ago I did request a brochure on the B&B & I had one mailed to me & I was looking at it yesterday & I did notcie there was a room for Hosea.

Tina-Kate · Post by **Tina-Kate** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:19 pm

I think the room was just named for him as the prosecuting attorney. I believe there is also a Jennings room upstairs in the attic---so they named one room for the prosecution & another for the defense?

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:56 pm

yea , All the rooms are named for who occupied the rooms and they had 2 more rooms in the attic to use for the B and B so I guess they decided
to name them after the 2 prominent attorneys

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 8:07 pm

Well that sounds like Knowlton stayed there, but as far as I know he never did. Nor did Jennings.

Here is the bio on Knowlton from The Knowlton Papers Glossary:

KNOWLTON, HOSEA MORRILL 1847 - 1902: born in Durham, Maine, son of Rev. Isaac Case and Mary Smith (Wellington) Knowlton. The itinerant nature of his father's profession caused him to be educated in several school systems. Preparation for college was done at high schools in Oldtown and Bangor, Maine, as well as Keene, New Hampshire, then at Powers Institute in Bernardston, Massachusetts. His father's appointment as pastor of the Universalist Church in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1866 caused his family to relocate there. Following his graduation from Tufts University in 1867, he read law in the office of Edwin L. Barney, Esq. in New Bedford and also attended Harvard Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1870 and subsequently opened an office in New Bedford, entering a partnership with Attorney Barney which lasted seven years. He began public service in 1872 when he was appointed registrar of bankruptcy for the First District in Massachusetts, an office he held until its abolishment in 1878. In 1873, he married Miss Sylvia Bassett Almy of New Bedford. He was a member of the New Bedford school committee from 1874 to 1877. He served as city solicitor in 1877, as a representative to the state legislature from 1876 to 1877 and as state senator from 1878 to 1879. Following this, he was named district attorney of the Southern District of Massachusetts, a position he held until January 1, 1894. At this time, he resigned to become attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, an office to which he was reelected five times. He served on various boards as a director, among them the Edison Electric Light Company of New Bedford and Citizens' National Bank, also of that city. He was a trustee of Tufts University and, from 1872, a member of the Universalist Society. In June of 1893, in his capacity as district attorney for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, he headed the prosecution against Miss Lizzie A. Borden, on trial for the murders of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Borden. Though the verdict was not in favor of the Commonwealth, he received praise from a multitude of sources for his masterful handling of the prosecution. He died at his summer home in Marion, Massachusetts.

affie4u · Post by **affie4u** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 2:41 pm

I was about to say, Guess Hosea never wanted to stay in the Abby Borden room!

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:18 pm

affie, how did you become interested in the Borden case?

affie4u · Post by **affie4u** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:31 pm

I think it was a Ad for a fall rivers guide I got in the mail when I was
requesting information on the state of MA . That is the first time I think I saw a picture on the back of a guide for the lizzie borden Bed and breakfest I think and then I googled Lizzie and found this web-sight.That is how I became intesterted in lizzie borden.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:05 am

I think I saw that you have read Dr. Masterton's book, Lizzie Didn't Do It! Have you gone on to read any of the other authors?

affie4u · Post by **affie4u** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:57 pm

I did read that book. That is the only Lizzie book I have ever read besides a childrens book (teenager Boook?)they had on Lizzie at the library. Librarys here don't carry Lizzie books and you have to speical order one if you want one from a bookstore. I know I should read other books on Lizzie. I am still not sure if she did it or not. Some days I think she might be guilty, other days I think maybe it was this person or that person.