Lizzie Borden Society Forum

How close is Lizzies grave to her house ? Both houses I am talking about that she lived at.

Both houses are fairly close to Lizzie's grave at Oak Grove Cemetery which is also in Fall River.

According to Google Maps Oak Grove Cemetery is .6 miles from Maplecroft, located on French Street and 1.3 miles from 92 Second Street.

Oak Grove to French Street would be a fairly easy walk but Fall River is a city of hills so Second Street would not only be a further walk but a lot of it would be uphill.

That must of been a big walk for the Horse & buggy back then with Abby & andrews bodies & everyone in town must of been outside watching the Bodies be moved to the cemetary.

I wounder if Lizzie ever visited the graves all those years of her parents? Does anyone know if she ever did?

Oak Grove is a hop skip and a jump from Maplecroft. Less than a 10 minute walk

In Emma's Interview in April, 1913, she said the both girls made sure there were flowers on the elder's graves every Memorial Day, but that Lizzie had her tribute sent, whereas she, Emma, went to the site personally to visit.

That doesn't mean that Lizzie never went of course. She might not like to go on Memorial Day with everyone else. It's a good question. That's the only reference I can think of at the moment.

wow, very interesting. I guess that ansers my question.I could understand why she might not want to go to the graves when others might see her from fall river. She would feel like people where judgeing her.

I have always found it strange visiting the grave of loved ones or friends, etc. I find it so vital to visit and spend quality time with those we love, cause you never know.

The same goes with placing flowers on the grave. I find this practice somewhat surreal and curious if not bizarre. I suppose most of these actions are meant to appease the self, to fill an emptiness or residue of guilt, shame or remorse for things we never said or did.

Did Lizzie feel these things? If she did kill, or had her parents killed, in her selfishness she could have still loved them-----or at the very least, still loved her father. She probably did visit the graves. Being very alone in that big house, that is, without peers, loneliness must have driven her up the road a short 6 or 7 blocks to Oak Grove to reflect on events in her past. At the very least, she would not need to even get out of her car as the graves are close to the road.

People can be freakish....

I had this supervisor. She was a women. Most of the guys had very little in the way of good to say about her. When she came into the room in the morning with the days work or to give a small speech, many would turn their backs to her. Only because she was a women. (I found that the worse in the group were the married guys) Very bitter about her position. Many would spread awful rumors about her.

She was a wonderful person. I respected her greatly. She was one of the best supervisors I ever worked for. When she died, (cancer, age 53) many of these bums I worked for, and with, had the impudent gall to attend her wake.

mbhenty @ Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:29 am wrote:... When she died, (cancer, age 53) many of these bums I worked for, and with, had the impudent gall to attend her wake.

That sure sounds like guilt to me.

I believe in Lizzie's will she left money for the perpetual care of her "father's grave".

"To the City of Fall River the sum of five hundred dollars, the income derived therefrom to be used for the perpetual care of my father's lot in the Oak Grove Cemetery in said Fall River."

It seems curious she did not say "family plot", which is what I think she means. One can take it as meaning just her father's grave only & the heck with her mother, Abby, Alice, & herself. Interesting.

Emma, in her famous 1913 interview with the Boston Sunday Post (as quoted in Williams' book) had this to say:

"Every Memorial Day I carry flowers to father's grave. And Lizzie does not forget him. But she generally sends her tribute by a florist."

At the time of the funeral in 1892 neither sister left the carriage but that may have been the practice at the time or at least not uncommon. If I remember correctly I believe it was also done at the Bertha Manchester funeral. Will have to research that.

Found this on the Manchester funeral. This is from the New Bedford Evening Standard, June 5, 1893:

"At the cemetery the carriages were surrounded by 1500 people, principally women and children. The remains were taken from the hearse and placed in the tomb, because the widow of the deceased brother of Mr. Manchester objected to the interment of the body where her husband lies. This incident is one of the many indications of the

Strange Family Relations

that have existed among the Manchesters for many years. The mourners did not leave the carriages at the cemetery, but as they passed the tombs they lifted the curtains and took a farewell glance at the casket."

Because of the body being placed in the tomb first may explain the fact they did not leave the carriages.

Harry @ Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:13 am wrote:Emma, in her famous 1913 interview with the Boston Sunday Post (as quoted in Williams' book) had this to say:

"Every Memorial Day I carry flowers to father's grave. And Lizzie does not forget him. But she generally sends her tribute by a florist."

--partial

Ooops! I had posted earlier that the flowers were for "the elder's graves" which implies both Andrew and Abbie.
Harry has shown that Emma was speaking of the father's grave. Thanks Har!

Notice neither mentions Abby.

Yes that got my attention. Poor Abbie. And poor Abbie's family!