Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I have always been extremely interested in Lizzie's will. She seemed to be a very generous and thoughtful person when it came to bequeathing her estate ("To Margaret Streeter...my diamond and sapphire ring with five stones which she always liked.") From looking at the will, several people profited either through money, property, or personal items but nobody profited as greatly as Helen Leighton. She was given half of Lizzie's share of the AJ Borden Building, 3 diamond rings, a sapphire & diamond brooch, furniture and first choice of any and all rugs, books, china, pictures, etc. My question is does anyone know exactly what she took from the estate? She was put in the position of having the option of literally cleaning the house out. My second question is what happened to the Borden items that she did take at the time of her death (jewelry, furniture, etc)? I know that she was a spinster and had no children so did anyone inherit her Borden items or could they now possibly be in people's homes and in antique stores? Also, I've read somewhere that she also inherited a beach house, etc from another wealthy spinster and that at the time of Helen's death, newspapers documenting the Borden case were found at the beach house. Had she stalked Lizzie through the media until they finally met years later and became friends? Was she a friend or an opportunist?

Lizzie's cousin, Grace Hartley Howe, also inherited a lot from Lizzie. No, Helen Leighton did not stalk Lizzie. If one believes that Lizzie was gay, maybe Helen Leighton was a friend in that way to Lizzie in later years. I think it's worth considering. They were both involved heavily in the Fall River Animal Rescue League.

For years, people had believed that Ms. Leighton was a nurse, but later research revealed she was a librarian. I am writing this from memory, but I think she was specially sent for from Boston to take the position of librarian of the Fall River Library. Most of us have probably seen Lizzie's library card. It is hard for me to picture Lizzie going to the library, with her notoriety. I wonder why Lizzie didn't just have one of her servants get a library card and go for her? But since Lizzie and Helen Leighton were such good friends, I think it's very possible that Ms. Leighton opened the library after hours for Lizzie to use.

If you found Helen Leighton's will, if she had one, it may answer some of the great questions you have about what happened to some of her Lizzie- inherited things.

I think it's the other way around- people think she was a librarian, but she was a nurse, right?

I've wondered what they saw in each other- she could have been an opportunist. Not Grace, but Helen...

Helen Leighton arrived in Fall River the year of the murders and graduated from the Fall River Hospital Nursing School the year of the trial, so she would have been well aware of how the town viewed the whole Borden affair.

Starting in 1899, she apparently lived at the home of Jefferson Borden’s daughter, Eudora Borden Dean and served as a companion/nurse to Mrs. Dean until that lady’s death in 1918 -- after which Miss Leighton left Fall River and moved to Boston, working as a dietician until 1924. So she appears to have worked for a living until she was close to 60 years old.

She was president of the Fall River Animal Rescue League when it was incorporated in 1914 and even after moving to Boston and later to Brookline, she held office in one capacity or another until 1930.

After Lizzie’s death, Helen Leighton was quoted in a newspaper as saying: “I often called to [people’s] attention that 12 men absolutely unbiased, with all the evidence before them, found Miss Borden not guilty and it seemed to me that this decision should have been generally accepted.” The same article has her commenting that Lizzie “did not lack for warm, staunch friends” who “did all they could to cheer and brighten her life”.

Perhaps their relationship and the bequest resulted from a combination of factors -- Miss Leighton’s connection with the Jefferson Borden family, her long-term dedication to one of Lizzie’s favorite causes, and her friendship and defense of Lizzie.

When Helen Leighton died in 1950 she left an estate of $35,473.53. Six thousand dollars and household furnishings went to one of her friends and one thousand dollars to another -- while the remainder of her estate went to her sister (who, incidentally, was also a beneficiary in Lizzie's will).

(Sources: Kent, Rebello)

Hi Diana--I'm confused. Who was Helen's sister?

nbcatlover @ Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:24 pm wrote:Hi Diana--I'm confused. Who was Helen's sister?

Hi Cynthia --

In Lizzie Borden: Past and Present, Rebello provides profiles of the beneficiaries of Lizzie's will and --

Note 12. in Lizzie's will reads:"To Mrs. Mary L. Orters of Sharon Massachussetts, the sum of five thousand dollars, if she shall not be living at my decease I give the same to her husband, Henry L. Orters.

Profile : Mrs. Mary (Leighton) Orters was the sister of Miss Helen Leighton, Lizzie's close friend. At the time of Lizzie's death, Mr. and Mrs. Orters were living in Sharon, Massachussetts. Town directories list them as residents since 1923. No town directories are available after 1927. However, when Miss Leighton died in 1950, her will listed Mary L. Orters as a sister residing in Portland, Maine." (Rebello,336)

Hope this helps...

Kat @ Sun Feb 08, 2009 3:23 am wrote:I think it's the other way around- people think she was a librarian, but she was a nurse, right?

I've wondered what they saw in each other- she could have been an opportunist. Not Grace, but Helen...

I have wondered the same thing about Helen, esp considering Lizzie's was not the only friend's estate from which Helen was a beneficiary!

Thanks for the correction, Kat.

Who was/were the other person/s that left Helen Leighton stuff in their will?

Jeesh! I think Diana already knows this, but did we remember that Helen Leighton's parents are from Cherryfield, Maine?

Anyway that's in Rebello page 330.

This is Rebello, pages 330-1:

. . .Miss Gertrude M. Baker, an English teacher at B.M.C. Durfee High School, also a beneficiary of Lizzie's will, and friend of Miss Leighton, served as treasurer while Miss Leighton was president of the Animal Rescue League. Both ladies held their positions until 1930.

Miss Helen Leighton and Miss Baker were very friendly with Lizzie Borden. Miss Leighton was a major legatee along with Lizzie's cousin, Mrs. Grace Hartley Howe. Miss Gertrude Baker inherited $5,000.

When Miss Baker died in Fall River on February 20, 1936, she named Miss Helen Leighton as a beneficiary. Miss Leighton inherited Miss Baker's home in Linekin (Lincoln County, East Boothbay, Maine) along with stocks, bonds and selected items Miss Baker wanted Miss Leighton to have when she died.. . .

Thank you, Kat. I hadn't read that before.