Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I was looking at when Lizzie was born and she was born at the time the war was going on. She was about 5 when it ended,so I am wondering if she had any memories of that war.And also, if she didn't because she was coming off the tail end of it, if she might have had an opinon of slavery and blacks just from what she might have heard from people from around her.

Given how young she was at the time, I doubt she would've had very many memories of it at all, if any....

There's no mention of the war in any thing I've ever read on the case. However, I kinda think Fall River had at least some mixed feelings. After all it was a textile town, heavily dependent on Southern cotton.

The building that currently houses the Fall River Historical Society (I believe a private residence during this period) contains a hidden door that was used for escaping slaves on their way north.

On June 1, 1927 (Note that date!) a Mr. Edward S. Adams of FR, gave a speech before the then Historical Society about the history of downtown Fall River. Among his comments were these:

"Lincoln's Assassination

When word came of the assassination of President Lincoln, Mr. Wood [a local businessman] said it was the best news he had heard in forty years, whereupon his store was besieged, counters and stove were overturned and it was with difficulty that he was taken out a rear window to the police station for safety.
Crowds quickly visited those who were not in sympathy with the North -- then called copperheads, and made them put out the Union flag. Among these were Mark Slocum, at one time postmaster, also the father of A. J. Jennings and other prominent men."

Andrew J. Jennings, Lizzie's lawyer, was born in 1849 and thus a lad of 16 at that time.

The only reference I can recall is John Morse trying to remember when Sarah died, I think he said it was during wartime.

Harry, why are the lastnames different? That's interesting, Andrew would have been old enough to enlist, wouldn't he?

Pam, you mean Slocum? He and Andrew's father are different men. Punctuation is poor. I copied it from a 1927 paper of poor quality.

I don't know what the age limits were. However, this is in the Knowlton papers in a bio on City Marshal Hilliard:

"HILLIARD, RUFUS BARTLETT 1849 - 1912: born in Pembroke, Maine, son of David and Elizabeth (Wilson) Hilliard. He attended schools in Newburyport, Massachusetts, until the age of fifteen when he enlisted in the United States Army. He was stationed at various forts along the Atlantic coast during his three years of service. ..."

He was born the same year as Jennings. It is interesting that Jenning's father was so inclined.

Yep Harry, I meant Slocum. lol Okay, well clears that up. Enlisted at the age of fifteen, wow, what a difference a century makes! Thanks for clearing that up, about Andrew's father.