I just heard from John Quatrale, curator at the Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum, where the Lizzie Borden letter is located.
He researched the history of how the Historical Society came to possess the letter. It is a fascinating story!
The letter has been on exhibit at the Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum since 2007, when the museum opened. The letter was part of a larger collection owned by Brighton historian J.P.C. Winship (jpeg attached). He wrote the first history of Brighton called “Historical Brighton” in 1899. His collection of documents included the signatures of prominent figures of the day, including Revolutionary War officers, Presidents of the United States, Congressmen, Governors, and other famous people like Lizzie Borden.
J.P.C. Winship was the son of Captain Jonathan Winship III , a pioneer explorer of the Pacific, and the great grandson of Jonathan Winship I, who supplied meat to the General Washington’s Continental Army.
