On August 4, 1892, the dead bodies of Abby and Andrew Borden were found in their Fall River, Massachusetts home. The above-mentioned are the parents (father and stepmother) of Lizzie and Emma Borden. Ironically, both siblings were suspects in the murder with Lizzie investigated as a primary suspect, basically because of her tumultuous relationship with her parents and a squabble over property inheritance. Emma was equally a suspect because she also had a bad relationship with her parents, especially her father, who refused to let her love the man she chose because of his lower social status.
Emma and Lizzie Borden were born into a very wealthy families. They lost their biological mother while they were young. Sarah, their birth mother, was replaced by the maid who their father married. Sarah’s death took a toll on Lizzie which made Emma a motherly figure to her baby sister. Lizzie was tried for her parent’s death but was later discharged and acquitted largely because of Emma’s relentless support, emotionally and financially.
The sisters met a tragic end in the same year, almost at the same time, with an interval of 9 days. Before their death, they lived secluded lives as they were rejected by the Fall River society, causing them to relocate. Both sisters never married or had any children.
Emma Borden Biography
Emma Borden was born on March 1, 1851, as Emma Lenore Borden. She was the first child of her parents who were both wealthy. She was born in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts, and grew up there. The institutions she attended for her educational pursuits are unknown, however, she was a devout Christian who attended the Central Congregational Church. She was never married or had any children. She died on June 10, 1927, 9 days after her sister, Lizzie Borden’s death. Emma died of chronic nephritis, a condition she was diagnosed with after she had an accident that broke her hip.
Parents and Family
Emma Borden was born into the family of Andrew Borden and Sarah Muse. Andrew was Welsh by descent and his wife, English. Her father was a very influential man who owned a lot of assets and was the head of a major bank in their residential town of Fall River. He was also a director at three clothing mills. Emma had two biological siblings from her parents – Lizzie and Alice – of which she was the first.
Alice, her youngest sister died when she was just two years of age. When Emma was 12, her mother also passed away, leaving a huge vacuum in the life of the girls. The death of their mother solidified the bond between the remaining Borden daughters. Emma became a close friend and assumed a motherly role in the life of Lizzie, who looked up to her.
The family began to tear apart when Andrew married their live-in maid, Abby who didn’t care to establish a good relationship with her stepchildren, hence, hatred and indignation grew between them. Andrew and his daughters often quarreled and argued mostly about their inheritance. A few months before the unfortunate death of Andrew and Abby, Andrew gave some assets to the family of Abby, this made his daughters demand their own portions. The argument was so heated up that it made Lizzie and Emma leave the house and move out of town.
They came back to the town a few days before the murders but didn’t go back to the house. Soon afterward, their father and his wife were found dead and they were arrested, Lizzie was tried as a suspect in the murders. She was the prime suspect because she had quarrels and arguments with her father and stepmother, hence, it was assumed that her hatred for them was premises enough for the murders.
Emma Borden stood for her sister as she has always done and defended her to the best of her abilities. Lizzie was later discharged and acquitted. However, during the trials, Emma was suspected to have been the actual murderer but the charges didn’t hold much water as there is no record that she was ever tried on the matter. Both sisters left Fall River as they were rejected by the community. They lived separately but died in the same year, 1927. All members of the Borden family were buried in the family plot in Oak Grove Cemetery, Fall River.
Facts About Emma Borden – Lizzie Borden’s Sister
Relationship, Marriage, and Kids
Emma was described as gentle and a woman who always wore a smile. During the trials of her sister, Lizzie, it was uncovered that Emma was once in love with a simpleton. A man of lower social status than hers. This relationship was not allowed to blossom as her father vehemently opposed it. This is the only account available about any romantic entanglement which involved Emma Borden.
After the trials were over and she moved out of Fall River, she lived a secluded life. She never got married, neither is there any account of her bearing children.
Net Worth
Emma was born into a very affluent family. Her father, Andrew Borden was worth thousands of dollars. As mentioned earlier, he was a director of three cloth mills and the president of a large and well-established bank in Fall River. He also owned a lot of landed property. Emma was the first daughter of the family and with both her parents and stepmother dead, she inherited all her father’s wealth. Although she used most of her wealth to defend her sister, Lizzie, during her trials, she was estimated to be worth $450,000 at the time of her death. As a kind soul, she willed her wealth to charity at her death.
