Who is Seth Borden Lizzie Borden? Lizzie Borden. The name alone evokes one of the most infamous murder mysteries in American history. Accused of brutally killing her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892, Lizzie’s story has become the stuff of legend. But what about Seth Borden? Who was he, and how did he fit into this dark chapter of the Borden family saga? Let’s dive into the tangled web of the Borden family tree and uncover Seth’s connection to the alleged murderess.
Tracing the Borden Family Roots
The Bordens’ story begins with Richard Borden, an ambitious settler who left England for Rhode Island in the 1600s. A prominent landowner and founder of Portsmouth, he laid the foundation for generations of Bordens. Among his descendants was Thomas Borden, Lizzie’s great-grandfather, who married Mary Harris and had four sons. One of those sons, Abraham Bowen Borden, became Lizzie’s grandfather.
Fast forward to Andrew Jackson Borden, Lizzie’s father. Andrew married twice—first to Sarah Anthony Morse, with whom he had three daughters: Emma, Alice (who tragically died young), and Lizzie. After Sarah’s death, Andrew married Abby Durfee Gray, who became the ill-fated stepmother to Emma and Lizzie. This complex family setup would later become central to the infamous axe murders.
The Borden Axe Murders
August 4, 1892, is a day etched in infamy. Andrew and Abby Borden were found brutally murdered in their Fall River, Massachusetts, home. Abby suffered 19 blows to the head, while Andrew received 11. The crime was unimaginably gruesome, with blood splattered across the scene. The murder weapon, believed to be either an axe or hatchet, was never definitively identified.
Lizzie quickly became the prime suspect. She was home at the time and had a notoriously strained relationship with both her father and stepmother. Her statements to police were riddled with contradictions, and her alibi—that she was in the barn during the killings—was weak at best. Suspicion deepened when she burned a dress days after the murders, claiming it was stained with paint. Many, however, believed it was blood.
Lizzie’s trial in 1893 drew nationwide attention. A wealthy, respectable woman accused of such a horrific crime was unheard of at the time. Despite compelling circumstantial evidence, the jury acquitted Lizzie after just 90 minutes of deliberation. No one else was ever charged, and the case remains unsolved, leaving Lizzie to live out her days as a pariah in Fall River.
Who Was Seth Borden?
Amidst the scandal, Seth Borden made a quiet but notable appearance. Born in 1857 to William Bradford Borden and Mary Ann Chase, Seth was Lizzie’s second cousin once removed. Their common ancestor was Abraham Bowen Borden, making their connection distant but undeniable.
Seth lived a modest life in Fall River as a carpenter. He married Mary Elizabeth Macomber and had four children. While Seth wasn’t directly involved in the murders, he played a small but intriguing role in the aftermath. On August 8, 1892—just four days after the killings—Seth witnessed Lizzie burning a dress in the kitchen stove. When he asked her why, she casually replied it was an old dress stained with paint. Seth noticed nothing unusual—no blood, no suspicious behavior—and thought little of it at the time. His testimony at the inquest, however, added a layer of mystery to Lizzie’s actions and fueled speculation that she had destroyed evidence.
Lizzie and Seth: A Complicated Connection
Though Seth and Lizzie shared blood ties, they led very different lives. Seth was a hardworking family man, while Lizzie became one of the most notorious figures in American folklore. His testimony about the burned dress cast a shadow of doubt, but it wasn’t enough to sway the jury or prove Lizzie’s guilt.
Lizzie Borden’s story remains one of America’s greatest mysteries. While she was acquitted, her reputation never recovered. She died in 1927, ostracized and enigmatic, leaving behind a legacy that continues to captivate and perplex. And though Seth Borden’s role was minor, his connection to the infamous Lizzie ensures his name, too, will live on in the shadow of this chilling tale.
