Contributed by Maine Historical Society
Description
On July 26, 1878, Lizzie Borden wrote to Susan Hill about Susan's recent illness. The letter spoke vaguely about an unnamed illness, as Borden comforted Hill with news of a shared acquaintance who recovered from similar conditions.
Borden's writing style used "thy" and "thee" pronouns in place of "you" or "your." Such pronoun stylings widely fell out of fashion in the previous century, although were still in practice amongst some members of the Quaker community. Susan Hill, her husband Charles, and their respective families were Quakers, also known as Friends. Reportedly, Andrew Borden, Lizzie's father, was once a Quaker.
Lizzie Borden (1860-1927) and her family lived in Fall River, Massachusetts, where she likely met Susan Hill (1837-1880). Born in Rhode Island, Susan, born Susan Frances Wilbur, was living in Fall River when she married Charles E. Hill in 1856. The couple moved to Brooklyn, New York by 1860. In 1878, the Hill's lived in Stamford, Connecticut, where Susan died in 1880.
The letter passed down through Susan's daughter, also named Susan Hill, who married Theodore Gould of Portland, Maine.
Transcription
About This Item
- Title: Letter to Susan Hill from Lizzie Borden, Fall River, 1878
- Creator: Lizzie Borden
- Creation Date: 1878-07-26
- Subject Date: 1878-07-26
- Location: Fall River, Bristol County, MA
- Media: Ink on paper
- Dimensions: 10.2 cm x 15.2 cm
- Local Code: Coll. S-6170
- Object Type: Text
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Hill, Susan Francis Wilbur, 1837--Correspondence
- Quakers--Maine--North Berwick
- Women--New England--Correspondence
People
Other Keywords
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
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