The Forgotten Borden: Who Was Emma Borden?
Posted: 08.01.2025 |
Updated: 08.26.2025
6 minutes
The notorious Lizzie Borden case hangs over Fall River, Massachusetts, like a thick, black cloud. But, behind one of America’s most notorious people is an equally intriguing—even mysterious—sister: Emma Lenora Borden.
Emma Borden’s life, choices, and loyalty were critical in forming both her family’s legacy and the mysteries that linger today. If you want to step into the world of the Bordens and experience history firsthand, plan a visit to the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River.
Explore the rooms where these dramatic events unfolded and feel the echoes of the past for yourself by booking a ghost tour or overnight stay at the Lizzie Borden House.
Who Was Lizzie Borden’s Sister?
Emma was born to the Borden family, Andrew and Sarah, in 1851, the first surviving daughter in a home where discipline and loss defined their path. When her mother died, two-year-old Lizzie was left in Emma’s care, with Emma swearing to her dying mother that she would care for her baby sister.
This promise bound Emma as protector for the rest of her life, even though the family relationship became complicated.
Growing Up in the Borden Household
The Borden home at 92 Second Street was conservative, even austere, despite Andrew Borden’s business success. Refusing to move to a grander neighborhood or modernize the house, Andrew enforced strict routines and rigid expectations.
With the arrival of stepmother Abby, the environment grew chilly. Both sisters called her “Mrs. Borden,” never “mother,” and mistrust simmered beneath daily routines. Emma, instinctively more reserved than Lizzie, often withdrew to solitude. She left the confrontations to her younger sister and focused on household management.
Still, the sisters united in their frustrations about their stepmother and their father’s hold on the family purse strings.
Emma Borden’s Role in the Lizzie Borden Murder Trial
On August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally murdered.
Emma was about 15 miles away in Fairhaven, out of the city, visiting friends, and only returned when she received the telegram about the killings. Her absence cleared her as a suspect, shifting all suspicion to Lizzie.
When Lizzie was arrested, Emma took her side without question. Throughout the 1893 trial, Emma sat by her sister, offering support and vital testimony for the defense.
She described Lizzie’s gentleness, morality, and devotion—and countered claims of family animosity. In one memorable moment, Emma explained that a dress Lizzie destroyed after the murders was soiled with paint, not blood, and had been ruined by household chores.
Emma’s calm and poised testimony humanized Lizzie for the jury and cast doubt on the prosecution’s theory. Some legal historians believe Emma’s unwavering loyalty and clarity helped save her sister from conviction.
Without Emma, the outcomes of both the trial and Lizzie’s fate might have been dramatically different.
After the Acquittal: Maplecroft and Estrangement
After Lizzie was cleared of any wrongdoing, the Borden sisters had inherited sizable estates from their parents’ will. The sisters moved together into a magnificent Victorian home called Maplecroft, located in the Hill neighborhood of Fall River.
The sisters were hoping to move far away from the scandal attached to the Borden name. However, they continued to be treated with suspicion and were completely shunned by all of Fall River society.
Initially, Emma and Lizzie retreated into a quiet existence, their home marked by privacy, elegant furnishings, and lingering unease from neighbors. Maplecroft, with its stained-glass windows and carved wooden details, became both a sanctuary and a gilded cage.
Over time, cracks deepened in their relationship. Lizzie grew more social, holding gatherings and befriending actress Nance O’Neil, fueling scandalous rumors throughout Fall River.
Emma, always reserved, found herself at odds with Lizzie’s new crowd and the lively evenings Lizzie arranged. Tension came to a head in June 1905, prompting Emma to abruptly move out—explaining later that “the house became unbearable.”
The two sisters never reconciled, their once-close relationship forever severed.
Emma Borden’s Final Years
Emma left Fall River behind, living discreetly in Providence, Rhode Island, and later Newmarket, New Hampshire. For the rest of her life, she avoided the public eye, preferring solitude over the notoriety attached to her family name.
On June 10, 1927, Emma died of chronic nephritis, just nine days after Lizzie’s death.
The sisters, once inseparable, were finally reunited in death—buried near each other in Oak Grove Cemetery, Fall River.
Hauntings at Maplecroft
Maplecroft, the sisters’ elegant post-trial home, has earned a reputation as one of Fall River’s most haunted addresses.
The chilling energy of the murders, family secrets, and personal heartbreak has left an eerie imprint that visitors and investigators continue to report.
A Timeline of Maplecroft’s Haunted History
Shortly after the sisters moved in, residents and guests began whispering about strange phenomena: eerie chills in hallways, doors mysteriously slamming, faint footsteps echoing through empty rooms.
Even neighbors crossing the quiet street at night spoke of shadowy glimpses in unlit windows.
The stories did not stop with Emma Borden’s departure or passing. Over the decades, caretakers and owners have noted that Maplecroft often feels unsettled—especially when dusk settles or when entering Emma’s former bedroom.
Firsthand Ghost Stories
Visitors sometimes report the apparition of a quiet, solemn woman near the upstairs window or in Emma’s old suite—her outline said to radiate calm, even melancholy.
Guests have described sudden icy drafts around Emma’s writing desk or heard gentle footsteps crossing the second floor long after midnight.
Past owners claim that doors in Emma’s former quarters slam on their own, and some visitors recall whispered voices or the sensation of being watched near the stairway landing.
Many suggest these phenomena coincide with the anniversary of Emma’s death, or with renovations to the room she loved most.
Local Legends, Neighborhood Tales, and Maplecroft Today
Maplecroft’s haunted reputation extends into Fall River’s local legend. Some residents speak of piano music drifting through open windows—though no living hand plays it now.
Others report flickering candlelight when Maplecroft stands vacant, and neighbors sometimes glimpse the shape of a woman pausing in the window, gazing out over French Street. Many say Emma’s gentleness has infused Maplecroft, the hauntings more wistful than frightening.
Emma Borden’s Lasting Legacy
Emma Borden is still, despite everything, a modestly powerful mystery. She is often ignored because of Lizzie’s noticeable notoriety, but her steadfastness to family, her critical testimony, and her independence sustained them all throughout the Borden story.
Ultimately, Emma’s ending might be one of restraint and loyalty, her echo felt throughout Maplecroft and Fall River’s storied streets.
To follow in the footsteps of Emma and Lizzie, experience the history, hauntings, and mysteries of Fall River for yourself. Book a stay or take a tour at the Lizzie Borden House—where every room has a story to tell. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real stories about the Lizzie Borden murders.
Sources:
- https://famous-trials.com/lizzieborden/1436-biographies
- https://phayemuss.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/emmas-influence-on-little-lizzie-borden/
- https://famous-trials.com/lizzieborden/1453-emmatestimony
- https://whatliesbeyond.boards.net/thread/11500/maplecroft-lizzie-bordens-possibly-haunted
- https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/legend-of-lizzie-borden-and-maybe-a-ghost-lives-on-in-victorian-house-for-sale/
