Long before the murders that made Lizzie Borden infamous, her family endured another devastating loss.
Lizzie’s biological mother, Sarah Borden, died in 1863 after suffering serious health problems. Her death left Andrew Borden to care for young Lizzie and her older sister, Emma Borden, on his own.
Two years later, Andrew married Abby Borden. The blended family remained together for nearly 30 years—until Abby and Andrew were brutally killed inside their Fall River, Mass., home in 1892.
Lizzie, whose story is explored in Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, was accused of committing the murders but was ultimately acquitted.
Here is what is known about Lizzie’s biological mother, along with Lizzie’s own testimony about her complicated relationship with her stepmother:
Who Was Lizzie Borden’s Biological Mother?
Andrew Borden, then 23, married Sarah on Christmas Day in 1845. She was 22, just a year younger than her new husband, according to The Herald News.
Their first daughter, Emma Leonora Borden, was born on March 1, 1851. Alice followed in 1856, People reported, but died two years later from congenital hydrocephalus, a condition involving excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. By July 1860, Sarah and Andrew had welcomed Lizzie.
What Happened to Lizzie Borden’s Biological Mom Sarah Borden?
The family suffered another loss in 1863, when Sarah died from what The Herald News described as uterine congestion and spinal disease.
During an 1892 inquest, Lizzie testified, according to a transcript republished by Famous Trials, that she was only 2½ when her mother died and had no memory of her.
As Sarah lay dying, she reportedly asked 12-year-old Emma to care for and protect “baby Lizzie.” Emma took that responsibility seriously, according to The Smithsonian Magazine.
When Did Andrew Borden Marry His Second Wife Abby Borden?
The family’s circumstances changed again after Andrew met Abby Gray, 37, at Central Congregational Church. They married on June 6, 1865, The Herald News reported.
Lizzie later described her relationship with Abby as “friendly,” but said it never fully resembled the bond between a biological mother and daughter.
“In some ways it was,” she told the court, “and in some it was not.”
Lizzie Borden Described Tension With Her Stepmom Before Her Death
Lizzie also testified that she began addressing Abby as “Mrs. Borden” instead of “mother” roughly five or six years before Abby’s death. The change followed what Lizzie called a “difference of opinion” involving Abby’s half-sister.
As Cara Robertson, author of The Trial of Lizzie Borden, told 48 Hours, Andrew effectively supported Abby’s half-sibling by purchasing a house and placing it in Abby’s name. “And thereafter,” Robertson said, “you find—that the house is a scene of a cold war.”
Despite his wealth, Andrew was known for being extremely frugal. His daughters wanted to move from the family’s modest home—which had no indoor plumbing—to the more affluent neighborhood on the hill. Their father, however, refused, according to the outlet.
Robertson said Andrew’s decision to provide financial assistance to Abby’s half-sibling intensified the already growing friction within the household.
What Happened to Abby Borden and Andrew Borden?
On Aug. 4, 1892, Abby and Andrew were killed inside the family home.
Investigators believe Abby was attacked first, at about 9:30 a.m., while Andrew was out walking, 48 Hours reported. She sustained 19 blows, most of them to the back of her head.
Lizzie was in the house preparing to iron at the time. Yet, according to Robertson, she claimed “not to have heard anything.”
Her father returned home around 10:45 a.m. and retired to the living room to take a nap. Lizzie later told police that she found him dead a short time later lying on the couch.
He’d been struck 10 to 11 times by a hatchet, destroying most of his face and head, History.com reported.
Suspicion soon fell to Lizzie, who had been the only one known to be inside the home at the time. She was acquitted of the murders in 1893 by a jury of 12 men in a highly publicized trial.
Once they gained access to their father’s fortune—which 48 Hours reported would be equivalent to about $10 million today—Emma and Lizzie sold their house and moved to a large Victorian house in the wealthy part of town.
Lizzie died in 1927.
