Our Family Connection to Netflix’s Next ‘Monster’
“Lizzie Borden took an axe
and gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
she gave her father forty-one.”
I feel like a lot of families have a rumor or two about a famous relative. "My great great great...grandpa was on the Mayflower" or something like that. For my husband's family, the lore is a little darker than that.
For years, conversations at get-togethers sometimes revolved around a legendary ancestor who is infamous for a horrific reason. A couple of years ago, his sister, Bridgett had been looking into their ancestry, but wasn't able to find a connection.
Leave it to the gal with self-diagnosed ADHD (that's me!) to hyperfocus and do a deep dive on ancestry.com. I started with present-day family members, knowing the connection was on Michael's mother's side (Her maiden name is Borden.)
After examining all of the great-grandparents and such, I came across a name that I could corroborate in connection with the gruesome events that made this possible relative famous. We have ALL heard of this person as there are movies, TV shows, and songs about them. The one and only Lizzie Borden.
Michael’s Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather is Richard Borden, the brother of Abraham Borden. Abraham’s son, Andrew, and his wife, Abby, were discovered bleeding to death in their home on August 4th, 1892. They appeared to have been hacked repeatedly with an axe.
Their daughter, Lizzie, was accused, tried, and ultimately acquitted of the heinous murders that took place. This story is one of the most infamous murders in American history. The first-ever true crime media circus. People were fascinated that a woman could be capable of such an evil act, and they did not trust her or like her.
Ryan Murphy to Feature Lizzie Borden in Netflix 'Monster' Series
It makes perfect sense that her story will be the next one featured by Ryan Murphy for his Netflix series 'Monster.' Each season focuses on a true crime case that has gone down in history, from Jeffrey Dahmer to the most recent one about the Menendez brothers. Here is a preview from that one if you aren't familiar.
Murphy's portrayal of these "Monsters" has been considered controversial by some. He highlights more of the murderer's point of view, not to necessarily justify their crimes, but to give more context behind the motive. Some credit him with the recent appeal movement in the Menendez brothers' case.
No word yet on who will play Lizzie in the Netflix Series, but I'm excited to see our cousin's story get the re-telling it deserves. Even though she was acquitted, she lived the rest of her life as a pariah. The whole situation was steeped in the sexism of the time, and other possible suspects were never even investigated.
If you want to know more about the story, I recorded a podcast about it. A Couple of Sassholes: Episode #57
LOOK: Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Is Going on the Market
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