Alice Austen Family Papers, 1886-1887

PI

Version: 18 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:57:08 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 6:29:23 PM

Added description

Description

Alice Austen Family Papers, 1886‑1887

Overview

The Alice Austen Family Papers for 1886‑1887 comprise a comprehensive set of handwritten and printed documents that illustrate the social, familial, and professional life of Elizabeth Alice Austen and her upper‑middle‑class circle in Staten Island during the late Victorian era. The collection is digitized as high‑resolution JPEG scans of letters, envelopes, calling cards, and wedding announcements, accompanied by OCR‑derived text or typed transcriptions. It is organized into thematic sub‑collections—personal correspondence, social invitations, wedding announcements, and transcriptions—each reflecting a distinct aspect of Austen’s world.

Background

Collected by the Alice Austen House Museum, the papers were originally kept in Austen’s home in Clifton, Staten Island, a hub for local society and a studio for her photographic practice. The documents were donated by Austen’s descendants and friends, and later digitized by the museum’s archival team to preserve the paper texture and handwriting while making the material searchable. The collection reflects the customs of Victorian letter writing, the etiquette of social invitations, and the public display of marriage announcements among the island’s elite.

Contents

The collection includes:
  • Personal correspondence (letters to and from Austen, envelopes, and calling cards) covering travel, music, poetry, and photography.
  • Social invitations (hand‑written and printed invitations to dinners, tennis matches, and military graduations).
  • Wedding announcements (printed notices of marriages for families connected to Austen).
  • Transcripts (typed versions of handwritten letters for easier access).
The documents involve over twenty correspondents—Julia T. Martin, Kitty McAndrew, E.W., Grace, and others—and reference locations such as Clifton, Albany, New York City, Paris, Saline, Oregon, and Bay Head.

Scope

The 1886‑1887 papers document a full calendar year of Austen’s social network, spanning Staten Island, New York City, and international destinations. They provide a window into Victorian upper‑middle‑class life, including leisure activities, travel, and the business of photography. The collection is limited to written materials and printed announcements; it does not include photographs taken by Austen herself or other business records. The digitized format preserves the original paper and handwriting while offering searchable text for researchers of late‑nineteenth‑century social history and photography.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@alice_austen_family_papers:collection {title: "Alice Austen Family Papers, 1886-1887", date_range: {start: @date_1886, end: @date_1887}, institution: @alice_austen_house, language: "en", description: "Personal letters, social invitations, wedding announcements, and related materials reflecting Victorian upper‑middle‑class life on Staten Island."}

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@mary_t_marsh -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@theodore_strong -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@elisabeth_b_strong -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@grace_hustace_simonson -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

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@james_c_mcandrew -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@fredk_s_vanderpoel -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@william_t_williams -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@william_blair_mckean -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

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@miss_townsend -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@us_corps_of_cadets -> contributed to -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@personal_correspondence:concept {description: "Letters and envelopes addressed to Alice Austen"} -> subject of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@social_invitations:concept {description: "Printed or handwritten invitations to Victorian social events"} -> subject of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@wedding_announcements:concept {description: "Public notices of marriage ceremonies"} -> subject of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@photography:concept {description: "Practice and business of taking photographs"} -> subject of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@travel:concept {description: "Movement of individuals between places"} -> subject of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@music:concept {description: "Musical activities and references"} -> subject of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@poetry:concept {description: "Poetic compositions"} -> subject of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@staten_island -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@clifton -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@albany -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@new_brighton -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@new_york_city -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@paris -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@saline_oregon -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@bay_head -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@littleton -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@coney_island -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@boston -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@springfield -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@worcester -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@union_vale -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@roxburyton_avenue -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@havre -> location of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

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@alice_austen_correspondence_transcripts -> part of -> @alice_austen_family_papers:collection

@letter_kitty_mcandrew_1886_undated001 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection_1886

@letter_engham_1886_11_16 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection_1886

@letter_laura_capri_chilton_1886_12_29 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection_1886

@letter_kitty_mcandrew_1886_undated002 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection_1886

@letter_margaret_butler_1886_05_18 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection_1886

@letter_unknown_clifton_1886_05_12 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection_1886

@invitation_jan_7_1887 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection

@invitation_feb_10_1887 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection

@invitation_july_15_1887 -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection

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@event_graduating_hop -> part of -> @alice_austen_social_invitations_collection

@wedding_mcandrew -> part of -> @wedding_announcements_1887

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@wedding_butler -> part of -> @wedding_announcements_1887

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@wedding_mckean -> part of -> @wedding_announcements_1887

@letter_may_11_1886 -> part of -> @alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection

@letter_nov_13_1886 -> part of -> @alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection

@letter_dec_31_1886_telfair1 -> part of -> @alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection

@letter_nov_unknown_1886 -> part of -> @alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection

@letter_dec_31_1886_telfair2 -> part of -> @alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection

@file_1887_8_22_aug_1001_mass_jpg -> part of -> @alice_austen_correspondence

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@file_1887_3_28_mar_1002_strong_copy_jpg -> part of -> @alice_austen_correspondence

@file_1887_9_30_sept_1001_claire_copy_jpg -> part of -> @alice_austen_correspondence

@file_1887_3_28_mar_1003_strong_copy_jpg -> part of -> @alice_austen_correspondence

@file_1887_8_22_aug_1002_copy_jpg -> part of -> @alice_austen_correspondence

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@mary_stryker_butler -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1886_05_18, where: @clifton, content: "Invitation to informal German gathering"} 

@eloise_w_telfair -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1886_12_31, where: @new_york, content: "Invitation to tea for Miss Vanderphul"} 

@kitty_mcandrew -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1886, where: @clifton, content: "Request to spend the day with Aunt Marion"} 

@mrs_lhuillier -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1887_01_01, where: @clifton, content: "Invitation to Friday evening gathering"} 

@mary_t_marsh -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1887_02_10, where: @clifton, content: "Invitation to small German gathering"} 

@theodore_strong -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1887_03_27, where: @new_york, content: "Thanks for photograph of his dogs"} 

@elisabeth_b_strong -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1887_08_22, where: @littleton, content: "Travel narrative including Coney Island trip"} 

@grace_hustace_simonson -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1887_09_25, where: @new_york, content: "Explanation of delayed reply; tennis and family news"} 

@claire -> wrote to -> @alice_austen {when: @date_1887_09_30, where: @paris, content: "Thanks for photographs; travel on the Bretagne"} 

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julia_t_martin {through: @alice_austen_correspondence}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @claire {through: @alice_austen_correspondence}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @grace {through: @alice_austen_correspondence}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @throber_gray {through: @alice_austen_correspondence}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @e_w {through: @alice_austen_correspondence}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @strong {through: @alice_austen_correspondence}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @phie {through: @alice_austen_correspondence}

Metadata

Version History (10 versions)

  • ✓ v18 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:57:08 PM
    "Added description"
  • v17 · 12/9/2025, 9:23:59 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v16 · 12/9/2025, 8:06:35 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v15 · 12/9/2025, 7:20:09 PM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 7 groups"
  • v14 · 12/9/2025, 7:20:07 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC28X0TPSTNRJ37CQSA5MT0G"
  • v13 · 12/9/2025, 7:20:06 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC28WZ8V4QH31P7FM1RD04XA"
  • v12 · 12/9/2025, 7:20:04 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC28WXK4ZK3TK1QEW70C1Z5M"
  • v11 · 12/9/2025, 7:20:01 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC28WT6G6JC7FSPF5HFJ1BVW"
  • v10 · 12/9/2025, 7:19:59 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC28WRHPB151J5MB4T9D6YZ3"
  • v9 · 12/9/2025, 7:19:57 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC28WQ0RMG42PN7Y4E0GDMJT"

More versions available (pagination not yet implemented)

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

The files were organized primarily by year (1886 vs 1887) and content type (social invitations, wedding announcements, personal correspondence). This creates clear thematic groupings while maintaining chronological context. Transcripts were kept separate as they represent derivative works rather than original documents. The organizational strategy prioritizes both content type and temporal context to facilitate research while avoiding artificial groupings.

## Groups Created

- **Social_Invitations_1886**: Invitations to social events in 1886 including dances, teas, and games
- **Social_Invitations_1887**: Invitations to social events in 1887 including dinners, teas, and tennis
- **Wedding_Announcements_1886**: Formal wedding announcements from 1886
- **Wedding_Announcements_1887**: Formal wedding announcements from 1887
- **Personal_Correspondence_1886**: Personal letters to Alice Austen from 1886
- **Personal_Correspondence_1887**: Personal letters to Alice Austen from 1887
- **Transcripts**: Text transcriptions of correspondence

Parent

01KC25ZJ5BGKTRSFQCX4KBYHJK

Children (7)