Austen Family Papers (MS1) - Alice Austen Correspondence Collection, 1894

PI

Version: 36 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:57:40 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 6:30:19 PM

Added description

Description

Austen Family Papers (MS1) – 1894 Correspondence and Related Materials

Overview

This digitized collection preserves the personal and business correspondence, invitations, calling cards, envelopes, and negative sleeves that surrounded photographer Elizabeth Alice Austen during the calendar year 1894. It is part of the Alice Austen House Museum’s Austen Family Papers (MS1) and is presented as high‑resolution JPEG scans of the originals, each accompanied by a typed transcription.

Background

Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering Staten‑Island photographer whose studio served an upper‑middle‑class clientele. The 1894 materials document Austen’s expanding photographic business, her active social network, and her engagement in travel and leisure. The collection was assembled by the museum’s archival staff and digitized under the PINAX project, making the fragile originals accessible for research while preserving their historical context.

Contents

  • Personal correspondence: Letters to and from close friends and relatives—Julia T. Martin (Albany), Elizabeth B. Strong (New Brunswick), Violet M.E. Ward, Isabella C. King, and others—covering topics such as skating parties, church events, and family news.
  • Business correspondence: Exchanges with clients and suppliers (e.g., William C. Howe, Frederick C. Lewis) concerning the sale of photographs from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, piano purchases, and a proposed boarding‑house venture.
  • Invitations and calling cards: Victorian‑era social cards produced by Mrs. William T. Williams, Mrs. D. Schnakenberg, and Mrs. Gerhard Tanssen, illustrating contemporary etiquette.
  • Envelopes and negative sleeves: Postal artifacts and photography‑related items that document Austen’s geographic reach and commercial practices.

Scope

The collection covers only the year 1894 and includes written documents and associated physical ephemera in English. Geographic references span Staten Island, Albany, Santa Barbara, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other U.S. locations, reflecting Austen’s extensive social and professional network. Items not represented are larger photographic negatives, studio ledgers, and other business records, which are held in separate Austen Family Papers collections. The material offers a comprehensive view of Victorian social life, the commercial realities of a female photographer, and the everyday correspondence that linked a prominent New York family to the wider world.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:file {title: "Austen Family Papers (MS1) - Alice Austen Correspondence Collection, 1894", type: "Collection", creator: [@alice_austen, @julia_t_martin, @elizabeth_b_strong, @isabella_c_king, @violet_me_ward, @elizabeth_b_stone, @william_c_howe, @frederick_c_lewis, @mrs_williams, @mrs_schnakenberg, @mrs_tanssen, @julia_c_martin, @trude, @pm, @j_butterball, @mrs_louis_h_meyer, @edith, @trude_eccelston, @alice_cornell_austen], institution: "Alice Austen House", created: @date_1894, language: "en", subjects: ["Personal correspondence","Victorian social life","Photography business","Family relationships","Music","Social events","Travel","Weddings","Business correspondence","World's Columbian Exposition","Calling cards","Envelopes","Negative sleeves","Boarding houses","Military life","Social history","Postal history","Photography","Nursing education","Death and mourning","Sympathy letters","Bereavement","Family correspondence","Victorian-era mourning","Alice Austen family","Law","Advertisements","Fashion","Photograph orders","Photograph sales","Christmas celebrations","Gifts and presents","Engagements","Health","Housekeeping","Family visits","Skating","Sleigh rides","Church events","Whist parties","St. Peter's choir","Adirondacks","Yellowstone Park","Hunting","Deer hunting","Nature","Bicycling","Marriage","Victorian era"], description: "A collection of personal and business correspondence, invitations, calling cards, and related materials from Alice Austen in 1894. The collection provides insight into her social life, photography business, personal relationships, and various other topics, including the World's Columbian Exposition and family matters.", place: [@staten_island, @albany, @santa_barbara, @chicago, @kansas_city, @los_angeles, @new_brunswick, @brooklyn, @manhattan, @brighton, @orley, @thousand_islands, @new_brighton, @east_hampton, @new_york, @sacramento, @seattle, @tacoma, @rockies, @adirondacks, @minerva, @yellowstone_park, @boston, @clifton, @east_hampton_long_island, @adirondack_preserve, @detroit_michigan, @presidio, @monterey, @angel_island, @quincy, @hardenford_nj, @richmond_county_ny, @mammoth_hot_springs_wyoming]}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@elizabeth_b_strong:person {full_name: "Elizabeth B. Strong"}

@elizabeth_b_stone:person {full_name: "Elizabeth B. Stone"}

@william_c_howe:person {full_name: "William C. Howe"}

@frederick_c_lewis:person {full_name: "Frederick C. Lewis"}

@mrs_williams:person {full_name: "Mrs. William T. Williams"}

@mrs_schnakenberg:person {full_name: "Mrs. D Schnakenberg"}

@mrs_tanssen:person {full_name: "Mrs. Gerhard Tanssen"}

@julia_c_martin:person {full_name: "Julia C. Martin"}

@trude:person {full_name: "Trude"}

@pm:person {full_name: "P.M."}

@j_butterball:person {full_name: "J. Butterball"}

@mrs_louis_h_meyer:person {full_name: "Mrs. Louis H. Meyer"}

@edith:person {full_name: "Edith"}

@trude_eccelston:person {full_name: "Trude Eccelston"}

@alice_cornell_austen:person {full_name: "Alice Cornell Austen"}

@nursing_education:concept {description: "Education and training for nursing"}

@death_and_mourning:concept {description: "Cultural practices surrounding death and mourning"}

@bereavement:concept {description: "Expressions of grief and loss"}

@family_correspondence:concept {description: "Letters exchanged within families"}

@victorian_era_mourning:concept {description: "Victorian-era mourning customs"}

@alice_austen_family:concept {description: "Family of photographer Alice Austen"}

@law:concept {description: "Legal matters and documentation"}

@advertisements:concept {description: "Commercial advertisements"}

@fashion:concept {description: "Clothing styles of the Victorian era"}

@kansas_city:place {state: "Missouri", country: @united_states}

@los_angeles:place {state: "California", country: @united_states}

@brighton:place {description: "Brighton area, likely New York"}

@orley:place {description: "Orley location"}

@thousand_islands:place {description: "Thousand Islands region"}

@new_brighton:place {description: "New Brighton, Staten Island"}

@east_hampton:place {description: "East Hampton, Long Island"}

@sacramento:place {state: "California", country: @united_states}

@seattle:place {state: "Washington", country: @united_states}

@tacoma:place {state: "Washington", country: @united_states}

@rockies:place {description: "Rocky Mountains region"}

@adirondacks:place {description: "Adirondack region, New York"}

@minerva:place {description: "Minerva, Essex County, New York"}

@boston:place {state: "Massachusetts", country: @united_states}

@clifton:place {description: "Clifton, Staten Island"}

@east_hampton_long_island:place {description: "East Hampton, Long Island"}

@adirondack_preserve:place {description: "Adirondack Preserve, New York"}

@detroit_michigan:place {state: "Michigan", country: @united_states}

@presidio:place {state: "California", country: @united_states}

@monterey:place {state: "California", country: @united_states}

@angel_island:place {state: "California", country: @united_states}

@quincy:place {state: "Massachusetts", country: @united_states}

@hardenford_nj:place {state: "New Jersey", country: @united_states}

@richmond_county_ny:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@mammoth_hot_springs_wyoming:place {state: "Wyoming", country: @united_states}

@austen_family_papers:collection {title: "Austen Family Papers (MS1)", institution: "Alice Austen House Museum", year: @date_1894, description: "Personal correspondence, envelopes, and related materials from Alice Austen and her network in 1894."}

@austen_family_papers -> creator -> [@alice_austen, @julia_t_martin, @elizabeth_b_strong, @isabella_c_king, @violet_me_ward, @elizabeth_b_stone, @william_c_howe, @frederick_c_lewis, @mrs_williams, @mrs_schnakenberg, @mrs_tanssen, @julia_c_martin, @trude, @pm, @j_butterball, @mrs_louis_h_meyer, @edith, @trude_eccelston, @alice_cornell_austen]

@austen_family_papers -> subject -> [@personal_correspondence, @business_correspondence, @victorian_social_life, @photography_business, @family_relationships, @music, @social_event, @travel, @wedding, @business_correspondence, @worlds_columbian_exposition, @calling_card, @envelope, @negative_sleeve, @boarding_house, @military_life, @social_history, @postal_history, @photography, @nursing_education, @death_and_mourning, @sympathy_letters, @bereavement, @family_correspondence, @victorian_era_mourning, @alice_austen_family, @law, @advertisements, @fashion, @photograph_order, @photograph_sales, @christmas_celebrations, @gifts_and_presents, @engagements, @health, @housekeeping, @family_visits, @skating, @sleigh_rides, @church_events, @whist_parties, @st_peters_church, @adirondacks, @yellowstone_park, @hunting, @deer_hunting, @nature, @bicycling, @marriage, @victorian_era]

@austen_family_papers -> location -> [@staten_island, @albany, @santa_barbara, @chicago, @kansas_city, @los_angeles, @new_brunswick, @brooklyn, @manhattan, @brighton, @orley, @thousand_islands, @new_brighton, @east_hampton, @new_york, @sacramento, @seattle, @tacoma, @rockies, @adirondacks, @minerva, @yellowstone_park, @boston, @clifton, @east_hampton_long_island, @adirondack_preserve, @detroit_michigan, @presidio, @monterey, @angel_island, @quincy, @hardenford_nj, @richmond_county_ny, @mammoth_hot_springs_wyoming]

@alice_austen -> central_figure_of -> @austen_family_papers

@alice_austen -> photographed -> @worlds_columbian_exposition

@alice_austen -> sold -> @photograph:document {subject: "World's Columbian Exposition", buyer: @isabella_c_king, order: @photograph_order}

@alice_austen -> owned -> @piano:document {type: "Steinway", status: "purchased", purchase_advice: @frederic_e_jones}

@alice_austen -> owned -> @boarding_house:document {status: "planned", opening: @date_1894_11_01, location: @rosebank}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julia_t_martin {when: @date_1894_02_04, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julie_bredt {when: @date_1894_01, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @violet_me_ward {when: @date_1894_04_25, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @isabella_c_king {when: @date_1894_02_14, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @bessie_strong {when: @date_1894_04_28, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @marion_j_cuthbertson {when: @date_1894_02_26, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @lucy_e_low_shortt {when: @date_1894_02_27, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @frederic_e_jones {when: @date_1894_04_13, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @ed_van_rensselaer {when: @date_1894_12_25, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @ralph_munroe {when: @date_1894_12_09, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @helena_caroline_janssen {when: @date_1894_06_05, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @h_t_wright {when: @date_1894_04_27, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @bessie_townsend {when: @date_1894_04_30, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @elizabeth_b_caldwell {when: @date_1894_04_29, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @trude_eccleston {when: @date_1894_10_02, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @elizabeth_lynch {when: @date_1894_??, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @edith {when: @date_1894_??, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @trude_eccelston {when: @date_1894_??, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @alice_cornell_austen {when: @date_1894_??, via: @file_1894_notes_and_transcriptions}

Metadata

Version History (10 versions)

  • ✓ v36 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:57:40 PM
    "Added description"
  • v35 · 12/9/2025, 9:30:41 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v34 · 12/9/2025, 8:07:28 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v33 · 12/9/2025, 7:30:17 PM · View this version
    "Split into 6 alphabetical chunks"
  • v32 · 12/9/2025, 7:30:16 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29FJVGAXWA2XYG5MVA2YCR"
  • v31 · 12/9/2025, 7:30:14 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29FHCAMYDHEZ8D3WXDG98F"
  • v30 · 12/9/2025, 7:30:13 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29FG0GN7TCJS0KHC36G7KF"
  • v29 · 12/9/2025, 7:30:11 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29FE5ZKKYK14D7TSAK7R28"
  • v28 · 12/9/2025, 7:30:09 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29FBWR26R1JZCYPT6GZEFQ"
  • v27 · 12/9/2025, 7:30:05 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29F8PQYY563EF27YAJC26W"

More versions available (pagination not yet implemented)

Additional Components

chunking-description.txt
# Alphabetical Chunking

Directory split into 6 alphabetical chunks for processing.

Total files: 240
Files per chunk: up to 40

## Organization Strategy

Organize by document type and correspondent. Use these groups: 1) Letters (personal correspondence), 2) Business correspondence (photography orders, piano inquiries), 3) Invitations/cards (wedding announcements, calling cards), 4) Sympathy notes, 5) Envelopes (standalone), 6) Transcripts (text versions of letters). Within letters, further group by primary correspondent when possible (Julia Martin, Elisabeth Strong, etc.).

Parent

01KC25ZJ5BGKTRSFQCX4KBYHJK

Children (6)