Alice Austen Family Papers (MS1) - 1888 Correspondence and Related Materials
PI
Version: 11 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:54:20 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:18:57 PM
Added description
Description
Alice Austen Family Papers (MS1) – 1888 Correspondence and Related Materials
Overview
This digitized collection preserves the 1888 portion of the Alice Austen Family Papers (MS1) housed at the Alice Austen House Museum. It comprises a variety of personal and professional documents, including handwritten letters, envelopes, calling cards, and business correspondence. The materials are presented as high‑resolution JPEG scans with accompanying OCR‑transcribed text, enabling searchable access to the original manuscripts.Background
Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer and resident of Staten Island. In 1888, she maintained an active social and commercial network among the island’s upper‑middle‑class families. The collection reflects her dual roles as a photographer and a participant in Victorian social life, documenting interactions with friends, family, and clients.Contents
- Personal Correspondence – Letters to and from Alice Austen, including exchanges with Effie S. Commins (Cushings Island), Elisabeth Strong, and other contemporaries.
- Business Correspondence – Early communications about her photography studio, client orders, and marketing strategies.
- Envelopes and Addresses – Scanned images of envelopes bearing addresses from locations such as Rosebank, Lake Mahopac, and Hemmington Centre.
- Calling Cards – Victorian‑era social cards that illustrate Austen’s participation in local society.
- Wedding Invitation – A printed invitation for the marriage of Miss Mary Suckley to Mr. Robert H. McCurdy (Morristown, New Jersey).
- Negative Sleeves – Photographic materials related to Austen’s work, preserved in digital form.
Scope
The collection covers the calendar year 1888 and documents Austen’s interactions across Staten Island, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, and beyond. It includes personal, familial, and commercial correspondence, as well as ancillary items that contextualize her social milieu. The materials do not extend to photographs, later business records, or events outside 1888, but provide a comprehensive snapshot of Austen’s life and work during that year.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_austen_family_papers_ms1:collection {title: "Alice Austen Family Papers (MS1) - 1888 Correspondence and Related Materials", creator: [@alice_austen, @effie_commins, @elisabeth_strong, @mrs_reginald_h_forbes], institution: @alice_austen_house_museum, created: @date_1888, language: "en", subjects: ["Personal correspondence","Victorian social life","Family relationships","19th century American history","Photography","Business","Weddings","Social events","Travel","Tennis","Fishing","Music"], description: "A collection of digitized correspondence and related materials from the Austen Family Papers (MS1), spanning 1888. Includes personal letters, envelopes, calling cards, and business correspondence related to Alice Austen's photography work.", places: ["Staten Island, NY","Cushings Island","Lake Mahopac, NY","Hemmington Centre, VT","Morristown, N.J.","New Brunswick","Orley","Croakers","Oyster Point","Bay Head","Philadelphia","Colorado Springs","Europe"]}
@file_pinax -> documents -> @alice_austen_family_papers_ms1
@mr_w_c_huyler:person {full_name: "W. C. Huyler"}
@mrs_john_foster:person {full_name: "Mrs. John Foster"}
@file_1888_9_19_sept_3001_copy_jpg:file {description: "Envelope image with OCR text referencing Rosebank, Staten Island"} {when: @date_1888_09_19}
@file_1888_9_19_sept_3001_copy_jpg -> contains address -> @address_rosebank_pc
@file_1888_9_19_sept_3001_copy_jpg -> mentions -> @mr_w_c_huyler
@file_1888_9_19_sept_3001_copy_jpg -> mentions -> @mrs_john_foster
@alice_austen_family_papers_ms1 -> aggregates -> [@alice_austen_correspondence_with_effie_commins, @alice_austen_correspondence_envelopes_and_addresses, @alice_austen_photography_business_correspondence_collection, @wedding_invitation_collection, @alice_austen_social_events_correspondence_collection]Metadata
Files (1)
1888_9-19-Sept 3001 copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
Mr. W. C. Huyler Care of Mrs. John Foster Rosebank Staten Island, N.Y.
Version History (10 versions)
- ✓ v11 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:54:20 PM
"Added description" - v10 · 12/9/2025, 9:14:15 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v9 · 12/9/2025, 7:58:33 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v8 · 12/9/2025, 7:21:18 PM · View this version
"Reorganized into 6 groups" - v7 · 12/9/2025, 7:21:17 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC28Z49VY666YRECW6RCERNV" - v6 · 12/9/2025, 7:21:15 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC28Z2YK250KCBS1T3N5XDQG" - v5 · 12/9/2025, 7:21:14 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC28Z1KDEMF5TX4GFBJ76M2H" - v4 · 12/9/2025, 7:21:12 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC28Z09NE796P15TW2JDKNHM" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 7:21:10 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC28YYDXRPTQNX30979YF7N9" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:21:09 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC28YX096M5EWWQ6ZM7FKZYF"
Additional Components
reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary Files were organized primarily by correspondent and content type, with special attention to distinguishing personal correspondence from business-related photography discussions and formal invitations. The wedding invitation stands alone as a formal document, while envelopes were grouped separately as they contain primarily addressing information. One file (1888_9-19-Sept 3001 copy.jpg.ref.json) containing only a name and address without additional context was left ungrouped. ## Groups Created - **Personal_Correspondence_Effie_Commins**: Letters from Effie S. Commins to Alice Austen containing personal gossip and social commentary - **Envelopes_Addresses**: Envelopes and address labels showing mailing information - **Wedding_Invitation**: Formal invitation to Mary Suckley's wedding - **Photography_Business**: Correspondence discussing Alice Austen's photography work and business - **Personal_Correspondence_Elisabeth_Strong**: Letters from Elisabeth Strong discussing photography results and social activities - **Social_Events_Correspondence**: Letters discussing weddings and other social events