Austen Family Papers (MS1) - Alice Austen House Museum

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:55:27 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:19:07 PM

Added description

Description

Austen Family Papers (MS1) – Personal Correspondence and Photographic Materials, 1883–1898

Overview

This digitized collection comprises the personal papers of Elizabeth Alice Austen, a pioneering American photographer from Staten Island. The archive is organized into fifteen year‑based folders (1883‑1898) and contains scanned photographs (JPG) of handwritten letters, envelopes, calling cards, and negative sleeves, together with typed transcriptions (TXT) of the same documents.

Background

Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a central figure in late‑Victorian photography and a member of an upper‑middle‑class Staten Island family. The papers were compiled by the Austen family and are now preserved at the Alice Austen House Museum. They provide a window into the social, familial, and professional world of a woman who balanced a burgeoning photographic business with a vibrant social life.

Contents

  • Correspondence: Handwritten letters to and from Alice, addressed to relatives and friends across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California. Recipients include Julia T. Martin (Albany), Julie Bredt (Eaglesmere), Violet M.E. Ward (Staten Island), Isabella King (photograph buyer), and Bessie Strong (New Brunswick).
  • Calling Cards: Victorian‑era social cards that illustrate etiquette and social networks.
  • Negative Sleeves: Photography‑related materials that document Alice’s early commercial practice.
  • Photographs: Scanned images of events such as skating parties, whist parties, church gatherings, and the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, as well as personal snapshots.
  • Transcriptions: Typed versions of the handwritten letters, facilitating research.

Key themes emerging from the letters include social life (skating, sleigh rides, church events), the operation of Alice’s photography business, personal relationships, family matters (e.g., her grandfather’s death), and musical interests (purchase of a Steinway piano).

Scope

The collection covers the period 1883‑1898, focusing on personal and social aspects of the Austen family. It includes material from Staten Island and the surrounding region, with occasional references to distant locations. The archive does not contain institutional records or unrelated family documents; it is a focused collection of intimate correspondence and photographic artifacts that illuminate the life of a pioneering photographer and her social milieu.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", born: @date_1866, died: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", location: @staten_island}

@austen_family_papers:document {creator: @alice_austen, created: @date_1883_1898, description: "Collection of personal correspondence, photographs, calling cards, and negative sleeves from the Austen family papers (MS1) at the Alice Austen House Museum"}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @austen_family_papers

@julia_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relationship: "close friend of Alice", location: @albany}
@julie_bredt:person {full_name: "Julie F. Bredt", location: @eaglesmere}
@violet_ward:person {full_name: "Violet M.E. Ward", location: @staten_island}
@isabella_king:person {full_name: "Isabella King", role: "photograph buyer", location: @staten_island}
@bessie_strong:person {full_name: "Elizabeth B. Strong", location: @new_brunswick}
@henry_gilman:person {full_name: "Henry K. Gilman", location: @flushing}
@john_c_browne:person {full_name: "John C. Browne", location: @philadelphia}
@edith_blunt:person {full_name: "Edith E. Blunt", location: @presidio}
@sarah_schuyler_martin:person {full_name: "Sarah Schuyler Martin", location: @staten_island}
@charles_ludlow:person {full_name: "Charles B. Ludlow", location: @new_brunswick}
@george_booth:person {full_name: "George Rodney Booth", location: @bethlehem}
@perry_wheelock:person {full_name: "George V.W. Duryea", role: "event organizer", location: @new_york}
@grace_quartley_brown:person {full_name: "Grace Quartley Brown", location: @staten_island}
@margaret_lynch:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Lynch", location: @flushing}
@steve_stephenson:person {full_name: "Steve Stephenson", role: "photographer", location: @staten_island}

@eaglesmere:place {description: "Allegheny House in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania", state: @pennsylvania}
@watkins_glen:place {description: "Sanitarium at Watkins Glen, New York", state: @new_york}
@rosebank:place {description: "Alice Austen's residence on Staten Island", state: @new_york}
@new_brunswick:place {state: @new_jersey}
@flushing:place {state: @new_york}
@presidio:place {state: @california}
@bethlehem:place {state: @pennsylvania}
@albany:place {state: @new_york}
@boston:place {state: @massachusetts}
@philadelphia:place {state: @pennsylvania}
@sullivan_county:place {state: @pennsylvania}
@worlds_columbian_exposition:event {year: @date_1893, description: "World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago)"}

@letter_julie_bredt_july_1892:document {when: @date_1892_07_13, from: @julie_bredt, to: @alice_austen, location: @eaglesmere}
@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @letter_julie_bredt_july_1892
@letter_julia_martin_july_13_1892:document {when: @date_1892_07_13, from: @julia_martin, to: @alice_austen, location: @rosebank}
@julia_martin -> wrote -> @letter_julia_martin_july_13_1892
@letter_henry_gilman_aug_9_1892:document {when: @date_1892_08_09, from: @henry_gilman, to: @alice_austen, location: @flushing}
@henry_gilman -> wrote -> @letter_henry_gilman_aug_9_1892
@letter_bessie_strong_aug_22_1892:document {when: @date_1892_08_22, from: @bessie_strong, to: @alice_austen, location: @new_brunswick}
@bessie_strong -> wrote -> @letter_bessie_strong_aug_22_1892
@letter_john_c_browne_sep_7_1892:document {when: @date_1892_09_07, from: @john_c_browne, to: @alice_austen, location: @philadelphia}
@john_c_browne -> wrote -> @letter_john_c_browne_sep_7_1892
@letter_edith_blunt_sep_18_1892:document {when: @date_1892_09_18, from: @edith_blunt, to: @alice_austen, location: @presidio}
@edith_blunt -> wrote -> @letter_edith_blunt_sep_18_1892

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julia_martin
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julie_bredt
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @violet_ward
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @isabella_king
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @bessie_strong
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @henry_gilman
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @john_c_browne
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @edith_blunt
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @sarah_schuyler_martin
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @charles_ludlow
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @george_booth
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @grace_quartley_brown
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @margaret_lynch

@alice_austen -> sold -> @photograph:document {subject: "World's Columbian Exposition", year: @date_1893}
@alice_austen -> purchased -> @steinway_piano:object {type: "Steinway piano"}

@alice_austen -> attended -> @skating_party:event {description: "Skating party", date: @date_1894}
@alice_austen -> attended -> @whist_party:event {description: "Whist party", date: @date_1894}
@alice_austen -> attended -> @church_event:event {description: "Church event", date: @date_1894}
@alice_austen -> attended -> @sleigh_ride:event {description: "Sleigh ride", date: @date_1894}

@alice_austen -> experienced -> @death_event:event {who: @alice_austen_grandfather, when: @date_1894_04, description: "Grandfather's death"}

@alice_austen_grandfather:person {relationship: "grandfather of Alice Austen"}

@alice_austen -> owned -> @negative_sleeve:object {description: "Photography negative sleeve"}

@alice_austen -> created -> @photograph:document {subject: "Various personal and social scenes", created: @date_1883_1898, location: @rosebank}

@alice_austen -> sent -> @photograph:document {subject: "Photographs to Isabella King", to: @isabella_king, when: @date_1894_06}

@alice_austen -> wrote -> @letter_julie_bredt_july_1892
@alice_austen -> wrote -> @letter_julia_martin_july_13_1892

@julia_martin -> requested -> @item:object {description: "Box, writing desk, coffee pot", from: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_07_13}
@julie_bredt -> described -> @social_event:event {description: "Lake bathing, dancing, tennis, rowing", when: @date_1892_07, location: @eaglesmere}
@bessie_strong -> knitted -> @handmade_item:object {description: "Bedroom slippers for Eva", when: @date_1892_09_22}
@bessie_strong -> made -> @sacque:object {description: "Sack for Eva", when: @date_1892_09_22}
@henry_gilman -> sent -> @stamp_collection:object {description: "Collected stamps for Alice", when: @date_1892_03_21}
@henry_gilman -> offered -> @ticket:object {description: "Regatta night stateroom ticket", when: @date_1892_06_17}
@john_c_browne -> shared -> @photographic_process:document {description: "Oxalate developer formula", when: @date_1892_09_07}
@edith_blunt -> sent -> @yosemite_photographs:document {subject: "Yosemite pictures", when: @date_1892_09_18}
@edith_blunt -> mentioned -> @photography_course:concept {description: "Training in photography", when: @date_1892_09_18}

@alice_austen -> participated in -> @photography_club:event {description: "Photography business and negative sleeves exchange", date: @date_1894}
@alice_austen -> exchanged -> @calling_card:object {description: "Victorian-era social card", with: @violet_ward, when: @date_1894}
@alice_austen -> exchanged -> @calling_card:object {description: "Victorian-era social card", with: @julie_bredt, when: @date_1894}

@alice_austen -> lived at -> @rosebank
@alice_austen -> visited -> @eaglesmere {when: @date_1892_07}
@alice_austen -> visited -> @albany {when: @date_1892_07}
@alice_austen -> visited -> @new_brunswick {when: @date_1892_07}
@alice_austen -> visited -> @flushing {when: @date_1892_08}
@alice_austen -> visited -> @presidio {when: @date_1892_09}
@alice_austen -> visited -> @bethlehem {when: @date_1892_09}
@alice_austen -> visited -> @boston {when: @date_1892_08}
@alice_austen -> visited -> @watkins_glen {when: @date_1892_08}

@alice_austen -> member of -> @social_circle:concept {description: "Upper-middle-class Staten Island families", date_range: {start: @date_1883, end: @date_1898}}

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:55:27 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 9:18:03 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 8:00:12 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:19:07 PM · View this version
    "Alphabetical chunk 10/10 (38 files)"

Additional Components (38)

Click to expand and load individual components

1892-January-thru-June.docx.ref.json
1892-January-thru-June.txt
1892_8-22-Aug 4005-jtm copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-22-Aug 4006-jtm copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-22-Aug 4007-jtm copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-22-Aug 4008-jtm copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-22-Aug 4009-jtm copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-25-Aug 5001-EAA copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-25-Aug 5002-EAA copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-25-Aug 5003-EAA copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-9-Henry Gilman Aug 9 1892001 copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-9-Henry Gilman Aug 9 1892002 copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_8-9-Henry Gilman Aug 9 1892003 copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-18-Sept 3002-Blunt copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-18-Sept 3003-Blunt copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-22-Sept 4001-strong copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-22-Sept 4002-strong copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-22-Sept 4003-strong copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-22-Sept 4004-strong copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-22-Sept 4005-strong copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-22-Sept 4006-strong copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-22-Sept 4007-strong copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-27-Sept 5001-martin copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-27-Sept 5002-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-27-Sept 5003-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-27-Sept 5004-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-27-Sept 5005-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-6-Sept 1001-martin copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-6-Sept 1002-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-6-Sept 1003-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-6-Sept 1004-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-6-Sept 1005-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-7-Sept 2001-browne copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-7-Sept 2002-browne copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_9-7-Sept 2003-browne copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_July-thru-December.docx.ref.json
1892_July-thru-December.txt
1893_3-20-Unknown Sender envelope Mar 20 1898001-New-Brunswick copy.jpg.ref.json

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01KC262WQ37K459G497B8PSG7H

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