Alice Cornell Austen Correspondence Collection
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:36:47 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:24:20 PM
Added description
Description
Alice Cornell Austen Correspondence Collection
Overview
The Alice Cornell Austen Correspondence Collection is a digitized set of personal letters and envelopes addressed to Elizabeth Alice Cornell Austen (later known as Alice Austen) in 1890. The collection comprises six handwritten letters—three dated March and three dated June—along with their scanned JPEG images and typed transcriptions. All materials are in English and are available through the Alice Austen House Museum’s digital archive.Background
Elizabeth Alice Cornell Austen (1866‑1952) was a Staten Island photographer whose early correspondence offers insight into her social world before her photographic career flourished. The letters were written by a range of acquaintances, including Dr. P.Y. Andten of Rutgers College, Judge Strong of Hamilton, NJ, and other family friends. The documents were collected by the Alice Austen House, a museum dedicated to preserving Austen’s life and work, and digitized to support scholarly research on Victorian‑era social networks and health concerns.Contents
- Letters (March 1890): 1. From Judge Strong, discussing family matters and a birthday for a grandfather. 2. From an unnamed sender, detailing shipping and financial arrangements. 3. From an unnamed sender, describing a package and travel logistics.
- Letters (June 1890):
Scope
The collection covers a narrow temporal window—March and June 1890—and focuses on personal, familial, and health‑related topics. Geographic references include New Brunswick, NJ; Hamilton, NJ; and Staten Island, NY. The materials provide a snapshot of Victorian‑era social life among upper‑middle‑class families in New Jersey and New York, illustrating the daily concerns of a young woman who would later become a pioneering photographer. The collection does not include photographs, business records, or later correspondence.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_cornell_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Cornell Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer"}
@alice_austen_house:organization {type: "museum", location: @staten_island_ny}
@alice_cornell_austen_correspondence:collection {title: "Alice Cornell Austen Correspondence Collection", creator: @alice_cornell_austen, institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1890, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Personal letters","Victorian-era social life","Family relationships","Health","Travel"], description: "A collection of personal letters and envelopes addressed to Alice Cornell Austen in 1890, providing insights into her personal life and relationships during the Victorian era.", places: [@new_brunswick_nj, @hamilton_nj, @staten_island_ny]}
@new_brunswick_nj:place {city: "New Brunswick", state: @new_jersey, country: @united_states}
@hamilton_nj:place {city: "Hamilton", state: @new_jersey, country: @united_states}
@staten_island_ny:place {borough: "Staten Island", city: "New York City", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@new_jersey:place {type: "state", country: @united_states}
@new_york:place {type: "state", country: @united_states}
@albany_ny:place {city: "Albany", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@julia_t_martin:person {relationship: "close friend", location: @albany_ny}
@julie_bredt:person {}
@violet_m_e_ward:person {}
@isabella_king:person {role: "photograph buyer"}
@bessie_strong:person {}
@dr_p_y_andten:person {title: "Dr.", affiliation: @rutgers_college}
@rutgers_college:organization {type: "university", location: @new_brunswick_nj}
@judge_strong:person {title: "Judge"}
@grandpa:person {relation: "grandfather of @alice_cornell_austen"}
@colonel_langdale:person {rank: "Colonel"}
@captain:person {title: "Captain"}
@belle:person {}
@pussy_mckean:person {}
@edith_wright:person {}
@orline:person {}
@charles_mason:person {}
@alfred:person {}
@betty:person {}
@h_b:person {}
@mabel:person {}
@p_b:person {}
@letter_1890_june_3001:document {type: "letter", recipient: @alice_cornell_austen, sender: @dr_p_y_andten, date: @date_1890_06, location: @new_brunswick_nj}
@letter_1890_june_3002:document {type: "letter", recipient: @alice_cornell_austen, date: @date_1890_06, topics: ["illness","health"]}
@letter_1890_june_3003:document {type: "letter", recipient: @alice_cornell_austen, date: @date_1890_06, topics: ["personal","family"]}
@letter_1890_mar_3001:document {type: "letter", recipient: @alice_cornell_austen, sender: @judge_strong, date: @date_1890_03, location: @hamilton_nj}
@letter_1890_mar_3002:document {type: "letter", recipient: @alice_cornell_austen, date: @date_1890_03, topics: ["family","birthday","grandfather"]}
@letter_1890_mar_3003:document {type: "letter", recipient: @alice_cornell_austen, date: @date_1890_03, topics: ["shipping","money","package"]}
@file_pinax:file {type: "metadata", format: "PINAX", related_collection: @alice_cornell_austen_correspondence}
@file_1890_june_3001_alice_cornell_austen_jpg:file {type: "image", ocr_source: @letter_1890_june_3001}
@file_1890_june_3002_alice_cornell_austen_jpg:file {type: "image", ocr_source: @letter_1890_june_3002}
@file_1890_june_3003_alice_cornell_austen_jpg:file {type: "image", ocr_source: @letter_1890_june_3003}
@file_1890_mar_3001_alice_cornell_austen_jpg:file {type: "image", ocr_source: @letter_1890_mar_3001}
@file_1890_mar_3002_alice_cornell_austen_jpg:file {type: "image", ocr_source: @letter_1890_mar_3002}
@file_1890_mar_3003_alice_cornell_austen_jpg:file {type: "image", ocr_source: @letter_1890_mar_3003}
@dr_p_y_andten -> wrote -> @letter_1890_june_3001 {when: @date_1890_06}
@alice_cornell_austen -> received -> @letter_1890_june_3001 {when: @date_1890_06}
@alice_cornell_austen -> received -> @letter_1890_june_3002 {when: @date_1890_06}
@alice_cornell_austen -> received -> @letter_1890_june_3003 {when: @date_1890_06}
@judge_strong -> wrote -> @letter_1890_mar_3001 {when: @date_1890_03}
@alice_cornell_austen -> received -> @letter_1890_mar_3001 {when: @date_1890_03}
@alice_cornell_austen -> received -> @letter_1890_mar_3002 {when: @date_1890_03}
@alice_cornell_austen -> received -> @letter_1890_mar_3003 {when: @date_1890_03}
@alice_cornell_austen -> corresponded with -> [@julia_t_martin, @julie_bredt, @violet_m_e_ward, @isabella_king, @bessie_strong, @dr_p_y_andten, @judge_strong, @colonel_langdale, @captain, @belle, @pussy_mckean, @edith_wright, @orline, @charles_mason, @alfred, @betty, @h_b, @mabel, @p_b]
@worlds_columbian_exposition_1893:event {name: "World's Columbian Exposition", year: @date_1893}Metadata
Files (6)
OCR Text
Miss Alice Andten Care of Dr. P.Y. Andten Rutgers College New Brunswick N.J.
OCR Text
When you are back here, it will make a kindness for you. I hope your illness has not pretty well, for it will keep right back if you are not nearly a patient upon yourself and will let know you get healthy to work as you did. Your trouble is given to write to you and hoped to have some friend keeping a bed near you that will attend to you. He had joined my band here on Christmas night, the fourth of December and had taken the sick house. I love of yourself my fondest one, for the After Born Gregory name from great Kansas
OCR Text
with the longs late for Am writing 8/2 H.B. Please be brave. I had these. Alfred had forward up & he asked to have and a half. It had been you had gone. And how long Asked, for he said you did you would stay. not like the right note. He I am to inquire after Office Answered. Why Betty you had that something, the husband was gone within the note, and he that the wind bother. I have although you wanted to take she will make through before the longs in it. I did not tell them going through at night how you had put it; found it in the trunk. In the beginning (your lay) Charles Mason called, "Mabel hold him you had gone to P.B. just as I glad to get through with her
OCR Text
Miss Alice Austen Case of Judge Strong. Hamilton, N.J. Gen. Bermudich N.J.
OCR Text
At noon I sat on this Afternoon, they said it was half past nine 'o clock, you were in bed, we left their dwelling. If day is gone, Grandpa's birthday is Christmas day. The old family presents & gifts from Santa yesterday brought, the long wait, the first gift - think I believe I will be well received. Got your kit to hospital. You're very regretful to and have had to send things, yet side, good stock - had of a multitude my like yours mine. Colonel order is trying to remain here, by attempting 10th Colonel Langdale. Other you live - you speak, I got official notice, think - after I left you,
OCR Text
and also a blue silk one like yours and hers. I think you want the three colors. The Captain thinks the Express charged too much for your trunk, he said I had better have told the man to charge it to me, for he may have squeezed a little for himself. I'm wired for your Auntie for the money she sent. Besides, she sent the little Ala shirt just as it was, she thought it too fine and broken to fix up. I acted for you yet, of course I will forward anything that comes. I sent your package to Belle. I heard that Pussy Mc'Kean was going to escape, what next? Edith Wright, and Orline
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:36:47 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:21:31 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:45:53 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:24:20 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Alice_Cornell_Austen_Correspondence"
Parent
No children (leaf entity)