1891_12-15-Dec 8.1-ACA copy.jpg

Alice Austen Personal Correspondence Collection

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:38:16 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:24:50 PM

Added description

Description

Alice Austen Personal Correspondence Collection

Overview

The Alice Austen Personal Correspondence Collection is a digitized archive of letters, calling cards, and photography‑related ephemera that were sent to Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952), a pioneering Staten Island photographer. The collection spans the years 1883‑1898 and is organized into fifteen year‑based folders. Each folder contains high‑resolution JPEG scans of original documents and accompanying text transcriptions. The materials are in English and are housed at the Alice Austen House Museum in Staten Island, New York.

Background

Alice Austen, a prominent figure in late‑Victorian photography, maintained an extensive network of friends and business contacts. Her correspondence offers insight into her personal life, social engagements, and professional activities, including the sale of photographs from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and the purchase of a Steinway piano. The collection was assembled by Austen herself and later preserved by the museum, reflecting her role as both artist and socialite in upper‑middle‑class Staten Island society.

Contents

  • Personal letters: Letters to Austen from relatives, friends, and acquaintances (e.g., Julia T. Martin of Albany, Julie Bredt, Violet M.E. Ward, Isabella King, B

Raw Cheimarros Data

@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", residence: @staten_island}

@alice_austen_house:organization {type: "museum", location: @staten_island}

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

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

@alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection:collection {title: "Alice Austen Personal Correspondence Collection", creator: @alice_austen, institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1891_12_15, language: "en", subjects: ["Personal correspondence","Victorian social life","Family relationships","Music","Staten Island history"], description: "A collection of personal letters to Alice Austen from friends and family, discussing social events, family matters, and personal relationships.", place: [@staten_island, @new_brunswick]}

@letter_1891_12_15_dec_8_1:document {date: @date_1891_12_15, format: "image", ocr_text: "I thought you had forgotten it... My dearest Lott, I was so glad to hear from you..."} 

@letter_1891_12_15_dec_8_2:document {date: @date_1891_12_15, format: "image", ocr_text: "The parcel came from Mrs. Myr... Alice Parnale and Miss Ed Butler called Friday afternoon..."} 

@letter_1891_12_15_dec_8003:document {date: @date_1891_12_15, format: "image", ocr_text: "Miss Rhia Austen Case of Mrs P.Y. Austen Union St. New Brunswick N.J."} 

@julia_t_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relationship: "close friend", location: @albany}

@julie_bredt:person {full_name: "Julie Bredt"}

@violet_m_e_ward:person {full_name: "Violet M.E. Ward"}

@isabella_king:person {full_name: "Isabella King", role: "photograph buyer"}

@bessie_strong:person {full_name: "Bessie Strong"}

@mr_heathen:person {full_name: "Mr. Heathen"}

@mrs_myr:person {full_name: "Mrs. Myr"}

@cutler:person {full_name: "Cutler"}

@alice_parnale:person {full_name: "Alice Parnale"}

@miss_ed_butler:person {full_name: "Miss Ed Butler"}

@lott:person {full_name: "Lott"}

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

@alhambra:place {type: "store"}

@graham:place {type: "store"}

@bazar:place {type: "store"}

@philarmonic:organization {type: "orchestra"}

@worlds_columbian_exposition:event {year: @date_1893, location: @chicago}

@steinway_piano:object {type: "musical instrument"}

@silver_thimble:object {type: "accessory"}

@alice_austen -> created -> @alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection

@alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection -> contains -> @letter_1891_12_15_dec_8_1

@alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection -> contains -> @letter_1891_12_15_dec_8_2

@alice_austen_personal_correspondence_collection -> contains -> @letter_1891_12_15_dec_8003

@alice_austen -> wrote -> @letter_1891_12_15_dec_8_1 {to: @lott, date: @date_1891_12_15}

@alice_austen -> sold photographs from -> @worlds_columbian_exposition {year: @date_1893}

@alice_austen -> discussed purchase of -> @steinway_piano {context: "correspondence about purchasing a Steinway piano"}

@alice_austen -> attended -> @philarmonic {context: "mentioned hearing music at the Philharmonic"}

@mrs_myr -> sent parcel to -> @alice_austen {date: @date_1891_12_15}

@cutler -> sent parcel to -> @alice_austen {date: @date_1891_12_15}

@alice_parnale -> called -> @alice_austen {date: @date_1891_12_15}

@miss_ed_butler -> called -> @alice_austen {date: @date_1891_12_15}

@alice_austen -> bought -> @silver_thimble {from: @graham, price: "$? ", date: @date_1891_12_15}

@alice_austen -> purchased -> @stei nway_piano {date: @date_1891_12_15}

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julia_t_martin

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julie_bredt

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @violet_m_e_ward

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @isabella_king

@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @bessie_strong

Metadata

Files (3)

1891_12-15-Dec 8.1-ACA copy.jpgJPEG
1.08 MB
OCR Text

I thought you had forgotten it. Hello to both. My good people, the whole house perhaps blessed something. Sam M. invited you; he arrived into She lived in the room very bright and kind and Katie had to take him with her, Keller Asked me of the dogs here. Mother, she says if he thinks Chris is 'hopeful' - gentleman. I hope you will try and bring all your life give my love to Pete and Katie, goodbye by my pressing and your Mama It looked from the like & phone from today lunch, bother Staten Island, Tuesday My dearest Lott, I was so glad to hear from you, the note came last night. You made wonderful time on Friday, but then you always do when you are alone. You must have enjoyed the Philharmonic. It is so long since you heard any music:

1891_12-15-Dec 8.2-ACA copy.jpgJPEG
1.4 MB
OCR Text

The parcel came from Mrs. Myr. Also the one from Cutler yesterday. We I know about the pharmacy is a sixty year Peter the Roy, that a neighbor got in and Dr. Grump from telephoned for a forbishman and bought the man who was a stranger, there was nothing in Ant-hope's about it, I think you brought these from the Alhambra. Mr. Heathen is better! I found he with part through him! I was in town yesterday to buy some nice things the Alhambra beautiful. I went to the Graham and bought a silver thimble which I wanted badly, I got the only haberdashery price I asked, not dear for once. I asked to see the glove merchants, but they were all ill, they said the price was 4 or 5 dollars, the Bazar said $1.00. Alice Parnale and Miss Ed Butler called Friday afternoon, they seemed very sorry to find that you were not at home. I do wish you had the fine urge wait with you indeed

1891_12-15-Dec 8003-ACA copy.jpgJPEG
260.1 KB
OCR Text

Miss Rhia Austen Case of Mrs P.Y. Austen Union St. New Brunswick N.J.

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:38:16 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:25:15 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:47:01 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:24:50 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Alice_Austen_Personal_Correspondence"

Parent

01KC28TNTAT9MD96JMQCVGYQ2Q

No children (leaf entity)