Austen Family Papers: Family Correspondence, 1892
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:41:17 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:26:55 PM
Added description
Description
Austen Family Papers: Family Correspondence, 1892
Overview
This digitized collection comprises the personal letters of Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) and her network of friends and relatives, all dated to February 1892. The materials are presented as scanned JPEG images of the original envelopes and handwritten pages, accompanied by typed transcriptions in plain‑text files. The collection is part of the broader Austen Family Papers housed at the Alice Austen House Museum on Staten Island, New York.Background
Alice Austen was a pioneering American photographer and a prominent member of Staten Island’s upper‑middle‑class society. Her correspondence offers insight into the social, cultural, and familial concerns of late‑Victorian America. The 1892 letters were collected by the museum’s archivists as part of a systematic digitization of the Austen Family Papers, which span 1883‑1898. Rights status is unspecified; the materials are available for scholarly research through the museum’s digital portal.Contents
The collection contains eight scanned letter pages (four from 10 Feb 1892, two from 14 Feb 1892, and two from 20 Feb 1892) and their corresponding transcriptions. Topics covered include:- Travel and health – a letter from a friend noting a trip to Bethlehem and a knee injury.
- Social events – references to a charity ball, a wedding, and a planned dinner party.
- Family matters – condolences for a grandfather’s death, a mention of Eugene Lynch’s sudden death in Memphis, and updates on relatives’ activities.
- Professional interests – a note about selling photographs from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and a mention of a Steinway piano.
- Personal relationships – correspondence with close friends such as Julia T. Martin, Julie Bredt, and Violet M. Ward, as well as with acquaintances like Mr. McAndrew and Clara Bish.
Scope
The collection is confined to February 1892, with geographic references to Staten Island, Bethlehem (Pennsylvania), Flushing (Queens), and Memphis (Tennessee). It covers personal, social, and business aspects of Austen’s life, providing a snapshot of Victorian social networks, travel, and the early photographic market. The materials are in English and represent a primary source for researchers studying late‑19th‑century American society, photography history, and the Austen family’s social milieu.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", location: @staten_island}
@staten_island:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@bethlehem:place {state: "Pennsylvania", country: @united_states}
@flushing_li:place {borough: "Flushing", city: "Queens", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@memphis_tn:place {state: "Tennessee", country: @united_states}
@file_pinax:file {title: "Austen Family Papers: Family Correspondence, 1892", creator: @alice_austen, year: @date_1892, subjects: ["Family correspondence","Victorian social life","Personal relationships","Travel","Health","Death and mourning"], places: [@staten_island, @bethlehem, @flushing_li, @memphis_tn]}
@julia_t_martin:person {relationship: "close friend", location: @albany}
@julie_bredt:person {relationship: "correspondent"}
@violet_m_ward:person {relationship: "correspondent"}
@isabella_king:person {role: "photograph buyer"}
@bessie_strong:person {relationship: "correspondent"}
@albany:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@friend_1:person {relationship: "correspondent"}
@friend_2:person {relationship: "correspondent"}
@mr_martin:person {full_name: "Mr. Martin", relationship: "correspondent"}
@clara_bish:person {relationship: "correspondent"}
@mr_mcandrew:person {full_name: "Mr. McAndrew", relationship: "correspondent"}
@grandpa:person {relationship: "grandfather of @alice_austen"}
@dr_thompson:person {title: "Dr."}
@dr_vande:person {title: "Dr."}
@miss_davis:person {}
@henry_cram:person {}
@sir_patrick:person {}
@mrs_grigg:person {}
@auntie:person {}
@kitty:person {}
@mrs_mitchell:person {}
@alice_ghercel:person {}
@joseph_thorne:person {}
@helen_wilson:person {}
@judge_greenfield:person {}
@lucy:person {}
@eugene_lynch:person {}
@mary_montgomery_lynch:person {}
@jiggie_lynch:person {}
@kevin:person {}
@celia_ryan:person {}
@letter_feb10_1892_1:document {date: @date_1892_02_10, sender: @friend_1, recipient: @alice_austen, content_summary: "Mentions travel to Bethlehem, knee improvement, Miss Davis, Henry Cram, and Sir Patrick."}
@friend_1 -> wrote -> @letter_feb10_1892_1
@letter_feb10_1892_2:document {date: @date_1892_02_10, sender: @friend_2, recipient: @alice_austen, content_summary: "Grandpa admires hat, Dr Thompson mentions money for Alexander, aunt's lamb, Kitty's stitches, Dr Vande suggests plaster cast."}
@friend_2 -> wrote -> @letter_feb10_1892_2
@grandpa -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb10_1892_2
@dr_thompson -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb10_1892_2
@dr_vande -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb10_1892_2
@letter_feb14_1892_1:document {date: @date_1892_02_14, sender: @mr_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, content_summary: "Discusses charity ball, Mrs. Mitchell's marriage, lamp wick, encloses $5.00."}
@mr_martin -> wrote -> @letter_feb14_1892_1
@charity_ball:event {date: @date_1892_02_14, description: "Social event mentioned in correspondence."}
@mr_martin -> mentioned -> @charity_ball:event
@letter_feb14_1892_2:document {date: @date_1892_02_14, sender: @clara_bish, recipient: @alice_austen, content_summary: "Engagement broken off, Joseph Thorne sailing to Europe, charity ball ticket, White roses bridesmaids for Sophie Perlo."}
@clara_bish -> wrote -> @letter_feb14_1892_2
@joseph_thorne -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb14_1892_2
@charity_ball:event -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb14_1892_2
@letter_feb20_1892_1:document {date: @date_1892_02_20, sender: @mr_mcandrew, recipient: @alice_austen, content_summary: "Mr. & Mrs. McAndrew sailing to England, Aunt Annie lunch at Alice Wheelock's, Aunt S.A. dinner party, dog incident with Lucy, Judge Greenfield involvement."}
@mr_mcandrew -> wrote -> @letter_feb20_1892_1
@aunt_annie:person {relationship: "aunt of @alice_austen"} -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb20_1892_1
@alice_wheelock:person -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb20_1892_1
@aunt_sa:person {relationship: "aunt of @alice_austen"} -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb20_1892_1
@lucy -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb20_1892_1
@judge_greenfield -> mentioned in -> @letter_feb20_1892_1
@eugene_lynch_death:event {date: @date_1892_02_20, location: @flushing_li, age: 29, cause: "sudden death", related_person: @eugene_lynch}
@eugene_lynch -> died in -> @eugene_lynch_death:event
@mary_montgomery_lynch -> related to -> @eugene_lynch_death:event
@jiggie_lynch -> related to -> @eugene_lynch_death:event
@fair_1893:event {name: "World's Columbian Exposition", year: @date_1893, description: "The Fair referenced in correspondence about photography sales."}
@alice_austen -> sold photographs from -> @fair_1893:event
@steainway_piano:object {type: "musical instrument", mentioned_in: [@letter_feb20_1892_1]}Metadata
Files (6)
OCR Text
Pick up the last and pack her off to where. Miss Davis had refused Habilita's offer, And Henry Cram, she does not know to love for long time, they say. Sir Patrick's picture, fair enough, in Highland costume has not come from England. You had got them from Greece yesterday, fancy if he had left them, I should have brought a strange hat down. I shall visit her next height. You know that we all you are doing my friend Mind from your home. Wednesday Feb. 10th, 192 I was so glad to get the postal. My dearest, you were very good to send it to him. What a nice day it turned out for your journey. It has been most beautiful weather since you left. I hope it is ten degrees down to Bethlehem. My knee improves slowly. I
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At first sight as you did find it dried very well. Though he was not so bad, I promised you. Your Grandpa admires your peaky hat thought it so becoming, and asked where you got it. Mrs Grigg being asked on Monday after 6pm, and told her so. Father & Kitty you will be sorry. Dr Thompson told your Grandpa that he was in his bed to have money for Alexander's husband, brother, and the returned him a check for five hundred, here's that was. Your Auntie had a fine lamb at the Comonds. Kitty is still on stitches, she goes to the theatre on them; they stand in the hall ready for one at the other to use them. The baby turned her ankle as was ordered to be perfectly quiet, but the wet all over the house & Dr Vande put this he would put her foot in a plaster cast to keep her still, but she was so weary that Daisy at last has to
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Mr. Martin looking very well & cocky as ever, told where he was living, which you G. forgot at once. Perhaps he will go to the Charity Ball, it would be just like him. I sent you a 'Herald' with the account of Mrs. Mitchell's marriage. I will send another if there seems anything of interest. I have not been obliged to use your lamp or put a wick in mine, it burns perfectly. I think it would not have been filled the night it went out. I enclose $5.00, perhaps you don't mind a spoon. Anyhow you need a little, dear child. I suppose you will stay another week, tell me all about yourself & your mama. Sunday Feb. 14th 192 My precious Lotta, I hope you are having a pretty good time. I was pleased to hear that Alice Ghercel had arrived. I hope you do not have to work with her. Thanks for your nice letter. I was much interested you were right to discourage H.G. from coming to see me, what an idea! You had short the greasy man, he might lend the paper weight for a Valentine. It has been very
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Clara Bish's engagement is broken off. Joseph Thorne sailed 8 weeks ago Saturday for Europe, to pass the winter in Paris. A Charity Ball ticket has been sent to you, Grandpa, he says he will give it to you if you would like to go. I wish you could manage it. Helen Wilson and me of the White roses are to be Sophie Perlo's bridesmaids. The other day on the S.F. train Miss Martin came up and spoke to you, Grandpa. He did not know her at first, she asked if you had got her note; he said, of course, he didn't know that you were away. Then came up
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Mr. & Mrs. McAndrew sail for England this week on the Majestic, they go at once to stay with Inesion. Aunt Annie lunched at Alice Wheelock's yesterday. Aunt S.A. was going to have a dinner party of 8, she was flying wildly around giving orders to fire messengers' boys. They will go to Europe next summer. The shirts are staying in Brooklyn. Lucy brought the big dog over for a walk in N.Y. I suppose near the Wall St. ferry. Judge Greenfield came along, then a blockade in the street fence it was the dog dragging Lucy about by the chain, and jumping at people. He got her in his office with some trouble where the dog barked pindishly. I hope my precious is having a good time from your name. Saturday Feb 20th 192 My dearest Lottie, I have just got your postcard saying you will not return till Tuesday, you are quite right. Monday would not be a good day to travel. Your letter to your Auntie was dissent though the direction was as clear as possible. The only got it this morning, she answered it at once. She was permitted, thinking you might impress her high gent.
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Note came at last, and then the bright he hoped cheerful. And stated a great deal, he said to the Captain that if he could fill the R.B. home he would like to come to the Island at (plan) Brighton, for he thought the getting by S.J. was best and Kevin agreed. That any other plan. And how he used to abate the Glory, & then, to inferior to the lady, nothing would induce him to live in such a unwhipped place as the Island for Dr. The Park called me, telling I am busy he knitted you Celia Ryan best for her thank that with love of his. I see the death in the paper of Eugene Lynch, only son of Eugene & Mary Montgomery Lynch of Flushing L.I. in his 29th year Surely that must be Jiggie Lynch's brother, what a dreadful loss, he died suddenly at Memphis, Tenn. Don't get a spurn unless it is pretty, it was a mere suggestion of mine. The dogs are well, and Yum has not returned, he has been gone two weeks, we bear his absence with fortitude. Well, I have been to town twice, and got in very well, I did not walk fast, and used the elevators, it was all right. I went to two of the Banks one day and did a little shopping.
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:41:17 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:34:27 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:49:05 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:26:55 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Family_Correspondence"
Parent
No children (leaf entity)