1892_6-27-June 9002-JTM copy.jpg

Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin Correspondence, 1892

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:44:04 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:29:08 PM

Added description

Description

Correspondence between Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin, 1892

Overview

This digital collection comprises five handwritten letters exchanged in 1892 between Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952), a pioneering Staten‑Island photographer, and her close friend Julia T. Martin of Albany, New York. The letters are preserved as scanned JPEG images and include typed transcriptions. They were digitized by the Alice Austen House Museum and are hosted on the Pinax platform.

Background

Alice Austen, known for her pioneering work in photography, maintained an extensive personal correspondence that offers insight into her social network and daily life. Julia T. Martin, a friend and confidante, appears frequently in Austen’s letters, reflecting the close ties among Staten‑Island’s upper‑middle‑class families. The 1892 letters were written during a period when Austen was traveling between New York City, Albany, and Bennington, Vermont, and they capture the social customs and domestic concerns of the era.

Contents

  • Letters (5): Two dated June 27, 1892, and four dated July 13, 1892.
  • Topics:
  • - Travel: Austen’s trips to Boston, Albany, and Bennington. ‑ Household items: Requests for a silver tray (C.A.W.) and a coffee pot (C.A.M.), a brass tea kettle, and a Paris gown and hat. ‑ Social life: Visits to Mrs. Klein’s house, a luncheon with Col. Riss, and mention of other acquaintances (Hattie Primm, Mrs. McHarg, Mrs. Smively, Mrs. Cooper, etc.). ‑ Personal relationships: References to family members (Mrs. Austen, Papa, Col. Reu) and friends (Susan, Amy).
  • Photographs: JPEG scans of the original letters.
  • Transcriptions: Typed versions of the handwritten text in plain‑text files.

Scope

The collection covers personal correspondence from 1892, focusing on the social and domestic life of Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin. It includes discussions of travel, household items, and social events in Albany, Bennington, Boston, and New Brighton. The material is limited to five letters and does not include other Austen family papers or photographs beyond the scanned letters. It provides a snapshot of Victorian social customs and the interpersonal networks of Staten‑Island’s upper‑middle‑class community.

Raw Cheimarros Data

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

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

@hattie_primm:person {full_name: "Hattie Primm"}

@mrs_mcharg:person {full_name: "Mrs. McHarg"}

@mrs_smively:person {full_name: "Mrs. Smively"}

@mrs_cooper:person {full_name: "Mrs. Cooper"}

@jjw:person {initials: "J.J.W.", role: "correspondent"}

@mrs_austen:person {full_name: "Mrs. Austen", relation: "mother of @alice_austen"}

@papa:person {relation: "father of @alice_austen"}

@col_riss:person {full_name: "Col. Riss"}

@col_reu:person {full_name: "Col. Reu"}

@susan:person {full_name: "Susan"}

@amy:person {full_name: "Amy"}

@mrs_enyan:person {full_name: "Mrs. Enyan"}

@mrs_snively:person {full_name: "Mrs. Snively"}

@mr_miller:person {full_name: "Mr. Miller"}

@linda:person {full_name: "Linda"}

@new_brighton:place {city: @staten_island, state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@state_st_134:place {address: "134 State St., New Brighton, NY"}

@elk_st_23:place {address: "23 Elk St., Albany, NY"}

@williams_town_road:place {description: "Williams Town road, Albany area"}

@silver_tray:object {marked: "C.A.W.", owner: @alice_austen}

@coffee_pot:object {marked: "C.A.M.", owner: @alice_austen}

@brass_tea_kettle:object {owner: @alice_austen}

@paris_gown:object {origin: "Paris"}

@paris_hat:object {origin: "Paris"}

@alice_austen_julia_martin_correspondence:document {title: "Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin Correspondence, 1892", created: @date_1892, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Personal letters","Victorian social life","Family relationships","Household items","Travel","Photography"], places: [@albany, @bennington, @boston, @new_brighton]}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @alice_austen_julia_martin_correspondence

@letter_1892_06_27_1:document {date: @date_1892_06_27, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, content: "Ammy's... silver tray marked C.A.W. as Papa wishes it..."} 

@letter_1892_06_27_2:document {date: @date_1892_06_27, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, content: "Spent part with Hattie Primm... Paris gown & hat..."} 

@letter_1892_07_13_1:document {date: @date_1892_07_13, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, content: "Pack the coffee pot marked C.A.M... 134 State St..."} 

@letter_1892_07_13_2:document {date: @date_1892_07_13, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, content: "Been in Albany... 23 Elk St... Mrs. Klein's house... Col. Riss luncheon"} 

@letter_1892_07_13_3:document {date: @date_1892_07_13, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, content: "Handsomeness of Albany house... Col. Reu... Susan at work... Amy coming to Bennington"} 

@letter_1892_07_13_4:document {date: @date_1892_07_13, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, content: "Williams Town road... Mrs. Snively... Troy furniture... invitation to Albany"} 

@file_1892_6_27_june_9002_jtm_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1892_06_27_1

@file_1892_6_27_june_9003_jtm_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1892_06_27_2

@file_1892_7_13_july_2002_jtm_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1892_07_13_1

@file_1892_7_13_july_2003_jtm_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1892_07_13_2

@file_1892_7_13_july_2004_jtm_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1892_07_13_3

@file_1892_7_13_july_2005_jtm_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1892_07_13_4

@julia_t_martin -> sent -> @silver_tray {when: @date_1892_06_27}

@julia_t_martin -> sent -> @coffee_pot {when: @date_1892_07_13}

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @hattie_primm

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @mrs_mcharg

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @mrs_smively

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @mrs_cooper

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @jjw

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @mrs_austen

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @papa

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @col_riss

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @col_reu

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @susan

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @amy

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @mrs_enyan

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @mrs_snively

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @mr_miller

@julia_t_martin -> mentioned -> @linda

@julia_t_martin -> traveled to -> @boston {when: @date_1892_06_27}

@julia_t_martin -> traveled to -> @bennington {when: @date_1892_06_27}

@julia_t_martin -> traveled to -> @albany {when: @date_1892_07_13}

@julia_t_martin -> stayed at -> @state_st_134 {when: @date_1892_07_13}

@julia_t_martin -> stayed at -> @elk_st_23 {when: @date_1892_07_13}

@julia_t_martin -> stayed at -> @williams_town_road {when: @date_1892_07_13}

@julia_t_martin -> owned -> @paris_gown

@julia_t_martin -> owned -> @paris_hat

Metadata

Files (6)

1892_6-27-June 9002-JTM copy.jpgJPEG
2.23 MB
OCR Text

Ammy's. Then I shall have to trouble you to open my silver box and get the silver tray marked C.A.W. as Papa wishes it. The other things I wrote him I wanted & it is all right. I am sorry to trouble you Alice, but this will be the last time I hope. What a fine time you must be having in Boston! Oh dear, that I could see you. I am not going to Cousin now after all but to Albany instead. A week from Wednesday I am going down to stay Only a short letter today, as I must go out in a few minutes. No excuse has to— Papa wrote to me the other day asking me where his brass tea kettle is & I remember, so think giving it to you. If so, will you consider me an "Indian giver" if I ask you sometime to get it over to him. If you would leave it at

1892_6-27-June 9003-JTM copy.jpgJPEG
1.26 MB
OCR Text

for a while. I've spent part with Hattie Primm & a few days with Mrs. McHarg. Hattie is going to have a "kid," & I am dreading to go. Bennington has been beautiful, but I shall be glad to leave it for a little while. Yesterday Mrs. Smively & I had such a nice talk. She told me that her Mother would feel awfully to have me leave her etc. etc. & she says that next Winter she will see that I have some part of every day for my own so that I feel much encouraged & have made up my mind if possible to live with Mrs. Cooper as long as she lives. Every lot & path has a brier & mine I suppose is no worse than many there. Keep mum about what I write. Did I write you that Hattie V.P.R. gave me a Paris gown & hat, the former I am having made here & so far it looks lovely. I am quite broken up over the fact that I can not find board here for any who is anxious to come—

1892_7-13-July 2002-jtm copy.jpgJPEG
1.33 MB
OCR Text

you to pack the coffee pot, marked C.A.M. & with it send my box to me 134 State St., C.O.S. I am greatly obliged to you for keeping all the things & shall always remember the kindness you & all your family have shown me & I hope Mrs. Austen has not been bothered & annoyed by constant sending. It seems that half the house is missing, books, bed linens & what not. 134 State St. Opened all summer & at every time you lend the box it will be returned. J.J.W. Dear Ahie, Did I not understand you that all the things except my own had been sent to Papa? If not will you kindly send them all you have only, I believe, then of mine, the box & my writing desk. When you have plenty of time, I would like

1892_7-13-July 2003-jtm copy.jpgJPEG
1016.07 KB
OCR Text

but as I did as well as I could & worked like a dog, I do not feel that I could help it. Please let me know if I would have stood you right to say, that you had sent all the things to New Brighton. I have been in Albany for a week & return to-morrow. Have been at 23 Elk St. part of the time & since Saturday here at Mrs. Klein's in her new house. It is in the park & is so large that we have managed to keep cool & comfortable through this hot weather. It seemed so odd to be here in a house so unfamiliar, & in this part of Albany that I did not feel that I was in this city at all. I am the first guest & have been having great fun. Col. Riss comes up for two o'clock luncheon & then stays home.

1892_7-13-July 2004-jtm copy.jpgJPEG
1.38 MB
OCR Text

it will be one of the handsomest in Albany. I like Col. Reu very much. On Sunday I left them for a couple of hours that they might spoon to their hearts content. Yesterday afternoon I dressed up in my best & found Susan at work with me for a long drive. Did you know that Amy is coming to Bennington in August, to stay at the hotel. I wish you could come too. No I have not been on the rest of the day & yesterday we unpacked all the wedding presents & silver that had been in the safe deposit. Mrs. Enyan has furnished the parlor & dining-room & they are very handsome. The former in first Empire the latter in carved black oak. Then Hattie had a lot of bric-a-brac which her hall is furnished as well as her own bedroom. I think when the house is all furnished

1892_7-13-July 2005-jtm copy.jpgJPEG
999.95 KB
OCR Text

the Williams Town road now for some time. Sid we not have a good time that afternoon we drove to meet Mrs. Snively. She is not quite as pretty as she was—Perhaps because she is pretty tired after moving etc. But is a lovely as ever—Her house is so pretty this year, she having brought quite a good deal of her Troy furniture with her, & her room in Albany is a dream. The paper is yellow (plain) with a yellow & white border & all furnished with all her Troy furniture. I do not see why you could not come to Albany for a day next fall. You & Linda. How I would love to see you. Hattie is waiting to take me down town so I must close with to all much love & kind regards to Mr. Miller believe me lovingly J.T.M.

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:44:04 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:44:59 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:50:53 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:29:08 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Correspondence_Julia_Martin"

Parent

01KC28V3CW01JEVRNQYZBKPV7Q

No children (leaf entity)