Alice Austen Correspondence with Henry Gilman
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:42:46 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:29:10 PM
Added description
Description
Henry Gilman Correspondence with Alice Austen (April 1892)
Overview
This collection comprises a series of handwritten letters sent by Henry Gilman to Miss E. Alice Austen during April 1892. The documents are preserved as high‑resolution JPEG scans, each accompanied by OCR‑derived text and metadata. The letters cover a range of personal and social topics, including expressions of sympathy, invitations to social events, and discussions of stamp collecting.Background
Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer based in Staten Island, New York. Henry Gilman was a close friend and correspondent of Austen, residing in the same community. The letters were produced in the context of Austen’s early career and the social milieu of late‑19th‑century Staten Island. The collection is part of the Alice Austen Papers housed at the Alice Austen House Museum and was digitized for the PINAX project.Contents
- Letter 19 April 1892 – A sympathetic note following a family bereavement, with a brief mention of forthcoming correspondence.
- Letter 19 April 1892 (Tickets) – Gilman encloses theater tickets, suggesting a shared interest in local entertainment.
- Letter 20 April 1892 – A brief address to Austen’s residence in Rosebank, Staten Island.
- Letter 4 April 1892 (Harry Lehman) – A separate letter from Harry K. Lehman promising to bring tickets the following Tuesday.
- Letter 6 April 1892 (Meeting) – Gilman arranges a meeting in Flushing at 1 PM.
- Letter 6 April 1892 (Stamps) – Gilman sends a selection of stamps for Austen’s collection and references the Players reception on 22 April.
Each letter is accompanied by a scanned image and an OCR transcript, allowing both visual and textual examination.
Scope
The collection is confined to the month of April 1892, covering correspondence between Henry Gilman and Alice Austen. It focuses on personal and social interactions within Staten Island and nearby Flushing, New York. The documents illustrate the everyday concerns of a Victorian‑era social circle, including grief, leisure, and philatelic hobby. The collection does not include any of Austen’s photographic work but provides valuable context for her personal life during the early years of her career.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", residence: @staten_island}
@henry_gilman:person {relationship: "correspondent"}
@harry_klybman:person {full_name: "Harry Klybman", note: "possible OCR error for Henry Gilman"}
@harry_k_lehman:person {full_name: "Harry K. Lehman"}
@miss_eggleston:person {title: "Miss Eggleston"}
@julia_t_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin"}
@julie_bredt:person {full_name: "Julie Bredt"}
@violet_m_ward:person {full_name: "Violet M.E. Ward"}
@isabella_king:person {full_name: "Isabella King"}
@bessie_strong:person {full_name: "Bessie Strong"}
@staten_island:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@flushing:place {city: @new_york, borough: "Queens"}
@rosebank:place {city: @staten_island}
@clifton:place {city: @staten_island}
@stamp_collecting:concept {type: "hobby"}
@ticket:concept {type: "event ticket"}
@players_venue:place {name: "Players", type: "theater"}
@players_reception:event {date: @date_1892_04_22, location: @players_venue}
@alice_austen_correspondence:document {title: "Alice Austen Correspondence with Henry Gilman", creator: @henry_gilman, created: @date_1892_04, description: "Letters from Henry Gilman to Alice Austen in April 1892 discussing sympathy, social events, and stamp collecting."}
@letter_1892_04_19_henry_gilman:document {date: @date_1892_04_19, from: @henry_gilman, to: @alice_austen, subject: "sympathy"}
@letter_1892_04_19_henry_gilman_tickets:document {date: @date_1892_04_19, from: @henry_gilman, to: @alice_austen, includes: @ticket, mentions: @miss_eggleston}
@letter_1892_04_20_henry_gilman:document {date: @date_1892_04_20, from: @henry_gilman, to: @alice_austen, address: @rosebank}
@letter_1892_04_04_harry_lehman:document {date: @date_1892_04_04, from: @harry_k_lehman, to: @alice_austen, includes: @ticket, note: "promises to bring tickets next Tuesday"}
@letter_1892_04_06_hkg_meeting:document {date: @date_1892_04_06, from: @henry_gilman, to: @alice_austen, location: @flushing, note: "arranged meeting at 1 PM"}
@letter_1892_04_06_hkg_stamps:document {date: @date_1892_04_06, from: @henry_gilman, to: @alice_austen, includes: @stamp_collecting, mentions: @players_reception}
@henry_gilman -> sent -> @letter_1892_04_19_henry_gilman
@henry_gilman -> sent -> @letter_1892_04_19_henry_gilman_tickets
@henry_gilman -> sent -> @letter_1892_04_20_henry_gilman
@henry_gilman -> sent -> @letter_1892_04_06_hkg_meeting
@henry_gilman -> sent -> @letter_1892_04_06_hkg_stamps
@harry_k_lehman -> sent -> @letter_1892_04_04_harry_lehman
@alice_austen -> interested in -> @stamp_collectingMetadata
Files (6)
1892_4-19-Henry Gilman April 19001 copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
Dear Miss Austen - I am greatly touched by the kind words of sympathy from you and your mother. You have been constantly in my thoughts in these sad days and I want very much to see you. I will write you again after a while - meantime I send
1892_4-19-Henry Gilman April 19002 copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
this line to enclose the tickets for Friday which you may like to hand to some of your friends. Perhaps Miss Eggleston would like them - at any rate if they will give anyone a little pleasure it is a pity they should not be used. With kindest regards, believe me, Sincerely Yours Harry Klybman April nineteenth
1892_4-20-Henry Gilman April 005 copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
Miss E. Alice Austen - Rosebank Statue Island New York (Richmond Co.)
1892_4-4-April 2003-HKG copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
Thought - When I come down next Tuesday I will bring the tickets which I truly hope you and your mother will find it agreeable to use - As always. Yours Harry K. Lehman April sixth
1892_4-6-April 2001-HKG copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
FLUSHING ARR 4 1 PM 1892 N.Y. Miss E. Alice Austin - Clifton Staten Island New York
1892_4-6-April 2002-HKG copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
Flushing, L.I. Dear Miss Austin - I enclose a few stamps which I have collected for you - perhaps some of them will be new ones to your collection. The reception at the "Players" is to be on Friday, Apr 22 & not Saturday as I
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:42:46 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:40:38 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:50:07 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:29:10 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Correspondence_Henry_Gilman"
Parent
No children (leaf entity)