Austen Family Papers (MS1): Alice Austen Correspondence, 1893-1895
PI
Version: 12 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:55:26 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:30:01 PM
Added description
Description
Alice Austen Envelopes and Calling Cards Collection
Overview
This digitized collection preserves a set of envelopes, calling cards, and marriage invitations that were part of Alice Austen’s personal correspondence in 1893. The materials are presented as high‑resolution JPEG scans, each accompanied by OCR‑derived transcriptions. The collection is organized by year, with the majority of items dated within 1893, reflecting a snapshot of Austen’s social and familial engagements during that year.Background
Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer and a prominent figure in Staten Island’s upper‑middle‑class society. The Alice Austen House, now a museum, preserves her personal papers and artifacts. The Envelopes and Calling Cards Collection was curated by the museum’s archivists to document Austen’s social network and the correspondence that supported her photographic business and personal life. The items were originally produced in the United States (Staten Island, New York) and occasionally in Wilmington, North Carolina, indicating Austen’s regional connections.Contents
The collection contains 12 distinct envelopes and calling cards, each scanned as a JPEG file. Key items include:- Marriage invitations from Henry G. Wheelock (to Elinor Bellows and Frederick Bosworth Percy) and Judge Oliver Pendleton Meares (to Annie Meares and Ernst Victor Baltzer), detailing dates, times, and venues (All Souls Church, New York; St. James’ Church, Wilmington).
- Personal envelopes addressed to “Miss Austen” and “Miss L. Alice Anderson,” with addresses in Rosebank and Clifton, Staten Island.
- Calling cards bearing the names of close friends such as Julia T. Martin, Julie Bredt, and Violet M.E. Ward, reflecting Austen’s social circle.
Each image includes OCR text that reproduces the handwritten or printed content, providing immediate access to the correspondence’s content without the need for manual transcription.
Scope
The collection covers a single calendar year (1893) and is geographically focused on Staten Island, New York, with a few items linked to Wilmington, North Carolina. It documents social invitations, personal correspondence, and the logistical aspects of Austen’s social life, offering insight into late‑Victorian etiquette, networking among women, and the role of printed ephemera in the life of a professional photographer. The collection does not include the letters themselves, only the envelopes and calling cards that carried them.Raw Cheimarros Data
@file_1893_1_29_jan_4003_1006_martin_copy_jpg:file {title: "1893‑01‑29 Martin Letter OCR Image"}
@file_1893_1_29_jan_4003_1006_martin_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1893_01_29_06:document {date: @date_1893_01_29, sender: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, source_file: @file_1893_1_29_jan_4003_1006_martin_copy_jpg}
@letter_1893_01_29_06:document -> mentions -> @amy:person {full_name: "Amy"}
@letter_1893_01_29_06:document -> mentions -> @howard:person {full_name: "Howard"}
@letter_1893_01_29_06:document -> mentions -> @brother_of_julia:person {relation: "brother", of: @julia_t_martin}
@letter_1893_01_29_06:document -> mentions -> @whooping_cough:event {type: "illness", disease: "whooping cough"}
@letter_1893_01_29_06:document -> mentions -> @children:concept {description: "young children referenced in the letter"}
@letter_1893_01_29_06:document -> related_to -> @health:concept {description: "Health concerns in Victorian correspondence"}
@julia_martin_alice_austen_correspondence:collection -> contains -> @letter_1893_01_29_06:document
@howard -> appears_in -> @julia_martin_alice_austen_correspondence:collection
@amy -> appears_in -> @julia_martin_alice_austen_correspondence:collection
@whooping_cough:event -> part_of -> @health:concept
@children:concept -> part_of -> @health:conceptMetadata
Files (1)
1893_1-29-Jan 4003-1006-martin copy.jpgJPEG
OCR Text
This winter I think - Her brother's death was so sad. I am glad you went over to see Amy. She has had a time with the children ever since I left. They both have whooping cough & the baby has been very ill besides. Howard surprised me the other day by dropping in upon me. I was so glad to see him. I think he never saw me show so much affection - I nearly ate him up. Well I think I have done.
Version History (10 versions)
- ✓ v12 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:55:26 PM
"Added description" - v11 · 12/9/2025, 9:17:40 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v10 · 12/9/2025, 8:00:11 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v9 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:28 PM · View this version
"Reorganized into 7 groups" - v8 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:27 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC29NDNXRCBTTWZKTAHQ3ZDE" - v7 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:25 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC29NB6D70S8VQ2JZVA3NJ5A" - v6 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:22 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC29N94M899784Q0FSB94DXF" - v5 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:21 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC29N7H7E4RF6P00TYHCABY5" - v4 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:19 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC29N63J353CSFJS4X9ZQV02" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:17 PM · View this version
"Added child entity 01KC29N4ED4PYKVRP92J3MY7PH"
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Additional Components
reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary
The files were organized primarily by correspondent, as most letters were from identifiable individuals with distinct relationships to Alice Austen. Envelopes and calling cards were grouped separately as they represent a different document type. One file ('1893_1-29-Jan 4003-1006-martin copy.jpg.ref.json') was left ungrouped as its content didn't clearly align with any established correspondence group.
## Groups Created
- **Julia_Martin_Correspondence**: Letters from Julia T. Martin, a close friend of Alice Austen, discussing social activities, personal matters, and travel plans.
- **Elizabeth_Lynch_Correspondence**: Letters from Elizabeth W. Lynch arranging social visits and expressing affection.
- **Helen_Constance_Randall_Correspondence**: Flirtatious and personal letters from Helen Constance Randall discussing social activities and relationships.
- **Elizabeth_Strong_Correspondence**: Letters from Elizabeth B. Strong discussing social engagements, health, and visits.
- **Julia_Bredt_Correspondence**: Letters from Julia Bredt discussing personal health and social news.
- **Daisy_Elliott_Correspondence**: Letters from Daisy W. Elliott discussing social plans and yacht races.
- **Envelopes_Calling_Cards**: Envelopes and calling cards addressed to Alice Austen.