Austen Family Papers (MS1) - Alice Austen Correspondence, 1893

PI

Version: 14 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:55:28 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:30:06 PM

Added description

Description

Austen Family Papers (MS1) – Alice Austen Correspondence, 1893

Overview

The Austen Family Papers (MS1) – Alice Austen Correspondence, 1893 is a digitized collection of personal letters, invitations, and related ephemera that document the social, professional, and domestic life of Elizabeth Alice Austen and her circle during the calendar year 1893. The collection is housed at the Alice Austen House Museum in Staten Island, New York, and is available online as high‑resolution JPEG scans accompanied by OCR‑derived text.

Background

Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer whose studio in Staten Island served a well‑connected upper‑middle‑class clientele. The 1893 collection reflects the Victorian era’s social networks, the impact of the World’s Columbian Exposition, and the everyday infrastructure of the time. The museum’s digitization project preserved letters, calling cards, and railroad timetables that Austen received or produced, offering insight into her relationships with friends, family, and business associates.

Contents

The collection contains:
  • Personal correspondence from Julia T. Martin (Albany), Violet M.E. Ward (Brooklyn/Clifton), Elizabeth Strong (Staten Island), Helen King (Flushing), Marion J. Hutchinson (Clifton), Mary T. Welch (various locations), and B. Watrous (Staten Island). These letters discuss social events (skating, whist, church), travel plans, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, photography sales, music, and family matters.
  • Invitations and calling cards produced by James H. Davis and James Hill, addressing Austen to social gatherings in Staten Island.
  • New York Central & Hudson River Railroad timetables for October 1893, detailing commuter schedules between Grand Central and Peekskill.
  • Photographic scans of letters, envelopes, and negative sleeves, preserving the original paper texture and marginalia.

Scope

The archive covers the year 1893, focusing on Staten Island and surrounding regions (Albany, New Brunswick, New York City, Peekskill, etc.). It includes only materials addressed to or from Alice Austen; it does not contain her own photographs, later correspondence, or unrelated documents. The collection provides a comprehensive view of Austen’s social milieu, professional activities, and the transportation networks that supported her life and work during the late Victorian period.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@austen_family_papers:collection {title: "Austen Family Papers (MS1) - Alice Austen Correspondence, 1893", creator: [@alice_austen, @julia_t_martin, @violet_m_e_ward, @elizabeth_strong, @helen_king, @marion_j_hutchinson, @mary_t_welch, @b_watrous, @nyc_hudson_railroad, @james_h_davis, @james_hill], institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1893, language: "en", subjects: ["personal correspondence","victorian social life","friendship","family relationships","sleigh rides","photography","shopping","music","education","world's columbian exposition","theater","church events","social invitations","train schedules","commuting","transportation","upper-middle-class families","staten island history"], description: "A collection of personal letters, calling cards, and other materials documenting the social life and personal relationships of Alice Austen and her circle in 1893.", place: [@albany_new_york, @staten_island_ny, @santa_barbara_ca, @riverside_ca, @brooklyn, @clifton, @new_brunswick, @new_york, @new_jersey, @flushing, @rockhampton_n_c, @catawba_island, @peekskill, @spuyten_duyvil, @yonkers, @tarrytown, @dobbs_ferry, @hastings, @glenwood, @irvington, @scarborough, @sing_sing, @croton_landing, @oscawana, @crugers, @montrose]}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@alice_austen -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@julia_t_martin -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@violet_m_e_ward -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@elizabeth_strong -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@helen_king -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@marion_j_hutchinson -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@mary_t_welch -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@b_watrous -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@nyc_hudson_railroad -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@james_h_davis -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@james_hill -> contributed_to -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@austen_family_papers:collection -> includes -> [@violet_ward_correspondence_collection, @elizabeth_strong_correspondence, @helen_king_to_alice_austen_correspondence, @marion_hutchinson_correspondence, @alice_austen_watrous_correspondence, @alice_austen_invitations_and_calling_cards, @alice_austen_papers, @nyc_hudson_schedule]

@photography_business -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@sleight_rides -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@church_events -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@whist_parties -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@skating_parties -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@social_life -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@worlds_columbian_exposition:event -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@train_schedules:concept {description: "Train schedules and commuting information"} -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@upper_middle_class_families:concept {description: "Upper‑middle‑class family social dynamics"} -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

@staten_island_history:concept {description: "Historical context of Staten Island in the Victorian era"} -> appears_in -> @austen_family_papers:collection

Metadata

Version History (10 versions)

  • ✓ v14 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:55:28 PM
    "Added description"
  • v13 · 12/9/2025, 9:17:58 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v12 · 12/9/2025, 8:00:15 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v11 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:29 PM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 9 groups"
  • v10 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:27 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NDX2XNZ9KHSHEE50F7KH"
  • v9 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:25 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NBFCRREY6SETVGGQ1EE7"
  • v8 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:23 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NA32731JWSKPV5R999WY"
  • v7 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:22 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29N8TAH37PJDD68AC3NH9B"
  • v6 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:20 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29N715133W9VFVY63Q3AY1"
  • v5 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:19 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29N5MYDA3WA6SM14NCPEGF"

More versions available (pagination not yet implemented)

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

The files were organized primarily by correspondent, as most documents are personal letters. Secondary groupings were created for specific document types like train schedules and invitations. Each correspondent's letters were kept together chronologically where dates were available. This organization maintains the social network context of Alice Austen's correspondence while separating administrative documents like schedules.

## Groups Created

- **Julia_Martin_Correspondence**: Letters from Julia Martin, Alice Austen's close friend in Albany
- **Violet_Ward_Correspondence**: Letters from Violet Ward discussing social events and theater
- **Elizabeth_Strong_Correspondence**: Letters from Elizabeth Strong discussing family matters and social activities
- **Helen_King_Correspondence**: Letters from Helen King discussing social visits and personal matters
- **Marion_Hutchinson_Correspondence**: Invitation from Marion Hutchinson for a game night
- **Mary_Welch_Correspondence**: Invitation from Mary Welch for a bowling event
- **B_Watrous_Correspondence**: Letters from B. Watrous discussing photography and scenery
- **Train_Schedules**: Documents containing train schedules for New York area
- **Invitations_Calling_Cards**: Formal invitations and calling cards

Parent

01KC26223WA5M1KG4GAZMXEZBW

Children (9)