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

PI

Version: 12 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:55:41 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:30:14 PM

Added description

Description

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

Overview

This digitized collection preserves the personal and business correspondence of Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) for the year 1893. It includes scanned images of handwritten letters, envelopes, a wedding invitation, Victorian‑era calling cards, and photographic accessories (negative sleeves). The materials are housed at the Alice Austen House Museum in Clifton, Staten Island, and are available through the museum’s digital repository.

Background

Alice Austen was a pioneering photographer whose studio flourished in late‑Victorian New York. In 1893 she attended the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, sold photographs from the fair, and maintained an extensive social network among Staten Island’s upper‑middle class. The correspondence reflects this dual role, documenting business transactions, social events, and personal relationships with friends, family, and clients.

Contents

  • Letters: dozens of handwritten notes from close friends (Julia T. Martin, Julie Bredt, Helen K. Grinnell) and relatives (Annie, Mema, Alice herself). Topics include skating parties, whist gatherings, church services, travel itineraries (Chicago, Lake George, Adirondacks), and the sale of photographs from the exposition.
  • Envelopes: blank and addressed envelopes used for sending and receiving letters, illustrating Victorian postal practices.
  • Wedding Invitation: a formal invitation to the marriage of Josephine Worth Sprague and Lt. Alexander Lucien Dade, issued by Capt. & Mrs. Henry Wilson Hubbell.
  • Calling Cards: social cards that accompany the letters, reflecting etiquette and networking among the era’s elite.
  • Negative Sleeves: photographic accessories indicating Austen’s studio operations.
Each item is accompanied by a high‑resolution JPEG scan and a typed transcription (TXT) for research convenience.

Scope

The collection is confined to the calendar year 1893 and to materials directly related to Alice Austen’s correspondence and business. It includes personal letters, envelopes, a wedding invitation, calling cards, and negative sleeves but excludes photographic prints, studio equipment, or later correspondence. The geographic focus spans Staten Island, Chicago, Lake George, and other New York State locales, providing a comprehensive view of Austen’s social and professional milieu during a pivotal year in her career.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@austen_family_papers:collection {title: "Austen Family Papers (MS1) - Alice Austen Correspondence, 1893", creator: [@alice_austen, @julia_t_martin, @julie_bredt, @annie, @mema, @helen_k_grinnell, @henry_wilson_hubbell, @mrs_hubbell, @various_correspondents], institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1893, language: "en", subjects: ["Personal correspondence","Social life","Victorian era","Photography","World's Columbian Exposition","Family relationships","Music","Travel","Wedding","Marriage","Invitation","Military","Envelopes","Staten Island","Lake George","Weather","Church events","Whist parties","Photography business","Steinway piano"], description: "A collection of digitized correspondence and related materials from the Austen Family Papers, including letters, envelopes, and a wedding invitation to Alice Austen from various correspondents in 1893. Provides insights into late Victorian social life among upper‑middle‑class Staten Island families."}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @austen_family_papers {year: @date_1893}

@various_correspondents:organization {type: "group"}

@new_york:place {type: "state", country: @united_states}

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @staten_island

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @bennington

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @saratoga_springs

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @adirondack_mountains

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @chicago

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @lake_george

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @boston

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @new_york

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @hague_ny

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @bay_head

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @flushing_ny

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @fort_wadsworth

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @clifton

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @long_island

@austen_family_papers -> includes_place -> @south_beach

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @sprague_dade_wedding_invitation

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @alice_austen_envelopes

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @alice_austen_julie_bredt_correspondence

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @alice_austen_other_correspondence

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @alice_austen_family_correspondence

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @julia_t_martin_correspondence

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @julie_bredt_correspondence

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @helen_k_grinnell_correspondence

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @wedding_invitation

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @photography_business:concept

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @social_life:concept

@austen_family_papers -> contains -> @victorian_era:concept

Metadata

Version History (10 versions)

  • ✓ v12 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:55:41 PM
    "Added description"
  • v11 · 12/9/2025, 9:19:41 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v10 · 12/9/2025, 8:00:48 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v9 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:44 PM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 7 groups"
  • v8 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:42 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NWJ4DWD9W5CDQF56N69B"
  • v7 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:41 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NV0MQWXHSNXQ5M2BWH4G"
  • v6 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:39 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NSQM7S0HVFGBDYDAV8XK"
  • v5 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:38 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NR8CMX1D82G0N5SMH6T5"
  • v4 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:36 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NPY7KASDAA15PN3M8T76"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:35 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KC29NNBXJ0C167WASXH26DP4"

More versions available (pagination not yet implemented)

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

Files were organized primarily by correspondent, with special attention to Julia Martin's extensive correspondence which forms the bulk of this collection. Secondary groupings were created for family correspondence and other identifiable individuals. Envelopes and the wedding invitation were given their own distinct categories due to their unique formats. The organization maintains chronological order within each group where possible.

## Groups Created

- **Julia_Martin_Correspondence**: Letters from Julia T. Martin, a close friend of Alice Austen, discussing social activities, health, and personal matters
- **Julie_Bredt_Correspondence**: Letters from Julie Bredt discussing social plans and activities
- **Family_Correspondence**: Letters from Alice Austen's family members (mother and aunt)
- **Helen_K_Grinnell_Correspondence**: Letters from Helen K. Grinnell discussing personal matters and World's Fair plans
- **Wedding_Invitation**: Invitation to Josephine Worth Sprague's wedding
- **Envelopes**: Empty envelopes or address-only documents
- **Other_Correspondence**: Miscellaneous letters from various correspondents

Parent

01KC26223WA5M1KG4GAZMXEZBW

Children (7)