Alice Austen and Julia Martin Correspondence
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:47:25 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:33:32 PM
Added description
Description
Julia T. Martin–Alice Austen Correspondence (1893‑1898)
Overview
This digital collection comprises scanned images of handwritten letters and their typed transcriptions exchanged between Elizabeth Alice Austen and her close friend Julia T. Martin from 1893 to 1898. The material is part of the Austen Family Papers (MS 1) housed at the Alice Austen House Museum, Staten Island, New York. The collection is organized by year and contains ten letters in high‑resolution JPG format, each accompanied by a corresponding TXT transcription.Background
Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering photographer from Staten Island, noted for her portrait work and for documenting the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Julia T. Martin, a resident of Albany, New York, maintained a close personal friendship with Austen. The correspondence reflects their social life, Austen’s photography business, and the broader cultural milieu of the late Victorian era. The letters were preserved by the Austen family and digitized by the museum for public access.Contents
The collection includes letters dated December 2, 1893; December 31, 1893; March 28, 1893; March 12, 1898; and other dates within the period. Themes span travel to Albany and Bennington, school visits, social events (e.g., sleigh rides, New‑Year celebrations), music (Steinway piano), and business matters such as selling photographs from the World’s Columbian Exposition. The letters mention acquaintances such as Miss Boyd, Bessie Prugh, Hattie Rice, Horace Gardiner, Mrs. Grey, Minnie Reed, and Howard. Each letter is presented as a high‑resolution scan of the original hand‑written page and a typed transcription.Scope
The collection covers the years 1893‑1898 and focuses exclusively on personal correspondence between Austen and Martin. It is geographically anchored in Staten Island, Albany, and Bennington Centre, Vermont. The material is valuable for researchers studying late‑Victorian social networks, women’s photography, and the cultural context of the 1890s. All items are in the public domain and freely accessible through the Alice Austen House digital archive.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth: @date_1866, death: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", residence: @staten_island}
@julia_t_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relationship: "close friend of Alice Austen", residence: @albany}
@staten_island:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@albany:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@bennington_centre:place {state: @vermont, country: @united_states}
@file_pinax:document {title: "Alice Austen and Julia Martin Correspondence", creator: [@alice_austen, @julia_t_martin], start: @date_1893, end: @date_1898, subjects: ["Correspondence","Personal letters","Social life","Photography","Family matters","Music","Victorian era","Staten Island","Albany","World's Columbian Exposition"]}
@letter_1893_12_02_jtm:document {date: @date_1893_12_02, source_file: @file_1893_12_2_dec_1002_jtm_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1893_12_02_jtm
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1893_12_02_jtm
@letter_1893_12_02_cont_jtm:document {date: @date_1893_12_02, source_file: @file_1893_12_2_dec_1003_jtm_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1893_12_02_cont_jtm
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1893_12_02_cont_jtm
@letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5002:document {date: @date_1893_12_31, source_file: @file_1893_12_31_dec_5002_jtm_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5002
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5002
@letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5003:document {date: @date_1893_12_31, source_file: @file_1893_12_31_dec_5003_jtm_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5003
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5003
@letter_1898_03_12_martin_4001:document {date: @date_1898_03_12, source_file: @file_1893_3_12_1898_march_4001_martin_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1898_03_12_martin_4001
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1898_03_12_martin_4001
@letter_1898_03_12_martin_4002:document {date: @date_1898_03_12, source_file: @file_1893_3_12_1898_march_4002_martin_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1898_03_12_martin_4002
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1898_03_12_martin_4002
@letter_1898_03_12_martin_4003:document {date: @date_1898_03_12, source_file: @file_1893_3_12_1898_march_4003_martin_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1898_03_12_martin_4003
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1898_03_12_martin_4003
@letter_1893_03_28_jtm:document {date: @date_1893_03_28, source_file: @file_1893_3_28_march_3002_jtm_copy_jpg, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen}
@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1893_03_28_jtm
@alice_austen -> received -> @letter_1893_03_28_jtm
@miss_boyd:person {occupation: "school teacher"}
@julia_t_martin -> mentions -> @miss_boyd {in: @letter_1893_12_02_jtm}
@bessie_prugh:person {relationship: "acquaintance"}
@julia_t_martin -> mentions -> @bessie_prugh {in: @letter_1893_12_02_cont_jtm}
@hattie_rice:person {relationship: "friend"}
@julia_t_martin -> mentions -> @hattie_rice {in: @letter_1893_12_02_jtm}
@horace_gardiner:person {relation: "Bishop's granddaughter"}
@julia_t_martin -> mentions -> @horace_gardiner {in: @letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5003}
@mrs_grey:person {role: "cousin"}
@julia_t_martin -> mentions -> @mrs_grey {in: @letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5003}
@minnie_reed:person {relationship: "friend"}
@julia_t_martin -> mentions -> @minnie_reed {in: @letter_1893_12_31_jtm_5003}
@howard:person {relationship: "friend"}
@julia_t_martin -> mentions -> @howard {in: @letter_1893_03_28_jtm}
@worlds_columbian_exposition:event {date: @date_1893, location: @chicago}
@alice_austen -> participated in -> @worlds_columbian_exposition {role: "photographer", year: @date_1893}
@photography_business:concept {}
@alice_austen -> involved in -> @photography_business {activity: "selling photographs", period: @date_1893_01_01_1898_12_31}Metadata
Files (8)
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fast, but one of the cars had a hot box and we had to stop several times. I made friends with one of the colored waiters and he took me off the train & showed me the box and told me a lot of things. I went up to the school on Tuesday & saw Miss Boyd. She was awfully nice, but my hopes were rather cast down when she told me those duties she wrote about were only for Fridays & at present she had no others. Hattie Rice says she thinks they are feeling their way & I do hope they will 23 ELK STREET, ALBANY. Dear Alice; Well here I am again in Albany feeling as if my visit to the Island was more a dream than reality. First I want to thank you for your kindness to me. You do not know what a pleasure it was to me to see you again, and I am glad you came to town with me and saw me off. I had quite fun coming up. That train is very
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feel it pretty soon. Bessie Prugh certainly told me I was to live in the school & she knows all the workings of the school, so I am still hopeful. Last evening was mine and I got on splendidly. I had to walk in the room all alone, amidst one hundred girls & take my seat on a platform. After I once was there it was very pleasant. Several of the girls came & spoke to me and things went off swimmingly. My happiness would be complete if I could get in to live & I think I will. To-day I think of the White Plains expedition. It was all managed without any trouble. The place is delightful & I think it is the very best thing. I hope the milk arrived and that it will be satisfactory. If it is I will charge $10 for pt. bottle out of town. If not satisfactory there will be no charge at all. Give my love to all & believe me ever, affectionately, Julia J. Martin Saturday, Dec. 2nd
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of lovely presents, among others a silk umbrella, much needed, and nine, or rather ten pair of gloves. Ymas evening I went in to the Princess' tree and we had an awfully jolly time. Did you get your silver set? When you wish will you send me Violet's address as I lost the scrap over which I wrote it. I wish Violet had sent the brokens before Ymas. The stories were so Happy New Year and many thanks for the lovely handkerchief with which I was delighted. I received a dozen plain ones, but yours was the only fancy one and I love them. My Ymas passed off very delightfully & I received a number
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full when they came, that it was impossible to get a stance, until after New Year's, but I hope this week to get some orders. Such orders keep coming in, & so far it has given entire satisfaction. Your cousin Mrs. Grey gives a large dance to-morrow evening. Everyone, except myself, are going. I have given up late hours for this winter. Last night I went with Horace Gardiner (the Bishop's granddaughter) to Hattie Ruis'. She gave a dinner to Minnie Reed, a year's bride, and then invited a few after dinner. I had a very good time. There is lots of snow here to-day. It has been snowing all night & the sleighing must be "fair hearty."
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Bennington Centre Mch. 12th, 1898. Dear Alice, I was so glad to receive your letter and was glad too to hear about the Wrights. I can not make Maol seem dead yet. It seems so sad and strange that she, who seemed so strong should be taken away. I am so much obliged to you for forwarding my card and now asking I trouble you to forward on to Mrs. Haggton—I believe they never come to Rosebank &c—so if you will wait till Sunday & put it in her pew I shall be so much obliged. I am afraid you will think me a great bother. You are perfectly right about making any cash promise for my future. At present to look forward to a home with her seems a bright prospect. Mrs. Cotter has grown very old and is getting very feeble yet there is no position in life without its trial &
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I might go far or near and not find a better friend than Mrs. Smiley, & as her life & mine will probably be thrown more or less together for the future I feel that my place is here, so shall probably stick to Mrs. Cooper, on Mrs. S's account, till her death. Mrs. Cooper now expects to go to Albany or work from Thursday. While she is away I may possibly come to the Island for a few days. It is however very uncertain. I have not got any spring clothes & do not expect to have any, so if I come will appear in clothes of the back ages. I have spent all my money on my summer wardrobe. The snow is fast departing now & the streets are in the most frightful condition. I have had to invest in a pair of rubber boots & just about live in them. Bennington is not the most attractive place just now & yet I would much rather stay here than to be in Albany.
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Forgive my stupid letter Alice, for our life here is so quiet and there is so much sameness in it all that I have little to write about. Send your next here. Give my love to all at your home and with ever so much for yourself. Affectionately, Julia S. Martin
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Monday Dear Alice, Only a line "to keep the ball rolling" as you say and to tell you I expect now to leave for S.I. on Thursday of this week to spend Easter with Howard. If convenient & you will be at home I will come over Saturday morning to spend the day. If anything should happen that I do not get off I will let you know. Lovingly, Julia L. Martin
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:47:25 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:49:48 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:52:12 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:32 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Julia Martin Correspondence"
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