Alice Austen Family Correspondence Collection, 1893
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:48:33 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:33:36 PM
Added description
Description
Alice Austen Family Correspondence Collection, 1893
Overview
This digitized collection contains scanned images of handwritten letters and Victorian‑era calling cards exchanged between Elizabeth Alice Austen and her family during the last two weeks of August 1893. Each item is accompanied by a typed transcription, providing a complete record of the correspondence for researchers and the public. The collection is housed at the Alice Austen House Museum and was digitized by PINAX.Background
Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer from Staten Island whose work documented the social and cultural life of late‑19th‑century New York. The letters in this collection were written by her mother Mema, sister Annie, and other relatives and friends, and were gathered by the museum to preserve the personal side of Austen’s life. The collection reflects the everyday concerns of an upper‑middle‑class family and offers insight into Austen’s social network, travel, and early photography business.Contents
- Letters (IDs 5001–7003): Twelve dated letters (August 17–31, 1893) from Mema, Annie, and Alice herself. Topics include travel to Lake George, Boston, and New York; social events such as skating parties, sleigh rides, whist parties, and church gatherings; and business matters such as the sale of photographs to Isabella King and references to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
- Calling Cards: Victorian‑era social cards that accompany the letters, illustrating the era’s etiquette and networking practices.
- Transcriptions: Typed versions of the handwritten text, facilitating quick reference and textual analysis.
Scope
The collection covers a narrow temporal window—August 17–31, 1893—and focuses on family correspondence from Staten Island and Lake George. It includes personal, social, and business themes but excludes later years, other family members, and non‑correspondence materials. All items are in English and are accessible through the Alice Austen House Museum’s digital repository.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", residence: @staten_island}
@staten_island:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@alice_austen_house_museum:organization {location: @staten_island}
@alice_austen_family_correspondence:collection {title: "Alice Austen Family Correspondence Collection, 1893", created: @date_1893_08_17, institution: @alice_austen_house_museum, language: "en"}
@annie:person {relationship: "sister of Alice Austen"}
@mema:person {relationship: "mother of Alice Austen"}
@julia_t_martin:person {relationship: "close friend", location: @albany}
@albany:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@julie_bredt:person {relationship: "friend"}
@violet_m_e_ward:person {relationship: "friend"}
@isabella_king:person {relationship: "photograph buyer"}
@bessie_strong:person {relationship: "friend"}
@grandfather:person {relationship: "grandfather of Alice Austen", death: @date_1894_04}
@lake_george:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@boston:place {state: @massachusetts, country: @united_states}
@massachusetts:place {country: @united_states}
@worlds_columbian_exposition:event {date: @date_1893, location: @chicago}
@chicago:place {state: @illinois, country: @united_states}
@illinois:place {country: @united_states}
@letter_5001:document {date: @date_1893_08_17, location: @staten_island, sender: @mema, recipient: @alice_austen}
@letter_5001 -> content -> "Sister is still here… Your Mama"
@letter_5002:document {date: @date_1893_08_17, location: @staten_island, sender: @mema, recipient: @alice_austen}
@letter_5002 -> content -> "to hunt your method… an immense photo arrived for you today, it is marked 'Photo only'"
@letter_4002:document {date: @date_1930_08_24, location: @staten_island, sender: @mema, recipient: @alice_austen}
@letter_4002 -> content -> "In the month she refused to go to Europe… Yours Mema"
@letter_4003:document {date: @date_1893_08_24, location: @staten_island, sender: @annie, recipient: @alice_austen}
@letter_4003 -> content -> "I'm glad you got your letter yesterday… Ever & always, Annie"
@letter_7002:document {date: @date_1893_08_31, location: @staten_island, sender: @annie, recipient: @alice_austen}
@letter_7002 -> content -> "Pete & Simmons have returned from Bay Head… Ever & always, Annie"
@letter_7003:document {date: @date_1893_08_31, location: @staten_island, sender: @alice_austen, recipient: @annie}
@letter_7003 -> content -> "For your charge going back in the 5:46 boat…"
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julia_t_martin
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @julie_bredt
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @violet_m_e_ward
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @isabella_king
@alice_austen -> corresponded with -> @bessie_strong
@alice_austen -> sold photographs to -> @isabella_king {event: @worlds_columbian_exposition}
@alice_austen -> participated in -> @worlds_columbian_exposition
@alice_austen -> attended social event -> @skating_party:concept {date: @date_1894, location: @staten_island}
@alice_austen -> attended social event -> @sleigh_ride:concept {date: @date_1894, location: @staten_island}
@alice_austen -> attended social event -> @whist_party:concept {date: @date_1894, location: @staten_island}
@alice_austen -> attended church event -> @church_event:concept {date: @date_1894, location: @staten_island}
@alice_austen -> purchased -> @steinway_piano:object {date: @date_1894}
@steinway_piano:object {manufacturer: "Steinway & Sons"}
@alice_austen -> expressed sympathy for -> @grandfather {date: @date_1894_04}
@letter_5001 -> mentions -> @lake_george
@letter_5002 -> mentions -> @lake_george
@letter_4002 -> mentions -> @lake_george
@letter_4003 -> mentions -> @lake_george
@letter_7002 -> mentions -> @lake_george
@letter_7003 -> mentions -> @lake_george
@letter_5001 -> mentions -> @boston
@letter_4002 -> mentions -> @boston
@letter_5001 -> mentions -> @new_york
@letter_5002 -> mentions -> @new_york
@alice_austen -> family member -> @grandfather
@alice_austen -> family member -> @annie
@alice_austen -> family member -> @memaMetadata
Files (8)
OCR Text
Sister is still here, for time is past for her return, she has might more beauty every night, and her nightgown is flying all day. She called your Auntie up at 2 P.M. to send her blankets &c. here. Pete, Montgomery, and H.G. Ames at the Players Club to get hot, and has a fine dinner. What is up, now? I have not been to town this week, I will get the tooth paste when I do, and send it. I am struggling to finish that fig friend book to take back when I go next. I hope you have not forgotten anything, the closets look pretty bare, so I think not. Take care of yourself my dearest one, don't wish too hard. Your Mama Staten Island Aug. 17th /98 I got your card yesterday by express, and was so glad to know that you had arrived safely. The idea of the Dr. and Mrs. C. being held up; I suppose the latter's mittens were somewhat jotted. It was a nice day to travel. Yesterday & Wednesday were splendid here. I hope you have had the same, today has been snowy, and it is now, 9 P.M. snowing hard. I hope you have a decent room & some space.
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to hunt your method. I have to go in for "hot" for something you need shield, to go in for drawing and painting at 10-4. Please don't mind too much. If you know the acquaintance of any of the creamery family who have a pink plate are the Lake and are very punctual, remember for Mrs. George. Oh! Almost its an old friend. My poor Lyman by it, and I think of the youngsters also. Oh! It is a very loathly season, and activities in Gary, Ky. in this winter. His son, grandson, cousin belonged to the Lake Bridge Yacht Club. If he were and don't run off any little snakes, they stirred in that region, I may see one swimming across the lake with its head up, a perfectly graceful thing it was. What a pity the Indian name of Lake Horizon has not been preserved, the French called it the "See du Saint Sacrement" on account of the fertility of the water. We are all very well as innocent as ever, so what you bungalow this at home today, want to turn these times this week. Write a line to him if you can some time. An immense photo arrived for you today, it is marked 'Photo only' on the wrapper, postmark illegible.
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Miss Rhine Boston Care of A.C. Clifton Island Harbor House Hague-on-Lake George Watson Co. N.Y.
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In the month she refused to go to Europe to join her sister, and remain a year. She expressed great regret at not having seen you when you asked. How about your room? I hope you are not very uncomfortable. Don't let Fannie Waters work you too hard. I am glad you went to Tiernaberga; it is an interesting place. How long it has been since you, I suppose, you could not send your thin letters. Have you had any nice people, and has Freddie's "Fat" begun to appear. How dreadful these lamps must be in wet weather. Have you seen Albert Butler yet? I sent some Herald's, I suppose you have received them. All well. My love to Trude, yours etc. My dearest Yours Mema Thursday August 24th 1930 My dearest Lollie, I hope the storm we had here last night did not reach Lake George, for it was most violent. The wind was tremendous, and the old house fairly rocked with it; the rain came down with a rush inside one window. I had to get up in the night and close the usual leak, which was overflowing this morning. The Captain was up at 2 o'clock, carrying in the plants from the deep, they
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were being blown about in all directions, then he had to go to the middle room for a rope to tie on the awning which threatened to fly off altogether. He had on his long indigo butter coat as if he was at sea. The waves dashed quite over the bulkheads, gushed out the corner next to Joe's bed. This morning the grass below is covered with refuse, sticks, straw, etc. No end of branches are broken from the trees and the vines are badly stripped. The milkman said Tomlinson's house was a sight everything blown in every direction. I'm glad you got your letter yesterday, and I've been blessed no injuries every day if I have heard from you. Kind of you to write the children, and if you are going anywhere the first little has departed. Hello Anna, Mr. Fox, and Miss Fox brought you something unexpected great. Betty & I having gone, Peter was to go to Harry Head last Monday for a week. Montgomery was to go with him. Montgomery gave a large painting party and gave a beauty supply treat. Sunday night last Thursday with the Carrier, she said there was more working in it than in her school. Helen saw Philip Collins in a store in P.J. about two weeks ago, she said in a
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NEW YORK SEP 1 1200 PM F for Mr. C. Clifton I have Harbor House Ague - in Lake George Wm
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And I have not your address. Pete & Simmons have returned from Bay Head, N.J. The three graces where there together and had a good time—Grandpa keeps well and goes to town as usual—Phillip Brockhamond's wife was buried yesterday—Hollie has now a new companion, for how long I do not know. Give my love to Linda & with a lot to you. Ever & always, Annie August 31st, 1893 My dear Ping, I was very glad to receive your good long letter, and only wish I had room enough to fill even this small sheet of paper. But you will know how gay we are here—and such storms as we have had. The poor tree suffered fearfully. Imke has been very busy.
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For your charge going back in the 5:46 boat, Your love, Nancy when I got up, and not getting home until 1/4 of nine— He was loading up at 29th St.—Cherry Hogan came at about one. History says, Brad had "no gun and felt badly." Not having practiced yet. I shall thought baby! I heard her—why should I? Well, the Lord it'll be dead. It will be Canada—
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:48:33 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:52:32 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:52:59 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:36 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Family_Correspondence"
Parent
No children (leaf entity)