Trude Eccelston Correspondence Collection

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:50:32 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:36:08 PM

Added description

Description

Trude Eccelston Correspondence Collection (September 8, 1894)

Overview

This collection comprises eleven scanned photographs of handwritten letters written by Trude Eccelston to her friend and photographer, Elizabeth Alice Austen. All letters are dated September 8, 1894, and were digitized by the Alice Austen House Museum. The files are presented as JPEG images with accompanying OCR text, offering a primary‑source view of late‑Victorian military and social life on the California coast.

Background

Trude Eccelston was a resident of the Presidio of San Francisco, a military installation that served as a hub for officers and their families. Her correspondence to Alice Austen—who lived in Staten Island and was a noted photographer—provides insight into the daily experiences of a military household. The letters were collected by the Alice Austen House as part of its archival mission to preserve personal documents that illuminate the social fabric of the era.

Contents

The collection contains the following items:
  • 11 JPEG scans (8001–8011) of handwritten letters, each accompanied by OCR‑derived transcriptions.
  • The letters describe a range of topics:
- Military life at the Presidio, including troop movements, parades, and the “Fort Douglas” reference. - Social events such as a military ball in Montreux, the centennial parade, and tennis matches at Monterey. - Family and friends—names like Edith, Norman, Mrs. Barry, Lily Barner, and others are mentioned. - Personal pursuits—German lessons with Mrs. Buchemi and Herr Ebermeyer, and music rooms. - Cultural references—the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (“Fair 1893”) and the Argonaut newspaper.

Scope

The collection is limited to letters written by Trude Eccelston on a single date but references events spanning the preceding months. It covers geographic locations including the Presidio, Monterey, and Angel Island in California, and reflects the social milieu of upper‑middle‑class military families in the late 19th century. The material is valuable for researchers of military history, women’s social networks, and Victorian leisure culture.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@trude_eccelston:person {full_name: "Trude Eccelston", role: "Correspondent"}

@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth: @date_1866, death: @date_1952, occupation: "Photographer"}

@date_1866

@date_1952

@date_1894_09_08

@presidio:place {location: "Presidio, California", country: @united_states}

@monterey:place {state: @california, country: @united_states}

@angel_island:place {state: @california, country: @united_states}

@golden_gate:place {city: "San Francisco", state: @california, country: @united_states}

@montreux:place {country: "Switzerland"}

@fort_douglas:place {state: @california, country: @united_states}

@army_headquarters:place {location: @presidio}

@edith:person {first_name: "Edith"}

@norman:person {first_name: "Norman"}

@mrs_barry:person {full_name: "Mrs. Barry"}

@lily_barner:person {full_name: "Lily Barner"}

@george:person {first_name: "George"}

@ellen:person {first_name: "Ellen", role: "Nurse"}

@bertie:person {first_name: "Bertie"}

@mrs_breckenridge:person {full_name: "Mrs. Breckenridge"}

@julie:person {first_name: "Julie"}

@julia:person {first_name: "Julia"}

@violet_ward:person {full_name: "Violet M.E. Ward"}

@isabella_king:person {full_name: "Isabella King"}

@bessie_strong:person {full_name: "Bessie Strong"}

@existon:person {full_name: "Uncle Existon"}

@joe_lee:person {full_name: "Joe Lee", ethnicity: "Chinese", role: "Cook"}

@the_argonaut:publication {type: "Newspaper"}

@5th_art_band:organization {type: "Military band"}

@military_ball:event {location: @montreux, description: "Military Ball at Montreux"}

@fortieth_anniversary:event {description: "Fortieth anniversary of California's admission to the Union"}

@centennial:event {description: "Centennial parade"}

@fair_1893:event {description: "World's Columbian Exposition (1893)", location: "Chicago"}

@file_pinax:file {title: "Trude Eccelston Correspondence Collection", creator: @trude_eccelston, institution: "Alice Austen House", created: @date_1894_09_08, subjects: ["Correspondence","Military life","Social life","Victorian era","Presidio","Monterey","California","Tennis","Military balls","Family life"]}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8001_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8001", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "Presidio - Sept. 8th My dearest Alice: …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8002_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8002", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "Again we will take a nap there. My room opens off this room …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8003_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8003", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "Officers coming & going all the time, We expect to end up in the Carall …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8004_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8004", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "Douglas having made some such good friends there, I don't believe I shall ever have such a good time …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8005_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8005", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "went with the tanks & had great fun. The seals come so near the waters …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8006_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8006", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "and as the troops & officers are to march we are all going in, I rained …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8007_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8007", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "were asked and as there are scores more officers than ladies, we were all having balls …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8008_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8008", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "met & who have called on me I like very much. Lilly Barner & her mother called …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8009_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8009", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "delicious cake & candy. Ellen, the nurse is an old maid …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8010_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8010", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "All about your summer with Julia & where everyone is …"}

@file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8011_copy_jpg:file {title: "Letter 8011", date: @date_1894_09_08, ocr_text: "Bertham at Monterey and she told me she wanted me to come over to Mare Island …"}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8001_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8002_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8003_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8004_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8005_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8006_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8007_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8008_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8009_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8010_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> wrote -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8011_copy_jpg {to: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8001_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8002_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8003_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8004_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8005_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8006_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8007_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8008_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8009_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8010_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@alice_austen -> received -> @file_1894_9_8_trude_eccelston_sept_8011_copy_jpg {from: @trude_eccelston, date: @date_1894_09_08}

@trude_eccelston -> located at -> @presidio

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @edith

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @norman

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @mrs_barry

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @lily_barner

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @george

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @ellen

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @bertie

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @mrs_breckenridge

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @julie

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @julia

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @violet_ward

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @isabella_king

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @bessie_strong

@trude_eccelston -> mentioned -> @joe_lee

@trude_eccelston -> attended -> @military_ball

@trude_eccelston -> participated in -> @fortieth_anniversary

@trude_eccelston -> referenced -> @fair_1893

@trude_eccelston -> referenced -> @centennial

@trude_eccelston -> referenced -> @the_argonaut

@trude_eccelston -> referenced -> @5th_art_band

@trude_eccelston -> engaged in -> @german_lessons:concept {description: "German language lessons with Mrs. Buchemi and Herr Ebermeyer"}

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:50:32 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 9:00:58 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:54:34 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:36:08 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Trude_Eccelston_correspondence"

Additional Components (11)

Click to expand and load individual components

1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8001 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8002 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8003 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8004 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8005 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8006 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8007 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8008 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8009 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8010 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_9-8-Trude Eccelston Sept 8011 copy.jpg.ref.json

Parent

01KC29FJVGAXWA2XYG5MVA2YCR

No children (leaf entity)