1894_2-27-Feb 5.1-shortt copy.jpg

Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:49:08 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:36:15 PM

Added description

Description

Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection

Overview

The Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection is a digitized set of personal letters addressed to Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) from close acquaintances in 1894. The collection is housed at the Alice Austen House Museum in Staten Island, New York, and is part of the larger Austen Family Papers (MS1). Materials are presented as scanned JPEG images of the original envelopes and handwritten pages, accompanied by typed transcriptions in plain‑text files. The collection is organized by year, with all items dated 1894.

Background

Alice Austen was a pioneering American photographer whose practice flourished in the late Victorian era. The letters in this collection were written by two of her confidantes: Lucy E. Law Hunt, a cousin residing on Staten Island, and Julia T. Martin, a friend from Albany. Both writers were active in the social and cultural circles of the time, and their correspondence offers insight into the daily life and professional activities of a woman photographer in the 1890s.

Contents

The collection contains three primary letters: two copies of a February 27, 1894 letter from Lucy E. Law Hunt (each with a slightly different wording) and a March 18, 1894 letter from Julia T. Martin. The letters discuss a range of topics—photographic business matters, social events (e.g., skating parties, church gatherings), family news (e.g., the death of a relative), and personal updates. Each letter is represented by a high‑resolution JPEG scan of the original and a corresponding typed transcription. The collection also includes ancillary items such as envelope impressions and marginal notes.

Scope

The collection covers the year 1894, focusing on personal correspondence between Alice Austen and her friends and relatives. Geographically, it spans Staten Island and Albany, New York. Thematically, it illuminates Victorian social life, the commercial aspects of photography, and domestic concerns of the era. The collection is limited to the three letters described above and does not include other materials such as calling cards or negative sleeves, which are catalogued separately within the Austen Family Papers.

Raw Cheimarros Data

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

@lucy_e_law_hunt:person {full_name: "Lucy E. Law Hunt", relationship: "cousin", residence: @staten_island}

@julia_t_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relationship: "friend", residence: @albany}

@staten_island:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@albany:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@alice_austen_house:organization {type: "Museum", location: @staten_island}

@alice_austen_misc_corr:collection {title: "Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection", creator: [@lucy_e_law_hunt, @julia_t_martin], institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1894, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Personal letters","Victorian social life","Photography","Family matters","Social events"]}

@date_1866

@date_1952

@date_1894

@date_1894_02_27

@date_1894_03_18


@letter_feb_27_1894_lucy:document {author: @lucy_e_law_hunt, recipient: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_02_27, content: "We don't think we often come up to shore, what time do you see and when do you get us? I am hopeful it will be able to see me at the office little, and if you had a cut of your photograph at home it would like to have May go there & she thinks if you do. All are Yours ever. Aff. Your cousin Lucy E. Law Hunt."}

@letter_feb_27_1894_lucy2:document {author: @lucy_e_law_hunt, recipient: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_02_27, content: "Mr. Clark thinks an effort come up to yours, what kind of the year now and when do you think it? I am hoping I'll be able to sell me or not the old plate, and do you want a set if I have that graphin at home so she will like to have it hung on either a side there if you do. Dearest Friend Mrs. Aff. Your cousin Lucy T. Law & Hunt."}

@letter_mar_18_1894_julia:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, date: @date_1894_03_18, content: "You will be sorry to hear that I am not to be at St. Agnes next year. Of course it is the greatest disappointment to me, especially as so much has been said of there being no doubt etc. etc. about it & getting all my hopes up, but I suppose that is only to be expected in this world, which seems to be down on us at present. I have no formed plan as to my best move, but do not expect to go back to Mrs. Cooper for more. Dearest Alice, The photographs arrived on Friday. I was away all day & when I came in I could not imagine what I should, when it dawned upon me. Bethie Pugh & Hattie are away, but as soon as they come home I will show them to them & I have several others in my mind, & will do as well as I can."}


@alice_austen_misc_corr -> contains -> [@letter_feb_27_1894_lucy, @letter_feb_27_1894_lucy2, @letter_mar_18_1894_julia]

@file_1894_2_27_feb_5_2_shortt_copy_jpg -> represents -> @letter_feb_27_1894_lucy

@file_1894_2_27_feb_5003_shortt_copy_jpg -> represents -> @letter_feb_27_1894_lucy2

@file_1894_3_18_mar_3002_martin_copy_jpg -> represents -> @letter_mar_18_1894_julia

Metadata

Files (5)

1894_2-27-Feb 5.1-shortt copy.jpgJPEG
930.56 KB
OCR Text

My dear Alice Thinking that perhaps you did not see yesterday's Herald I cut this notice out to send you, perhaps you will like to try for it. I hope you had a nice time, Allan. Days you are back or we shall expect to see you very soon.

1894_2-27-Feb 5.2-shortt copy.jpgJPEG
1.46 MB
OCR Text

We don't think we often come up to shore, what time do you see and when do you get us? I am hopeful it will be able to see me at the office little, and if you had a cut of your photograph at home it would like to have May go there & she thinks if you do. All are Yours ever Aff. Your cousin Lucy E. Law Hunt. This day. Feb. 27th 1894

1894_2-27-Feb 5003-shortt copy.jpgJPEG
1.4 MB
OCR Text

Mr. Clark thinks an effort come up to yours, what kind of the year now and when do you think it? I am hoping I'll be able to sell me or not the old plate, and do you want a set if I have that graphin at home so she will like to have it hung on either a side there if you do. Dearest Friend Mrs. Aff. Your cousin Lucy T. Law & Hunt This day. Feb. 27th 1894

1894_2-27-Feb-5002-shortt copy.jpgJPEG
1.62 MB
OCR Text

My dear Alice Thinking that perhaps you did not see yesterday's Herald I cut this notice out to send you. Perhaps you will like to try for it. I hope you had a nice time, Alain. Days you are back or we shall expect to see you very soon.

1894_3-18-Mar 3002-martin copy.jpgJPEG
3.15 MB
OCR Text

23 ELK STREET, ALBANY. Sunday, March 18th You will be sorry to hear that I am not to be at St. Agnes next year. Of course it is the greatest disappointment to me, especially as so much has been said of there being no doubt etc. etc. about it & getting all my hopes up, but I suppose that is only to be expected in this world, which seems to be down on us at present. I have no formed plan as to my best move, but do not expect to go back to Mrs. Cooper for more. Dearest Alice, The photographs arrived on Friday. I was away all day & when I came in I could not imagine what I should, when it dawned upon me. Bethie Pugh & Hattie are away, but as soon as they come home I will show them to them & I have several others in my mind, & will do as well as I can.

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:49:08 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:54:26 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:53:19 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:36:15 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Miscellaneous_Correspondence"

Parent

01KC29FBWR26R1JZCYPT6GZEFQ

No children (leaf entity)