Alice Austen Family Papers: Sympathy Letters Regarding Grandfather's Death, April 1894

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:49:36 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:36:18 PM

Added description

Description

Sympathy Letters Regarding Grandfather's Death, April 1894

Overview

This collection comprises a set of handwritten sympathy letters addressed to Elizabeth “Alice” Austen in response to the death of her grandfather in April 1894. The materials are digitized as high‑resolution JPEG scans of the original envelopes and pages, accompanied by typed transcriptions in plain‑text files. The collection is organized by date, with 11 distinct letters ranging from April 25 to April 30, 1894, and includes correspondence from friends and relatives across Staten Island, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Background

Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering photographer and resident of the Rosebank neighborhood in Staten Island. Her grandfather’s passing prompted a wave of Victorian‑era mourning letters from her social circle. The letters were preserved as part of the Alice Austen Family Papers at the Alice Austen House Museum, reflecting the customs of condolence and the close-knit nature of the island’s upper‑middle‑class community in the late nineteenth century.

Contents

The collection contains: * Correspondents – Julia T. Martin (Albany), Violet M.E. Ward (Rosebank), Lottie M.S. Ward (Clifton), H.D. Wright (New York), Bessie Lommeud (Clifton), Elizabeth B. Tolman (Clifton), Julie Bredt (Clifton), and Mary Pratt (East Orange). * Dates – April 25–30, 1894. * Themes – expressions of sympathy, references to the grandfather’s lectures, mentions of family members, and notes of ongoing support (e.g., financial assistance, photographs). * Formats – scanned images of the original letters (JPG) and corresponding transcriptions (TXT).

Scope

The collection covers a single month in 1894 and is limited to personal condolence letters. It reflects the geographic spread of Austen’s social network (Staten Island, Richmond County, New York City, East Orange, Bethlehem, and Arany). The materials do not include any photographs, business records, or other personal documents; they focus solely on the immediate family and friend correspondence surrounding the death of Alice Austen’s grandfather.

Raw Cheimarros Data

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

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

@lottie_ward:person {full_name: "Lottie M. S. Ward"}

@hd_wright:person {full_name: "H.D. Wright"}

@bessie_lommeud:person {full_name: "Bessie Lommeud"}

@elizabeth_tolman:person {full_name: "Elizabeth B. Tolman"}

@julie_bredt:person {full_name: "Julie Bredt"}

@mary_pratt:person {full_name: "Mary Pratt"}

@alice_austen_grandfather:person {relation: "grandfather", death: @date_1894_04}

@rosebank:place {city: @staten_island, neighborhood: "Rosebank"}

@clifton:place {city: @staten_island, neighborhood: "Clifton"}

@richmond_co:place {county: "Richmond", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@east_orange:place {city: "East Orange", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@bethlehem:place {city: "Bethlehem", state: "Pennsylvania", country: @united_states}

@arany:place {city: "Arany", state: "New Jersey", country: @united_states}

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

@date_1866

@date_1952

@date_1894_04

@date_1894_04_25

@date_1894_04_27

@date_1894_04_28

@date_1894_04_29

@date_1894_04_30

@sympathy_letters_collection:document {title: "Alice Austen Family Papers: Sympathy Letters Regarding Grandfather's Death, April 1894", creator: [@violet_ward, @hd_wright, @bessie_lommeud, @elizabeth_tolman, @julie_bredt, @mary_pratt], created: @date_1894_04, subjects: ["Sympathy letters", "Bereavement", "Family correspondence", "Victorian-era mourning", "Alice Austen family", "Staten Island social life"], place: [@staten_island, @clifton, @east_orange, @bethlehem, @arany]}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_violet_ward:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @violet_ward, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_25, content: "My dear Alice, I was so glad to receive your note. You know how deep my sympathy is for you and how much this means, perhaps to us."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_lottie_ward:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @lottie_ward, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_25, content: "With my best love for you and most heartfelt sorrow for you and yourself. I am your affectionate friend Lottie, M. S. Ward."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_27_wright:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @hd_wright, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_27, content: "That will remove mere selfish grief... Your friend, H.D. Wright. 27 April 94 My dear Mrs. Austen, I want to tell you what has come upon your house..."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_1:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @bessie_lommeud, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_28, content: "weakness and suffering... Mamma has asked me to express her love and heartfelt sympathy to your dear Mother and Aunt... My dear Alice, When we talked of your Grandfather so short a time ago..."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_2:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @bessie_lommeud, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_28, content: "and in Mr. Mayo's, also; and does it not seem strange that in so few days they should all have passed from this world to the \"better land.\" With much sympathy, sincerely your friend, Bessie Lommeud. \"Harmony Home\" April Twenty-eighth."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_29_elizabeth:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @elizabeth_tolman, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_29, content: "My dear Miss Alice, I was very sorry to hear of the death of your grandfather... I enclose my check, and when you come see you can bring receipt—Thanking you for sending the photographs. I remain Yours Sincerely, Elizabeth B. Tolman."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_1:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_30, content: "Miss Austen Clifton Staten Island Rose Bank P.O."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_2:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_30, content: "April 30, 944 East Orange My dear Alice, Julia has just returned from a mommy call on Mrs. Mercer and has brought back the sad news of the death of your grandfather..."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_mary_pratt:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @mary_pratt, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_30, content: "Your affectionate Mary Pratt."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_1:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_30, content: "Bethlehem now for a short time... Dear Alice write to me real soon give my best love and sympathy to your Mamma and Aunt— and remember me kindly to your uncle... Park Hotel Main Street— April 30, 1894."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_2:document {type: "sympathy letter", author: @julie_bredt, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_30, content: "Park, and I rather think we shall decide on it... Arany, N.J., for May and June... The other day I had a pleasant afternoon with Dr. Cooke..."}

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_address:document {type: "letter heading", recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1894_04_30, content: "Miss Alice Austin, Rosebank P.O., Clifton, Richmond Co., Staten Island."}

@sympathy_letters_collection -> contains -> [@sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_violet_ward, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_lottie_ward, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_27_wright, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_1, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_2, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_29_elizabeth, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_1, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_2, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_mary_pratt, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_1, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_2, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_address]

@violet_ward -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_violet_ward

@lottie_ward -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_lottie_ward

@hd_wright -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_27_wright

@bessie_lommeud -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_1

@bessie_lommeud -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_2

@elizabeth_tolman -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_29_elizabeth

@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_1

@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_2

@mary_pratt -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_mary_pratt

@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_1

@julie_bredt -> wrote -> @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_2

@alice_austen -> recipient of -> [@sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_violet_ward, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_lottie_ward, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_27_wright, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_1, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_2, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_29_elizabeth, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_1, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_2, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_mary_pratt, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_1, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_2, @sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_address]

@alice_austen_grandfather -> death -> @date_1894_04

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_25_violet_ward -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_27_wright -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_1 -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_28_bessie_2 -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_29_elizabeth -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_2 -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_1 -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@sympathy_letter_1894_04_30_julie_5_2 -> mentions -> @alice_austen_grandfather

@violet_ward -> location -> @rosebank

@hd_wright -> location -> @new_york

@bessie_lommeud -> location -> @clifton

@julie_bredt -> location -> @clifton

@mary_pratt -> location -> @east_orange

@alice_austen -> residence -> @staten_island

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:49:36 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:57:54 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:53:47 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:36:18 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Sympathy_Letters_Grandfathers_Death"

Additional Components (16)

Click to expand and load individual components

1894_4-25-Violet Ward April001 copy 2.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-25-Violet Ward April002 copy 2.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-25-Violet Ward April003 copy 2.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-27-April 8001-wright copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-27-April 8002-wright copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-28-April 2.1-bessie-townsend copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-28-April 2.2-bessie-townsend copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-29-Elizabeth Caldwell 29 April 1894001 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-29-Elizabeth Caldwell 29 April 1894002 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-29-Elizabeth Caldwell 29 April 1894003 copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-30-April 4001-bredt copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-30-April 4002-bredt copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-30-April 4003-bredt copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-30-April 5.1-bredt copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-30-April 5.2-bredt copy.jpg.ref.json
1894_4-30-April 5003-bredt copy.jpg.ref.json

Parent

01KC29FE5ZKKYK14D7TSAK7R28

No children (leaf entity)