1897_10-11-1897 Oct 1001-Martin copy.jpg

Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin Correspondence, 1897

PI

Version: 5 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:52:18 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:37:19 PM

Added description

Description

Julia T. Martin–Alice Austen Correspondence, 1897

Overview

This collection comprises five handwritten letters exchanged in 1897 between Elizabeth Alice Austen, a pioneering Staten Island photographer, and her close friend Julia T. Martin. The letters are preserved as digitized JPEG scans of the originals, each accompanied by a transcription. The correspondence is part of the Austen Family Papers (MS 1) housed at the Alice Austen House Museum.

Background

Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a leading American photographer whose work documented the social life of late‑Victorian New York. Julia T. Martin, a friend from Albany, maintained a long‑distance friendship with Austen, writing from both Santa Barbara, California, and her home at 1624 Garden St., Staten Island. The letters illustrate the personal and social context of Austen’s life, including her travel, health, and business activities.

Contents

  • Letter 1 (Nov 6 1897) – Austen requests a monthly lodging arrangement at Martin’s house, citing financial constraints and a desire to recover from illness.
  • Letter 2 (Dec 31 1897, part 1) – Martin thanks Austen for a shoe horn, describes her room at 1624 Garden St., and reports improved health after a brief hospital stay.
  • Letter 3 (Dec 31 1897, part 2) – Martin offers social updates, noting visits from friends Howard, Kingsley, and others, and reflects on the quietness of her life.
  • Letter 4 (May 30 1897, part 1) – Martin recounts winter visitors in Santa Barbara, including John Mott, Miss Shaper, and Miss Hinton, and describes the house’s occupancy.
  • Letter 5 (May 30 1897, part 2) – Martin shares personal news: marriages, births, and the death of Mr. Ball, while mentioning Howard and Kingsley.

The scanned images provide visual evidence of the original handwriting, paper, and marginalia, while the transcriptions offer a ready reference for researchers.

Scope

The collection covers a single year (1897) and focuses on personal, social, and health matters between two friends. It includes correspondence that touches on travel (Santa Barbara), domestic arrangements (Staten Island), and the broader Victorian social milieu. The letters are limited to the five documents listed above and do not include any ancillary materials such as photographs, calling cards, or negative sleeves.

Raw Cheimarros Data

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

@julia_t_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relationship: "close friend of Alice Austen"}

@howard:person {full_name: "Howard", description: "friend mentioned in correspondence"}

@kingsley:person {full_name: "Kingsley", description: "friend mentioned in correspondence"}

@john_mott:person {full_name: "John Mott", description: "visitor staying with Julia"}

@miss_shaper:person {full_name: "Miss Shaper", description: "visitor staying with Julia"}

@miss_hinton:person {full_name: "Miss Hinton", description: "visitor staying with Julia"}

@mr_ball:person {full_name: "Mr. Ball", description: "deceased individual referenced"}

@date_1866

@date_1952

@date_1897_11_06

@date_1897_12_31

@date_1897_05_30

@staten_island:place {city: "Staten Island", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@rosebank:place {city: @staten_island, state: @new_york, description: "Residence of Alice Austen"}

@santa_barbara:place {city: "Santa Barbara", state: @california, country: @united_states}

@garden_st:place {address: "1624 Garden St.", city: @staten_island, state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@letter_nov_6_1897:document {date: @date_1897_11_06, from: @alice_austen, to: @julia_t_martin, location: @rosebank, subject: "request for monthly lodging arrangement", content_summary: "Alice asks Julia to let her stay for a month, discussing rent limits"} 

@letter_dec_31_1897_1:document {date: @date_1897_12_31, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, location: @garden_st, subject: "thanks and updates", content_summary: "Julia thanks Alice for a shoe horn, describes her room and health improvements"} 

@letter_dec_31_1897_2:document {date: @date_1897_12_31, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, location: @garden_st, subject: "social updates", content_summary: "Julia describes weather, quiet life, and friends Howard, Kingsley, and others"} 

@letter_may_30_1897_1:document {date: @date_1897_05_30, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, location: @santa_barbara, subject: "winter stay and visitors", content_summary: "Julia recounts winter visitors including John Mott, his family, Miss Shaper, Miss Hinton"} 

@letter_may_30_1897_2:document {date: @date_1897_05_30, from: @julia_t_martin, to: @alice_austen, location: @santa_barbara, subject: "personal news", content_summary: "Julia shares news about friends, marriages, births, and the death of Mr. Ball"} 

@file_pinax:file {title: "Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin Correspondence, 1897", creator: [@alice_austen, @julia_t_martin], institution: "Alice Austen House", created: @date_1897, language: "en", subjects: ["Personal correspondence","Victorian social life","Family relationships","Health and illness","Photography","Travel","Santa Barbara","Staten Island"]} 

@file_1897_10_11_1897_oct_1001_martin_copy_jpg:file {description: "Cover page with address Rosebank, Staten Island"} 

@file_1897_11_6_1897_nov_3001_to_jtm_copy_jpg:file {description: "Scanned image of letter dated Nov 6 1897"} 

@file_1897_12_31_1897_dec_3001_martin_copy_jpg:file {description: "Scanned image of first Dec 31 1897 letter"} 

@file_1897_12_31_1897_dec_3005_martin_copy_jpg:file {description: "Scanned image of second Dec 31 1897 letter"} 

@file_1897_5_30_1897_may_1001_martin_copy_jpg:file {description: "Scanned image of first May 30 1897 letter"} 

@file_1897_5_30_1897_may_1007_martin_copy_jpg:file {description: "Scanned image of second May 30 1897 letter"} 

@file_1897_11_6_1897_nov_3001_to_jtm_copy_jpg -> documents -> @letter_nov_6_1897 

@file_1897_12_31_1897_dec_3001_martin_copy_jpg -> documents -> @letter_dec_31_1897_1 

@file_1897_12_31_1897_dec_3005_martin_copy_jpg -> documents -> @letter_dec_31_1897_2 

@file_1897_5_30_1897_may_1001_martin_copy_jpg -> documents -> @letter_may_30_1897_1 

@file_1897_5_30_1897_may_1007_martin_copy_jpg -> documents -> @letter_may_30_1897_2 

@letter_nov_6_1897 -> mentions -> @alice_austen 

@letter_nov_6_1897 -> mentions -> @julia_t_martin 

@letter_dec_31_1897_1 -> mentions -> @alice_austen 

@letter_dec_31_1897_1 -> mentions -> @julia_t_martin 

@letter_dec_31_1897_2 -> mentions -> @alice_austen 

@letter_dec_31_1897_2 -> mentions -> @julia_t_martin 

@letter_dec_31_1897_2 -> mentions -> @howard 

@letter_dec_31_1897_2 -> mentions -> @kingsley 

@letter_may_30_1897_1 -> mentions -> @alice_austen 

@letter_may_30_1897_1 -> mentions -> @julia_t_martin 

@letter_may_30_1897_1 -> mentions -> @john_mott 

@letter_may_30_1897_1 -> mentions -> @miss_shaper 

@letter_may_30_1897_1 -> mentions -> @miss_hinton 

@letter_may_30_1897_2 -> mentions -> @alice_austen 

@letter_may_30_1897_2 -> mentions -> @julia_t_martin 

@letter_may_30_1897_2 -> mentions -> @mr_ball 

@letter_may_30_1897_2 -> mentions -> @howard 

@letter_may_30_1897_2 -> mentions -> @kingsley

Metadata

Files (6)

1897_10-11-1897 Oct 1001-Martin copy.jpgJPEG
760.26 KB
OCR Text

Miss Austen. Rosebank. Staten Island, N.Y.

1897_11-6-1897 Nov 3001-to-jtm copy.jpgJPEG
2.83 MB
OCR Text

Wednesday. Nov: 6th. Dear Miss Martin, I write to you, as you will so be able to think it over before answering—Except just for a week or so, which is different. I can't manage to pay 20 $ a week, and therefore am coming here, did so intending just to stay one week and try to get well before going elsewhere. But now that I see what a charming house yours is; and more than that, see that I should be very happy here, I wish to ask you if it would suit you to make a monthly arrangement with me. If I could avoid it, I would not trouble you about this. I would merely continue on your terms as you stated them to me, and you can understand how infinitely pleasant that would be; but it is impossible for me to pay more than 60 $ a month for my living, for if I did I should have nothing left for the 101 other items of daily life. Of course this is between you and me... Now will you turn it over in your mind, and consider whether it would or would not pay you to take me for that. It is just

1897_12-31-1897 Dec 3001-Martin copy.jpgJPEG
2.95 MB
OCR Text

use it. I wish you could see my room for it is so pretty. I had to go over to the hospital a few weeks ago as I was ill & my house quite filled with people, & while there Miss Coleman went to work & fitted up a room, which I shall probably occupy during the winter in green & white. As I have fun in my room so much, & as my friends drop in to see me, I like it to be as pretty as possible & it is. I am ever so much better, but my strength 1624 Garden St. Dec. 81st 1897. My dear Alice, Your more than welcome letter reached me a few days ago, also the shoe horn, a perfect beauty. It is on my bureau, beside a button hook, a & mas gift then exact pattern and they look so pretty together. As California is a great place for low shoes, I shall find the shoe horn very useful and shall think of you when I

1897_12-31-1897 Dec 3005-Martin copy.jpgJPEG
3.12 MB
OCR Text

It has been glorious here thus far, although last week fearfully cold. The coldest in ten years—and everyone, except myself & I should, is paying for rain. My life is a very quiet one, but my house is generally a little world of itself and when there is no one here, I enjoy the quiet & rest. Give my best love to all your family and to any of my friends, who may remember that such a person as I exist, and believe me always. Lovingly, Julia T. Martin quite like it, although thought it very interesting. Howard & family are well. Howard is thinner, if that can be, than ever before. He works so hard on his paper, and thinks of nothing else—I will send one of the papers. He certainly has done very well. Kingsley has been spending a week with me. We are as great friends as ever. He speaks of you all so often & I think, without a doubt, he enjoyed his visit with you more than anything else, while away. He asked me the other day when I would take him East again.

1897_5-30-1897 May 1001-Martin copy.jpgJPEG
2.92 MB
OCR Text

has happened since you were so much in away, & so little in a way that I hardly know when to begin. I have had a moderately good winter. From Feb. on until now have had the house filled, with the exception of a few weeks. Mr John Mott, wife and niece, also valet, were with me for six weeks. A Miss Shaper & Miss Hinton, for the same length of time. All pleasant & New Yorkers, pleased with the house liked me, mass pec's big board bills, so in 1624 Garden St. Santa Barbara, May 30th My dear Alice, I was so glad to receive today your letter, but sorry you did not receive a long letter I wrote you in February. I see I have you marked off on the 10th - my birthday & if you did not get the letter we will have to blame the mail. Dear me, think of all that

1897_5-30-1897 May 1007-Martin copy.jpgJPEG
2.84 MB
OCR Text

letter or you will get too weary. Write to me soon again & with love to you all & lots for yourself, affectionately, Julia L. Martin Of course I do not mind your giving the photograph of the road at Arranbarcaway. Therine looks so well, framed & hung in my boudoir room. I wish you could arrange to come out here—do you think you ever can. If her marriage has brought her much peace of mind, I have seen almost nothing of her since her marriage. Her baby is a beauty, & looks very much like Mrs. Coopes. Both Mrs. Alexander & "Murry" have been nearly dropped by everyone & somehow I feel awfully sorry for her, but she changed so, in every way. Ally is a fine big fellow, a lovely thought though. Schuyler is a lovely boy. Mr. Ball's death was a fearful shock & is a very great loss to this place. I miss him all the time. He was always so pleasant & cordial. Well I must close this

Version History (5 versions)

  • ✓ v5 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:52:18 PM
    "Added description"
  • v4 · 12/9/2025, 9:07:07 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 9:06:46 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:56:04 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:37:19 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Julia_Martin_Correspondence"

Parent

01KC29F44VZQYSDBNMSRBY37NN

No children (leaf entity)