1898_3-17-1898 March 2001-Coleman copy.jpg

Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:53:24 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:41:16 PM

Added description

Description

Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection (1897‑1898)

Overview

The Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection is a digitized assemblage of personal letters, social notes, and related ephemera created between 1897 and 1898. It is housed at the Alice Austen House Museum in Staten Island, New York, and was made available through the PINAX digital repository. The collection is organized by year, with each folder containing scanned images of original documents (JPG) and corresponding typed transcriptions (TXT). The material is in English and reflects the social, travel, and real‑estate concerns of the period.

Background

Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer and a prominent member of Staten Island’s upper‑middle‑class society. During the late 19th century, she maintained an extensive correspondence network that included friends, family, and business associates. The collection was compiled by the Alice Austen House to preserve these primary sources and to illuminate Austen’s personal life and professional activities, including her photography business and her role as a social hostess.

Contents

The collection contains:
  • Personal letters to and from Austen, B.W. Osgood, and A.H. Prince, covering topics such as travel plans, real‑estate inquiries, and social invitations.
  • Calling cards and other Victorian‑era social ephemera.
  • Negative sleeves and other photography‑related items.
Key correspondents include Julia T. Martin (Albany), Julie Bredt, Violet M.E. Ward, Isabella King (photograph buyer), and Bessie Strong. Representative documents include a letter from Osgood to Miss Ruskin, a letter from Austen to Lilla about board in Pensacola, and a letter from Prince to Mr. R.M. Reid regarding the Presqu’ile inn. The collection also contains photographs of the letters themselves, providing visual context.

Scope

The archive covers the years 1897‑1898, focusing on Austen’s personal and business correspondence. Geographically, it spans Staten Island (Rosebank, Rose Beach), Pensacola, FL, Fishkill, NY, and Mattawan, NY. Thematic coverage includes social life, travel, real‑estate, and the Victorian era. The collection does not include Austen’s earlier or later correspondence, nor does it contain her photographic negatives or prints beyond the negative sleeves. It offers a concise window into the social networks and daily concerns of a prominent late‑Victorian woman.

Raw Cheimarros Data

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

@b_w_osgood:person {full_name: "B.W. Osgood"}

@a_h_prince:person {full_name: "A. H. Prince"}

@julia_t_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relation: "close friend", location: @albany}

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

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

@isabella_king:person {full_name: "Isabella King", role: "photograph buyer"}

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

@miss_ruskin:person {full_name: "Miss Ruskin"}

@lilla:person {full_name: "Lilla"}

@mr_r_m_reid:person {full_name: "R.M. Reid"}

@rosebank:place {city: "Staten Island", state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@rose_beach:place {city: "Staten Island", state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@mattawan:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@presqu_ile:place {description: "Inn mentioned in correspondence"}

@fishkill:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@albany:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@staten_island:place {description: "Borough of New York City"}

@worlds_columbian_exposition_1893:event {name: "World's Columbian Exposition", year: @date_1893}

@alice_austen_misc_correspondence_collection:collection {description: "A collection of miscellaneous correspondence to and from Alice Austen, including personal letters and social notes from 1897 to 1898.", creators: [@alice_austen, @b_w_osgood, @a_h_prince], institution: "Alice Austen House", date_range: {start: @date_1897, end: @date_1898}, subjects: ["Correspondence","Social life","Travel","Real estate","Victorian era"], places: [@staten_island, @new_york, @pensacola, @fishkill, @mattawan]}

@file_pinax:file {title: "Alice Austen Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection", type: "Collection", creator: [@alice_austen, @b_w_osgood, @a_h_prince], institution: "Alice Austen House", created: {start: @date_1897, end: @date_1898}, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Social life","Travel","Real estate","Victorian era"], description: "A collection of miscellaneous correspondence to and from Alice Austen, including personal letters and social notes from 1897 to 1898.", place: [@staten_island, @new_york, @pensacola, @fishkill, @mattawan]}

@letter_1898_03_17_coleman:document {date: @date_1898_03_17, to: @alice_austen, location: @rosebank, content: "Address block for Miss Alice Austen, Rosebank, Staten Island, N.Y."}

@letter_1898_03_osgood:document {date: @date_1898_03, from: @b_w_osgood, to: @miss_ruskin, content: "Unable to have the pleasure of an evening in Spanish until Monday; proposes meeting that evening."}

@letter_1898_04_04_vanren1:document {date: @date_1898_04_04, from: @alice_austen, to: @lilla, content: "Inquiry about board or rent in Pensacola, FL, for a few months during summer move."}

@letter_1898_04_04_vanren2:document {date: @date_1898_04_04, from: @a_h_prince, to: @mr_r_m_reid, content: "Mention of Presqu'ile inn and request for address."}

@letter_1898_04_05_fishkill:document {date: @date_1898_04_05, to: @alice_austen, location: @rose_beach, content: "Address block for Miss Alice Austen, Rose Beach, Staten Island, N.Y."}

@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 -> received correspondence from -> @b_w_osgood

@alice_austen -> received correspondence from -> @a_h_prince

@alice_austen -> sold photographs to -> @isabella_king

@alice_austen -> photographed -> @worlds_columbian_exposition_1893 {year: @date_1893}

Metadata

Files (5)

1898_3-17-1898 March 2001-Coleman copy.jpgJPEG
918.54 KB
OCR Text

Miss Alice Austin Rosebank Staten Island N.Y.

1898_3-1898 March 7001-osgood copy.jpgJPEG
1.24 MB
OCR Text

51 Central Ave Mitchell 98 My dear Miss Ruskin, I am unable to have the pleasure of an evening in Spanish with you until Monday, so if agreeable to you would be happy to come that evening. Sincerely yours, B.W. Osgood

1898_4-4-1897 April 3002-VanRen copy.jpgJPEG
3.44 MB
OCR Text

Mattawan Apr 4, '88 My dear Lilla, I have just heard from my cousin Mrs. Thiel who has a house in Pensacola, FL. I am wondering if there is any place where they can get reasonable board or a small house at reasonable rent for a few months. This summer we are in the midst of moving to a house on the river at the very foot of the long hill on the way to

1898_4-4-1897 April 3003-VanRen copy.jpgJPEG
3.33 MB
OCR Text

Presqu'ile. It is a nice Inn with a grand view but farth of them we like but it was the only house we could get when I'm sick I cannot write much. I hope you are all well. Please address Mr. R.M. Reid. Ever A. H. Prince Dept. Store N.Y.

1898_4-5-Fishkill-1897 April 3001 copy.jpgJPEG
673.58 KB
OCR Text

Miss Alice Austin Rose Beach Statue Island N.Y.

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:53:24 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 9:10:46 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:57:06 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:41:16 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Miscellaneous_Correspondence"

Parent

01KC29FACWR7P2XQ81QA18GXKR

No children (leaf entity)