1898_1-26-1898 Jan 4001-Strong copy.jpg

Elizabeth B.V. Strong Correspondence to Alice Austen

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:52:45 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:41:33 PM

Added description

Description

Elizabeth B.V. Strong Correspondence to Alice Austen (1898)

Overview

This digital collection comprises a series of scanned images of handwritten letters and envelopes written by Elizabeth B.V. Strong to her friend and photographer, Alice Austen, in 1898. The materials are presented as JPEG files with accompanying OCR‑extracted text and metadata. The collection is housed by the Alice Austen House Museum in Staten Island, New York, and is part of the larger Austen Family Papers (MS1).

Background

Elizabeth B.V. Strong (from Albany/New Brunswick) maintained a close personal correspondence with Alice Austen (Staten Island). The letters were written in the late Victorian era, a period of social refinement and family concern. Strong’s letters reflect the concerns of an upper‑middle‑class household, including health, travel, and social engagements. The collection was digitized in 2025 for preservation and scholarly access.

Contents

  • Three letters dated 26 January 1898 (scanned as “1898_1‑26‑1898 Jan 4001‑Strong copy.jpg”, “4002‑Strong copy.jpg”, “4003‑Strong copy.jpg”). These discuss Alice’s mother’s illness, a missed concert, and the death of Mr. Macaulay.
  • One envelope dated 29 December 1898 (“1898_12‑29-envelope017‑Strong copy.jpg” and its back). The envelope is addressed to Miss E.A. Austin (Alice) from Rosebank, Staten Island.
  • Metadata files (JSON) provide provenance, subject headings (Correspondence, Family, Health, Social Life, Travel, New Brunswick, New York), and institutional details.
  • OCR text embedded in the images offers a quick reference to the letter content, including greetings, health updates, and travel notes.

Scope

The collection covers a single year (1898) and is geographically focused on New Brunswick, New York, and Staten Island. It documents personal family matters, social events, and travel, offering a snapshot of late‑19th‑century social life among Staten Island’s upper‑middle class. The materials are in English and are intended for researchers interested in Alice Austen’s personal network, Victorian correspondence practices, and the social history of the region.

Raw Cheimarros Data

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

@elizabeth_strong:person {full_name: "Elizabeth B.V. Strong", relation: "correspondent", residence: @albany}

@mrs_townsend:person {full_name: "Mrs. Townsend"}

@etta:person {full_name: "Etta"}

@mr_macaulay:person {full_name: "Mr. Macaulay"}

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

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

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

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

@rosebank:place {city: @staten_island, country: @united_states}

@cambridge:place {city: @new_york_city, description: "Cambridge, Fifth Ave. and 33rd St."}

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

@strong_to_austen_collection:document {title: "Elizabeth B.V. Strong Correspondence to Alice Austen", creator: @elizabeth_strong, institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1898, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Family","Health","Social Life","Travel","New Brunswick","New York"]}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @strong_to_austen_collection

@date_1898_01_26

@date_1898_12_29

@letter_1898_01_26_1:document {type: "envelope", date: @date_1898_01_26, sender: @mrs_townsend, recipient: @alice_austen, location: @new_york_city}

@mrs_townsend -> sent -> @letter_1898_01_26_1

@letter_1898_01_26_1 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1898_01_26_1 -> written on -> @date_1898_01_26

@letter_1898_01_26_1 -> location -> @new_york_city

@letter_1898_01_26_2:document {type: "letter", date: @date_1898_01_26, sender: @elizabeth_strong, recipient: @alice_austen, location: @new_brunswick, subject: "mother's illness"}

@elizabeth_strong -> wrote -> @letter_1898_01_26_2

@letter_1898_01_26_2 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1898_01_26_2 -> written on -> @date_1898_01_26

@letter_1898_01_26_2 -> location -> @new_brunswick

@alice_mother_illness:event {description: "Illness of Alice Austen's mother", date: @date_1898_01_26, related_letter: @letter_1898_01_26_2}

@concert_disappointment:event {description: "Alice unable to attend concert", date: @date_1898_01_26, related_letter: @letter_1898_01_26_2}

@letter_1898_01_26_3:document {type: "letter", date: @date_1898_01_26, sender: @elizabeth_strong, recipient: @alice_austen, location: @new_brunswick, mentions: [@etta, @mr_macaulay]}

@elizabeth_strong -> wrote -> @letter_1898_01_26_3

@letter_1898_01_26_3 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1898_01_26_3 -> written on -> @date_1898_01_26

@letter_1898_01_26_3 -> location -> @new_brunswick

@mr_macaulay_death:event {description: "Death of Mr. Macaulay (December prior to Jan 1898)", date: @date_1898_01_26, related_letter: @letter_1898_01_26_3}

@letter_1898_12_29_1:document {type: "envelope", date: @date_1898_12_29, recipient: @alice_austen, location: @rosebank}

@letter_1898_12_29_1 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1898_12_29_1 -> written on -> @date_1898_12_29

@letter_1898_12_29_1 -> location -> @rosebank

@worlds_columbian_exposition_1893:event {description: "World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago)", year: @date_1893}

Metadata

Files (5)

1898_1-26-1898 Jan 4001-Strong copy.jpgJPEG
797.97 KB
OCR Text

Miss E. A. Austen Care Mrs. Townsend 477 Park Ave. New York City

1898_1-26-1898 Jan 4002-strong copy.jpgJPEG
3.17 MB
OCR Text

of the illness? Had your mother not been well before? Mother sends love and hopes Mr. Austin will soon be better. Do send no word, just a postal if you have time for the time, for you know we are interested. I am greatly disappointed that you cannot come for the concert. If you find at the last minute that your mother New Brunswick Jan. 26th '96 Dear Alice:- I was so sorry to hear of your mother's illness, but hope it is only temporary, and that she will soon be quite restored. You were not with her I imagine, from what you say in your letter. I can realize & how alarmed you must have been on receiving the news. What was the cause

1898_1-26-1898 Jan 4003-strong copy.jpgJPEG
2.7 MB
OCR Text

is well enough for you to leave her, come along. Etta is in New York once more, at the Cambridge, Fifth Ave. and 33rd St. They stayed in England only a short time, being called home by business, probably something to do with the estate. Of course you know Mr. Macaulay died in December, just a week before Etta and family had expected to sail. In anticipation of spending the winter abroad they had rented their apartment in 34th Street, so of course they had to find another. I have not seen Etta since her return, but had a few lines from her the other day. Give my love to your mother please, and with much for yourself, believe me Aff'ly yours Elizabeth B.V. Strong

1898_12-29-envelope017-Strong copy.jpgJPEG
619.42 KB
OCR Text

Miss E.A. Austin Rosebank. Staten Island, N.Y.

1898_12-29-envelope017back-Strong copy.jpgJPEG
606.3 KB
OCR Text

50+ 10/5/94 Perf 12 ROSEBANK N.Y. DEC 30 AM 1893 REC'D

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:52:45 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 9:09:15 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:56:34 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:41:33 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Elizabeth_Strong_Correspondence"

Parent

01KC29F6KJQSY6DX0R6M882G6K

No children (leaf entity)