1898_2-5-1888 Feb 1001-sweet copy.jpg

Caroline M. Sweet Correspondence to Alice Austen

PI

Version: 5 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:52:29 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:41:38 PM

Added description

Description

Caroline M. Sweet Correspondence to Alice Austen

Overview

This is a digitized collection of four handwritten letters written by Caroline M. Sweet to Miss E. Alice Austen on February 5, 1888. The letters were scanned as JPEG images and accompanied by typed transcriptions. They are part of the Alice Austen House Museum’s archival holdings and reflect Victorian‑era social and health concerns in Staten Island.

Background

Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering photographer based in Clifton, Staten Island. The correspondence was produced by Sweet, a resident of Clifton and a contemporary of Austen, and was preserved by the museum’s archivists in the late 20th century. The letters illustrate the close personal network of Austen’s friends and family, and they provide insight into the social norms and medical practices of the period.

Contents

  • Four letters (1888‑02‑05):
  • 1. Addressed to “Miss Queen” (Austen), discussing her mother’s rapid recovery and the “Golden Rule.” 2. A note to “Mrs. Waldo” expressing gratitude for a letter and concern for her health. 3. A brief update on a mother’s condition, signed “Caroline M. Sweet.” 4. A greeting to “Miss E. Alice Austen” with the address “Pennsylvania Avenue, Clifton, S.C., N.Y.”
  • Photographic scans: Four high‑resolution JPEG images of the original letters, each with OCR text extracted.
  • Transcriptions: Typed text files that reproduce the handwritten content for easier reading.

The letters mention specific addresses (222 West Fourth St., 222 West Fifth St., Pennsylvania Avenue) and refer to the social practice of visiting ill relatives, the “Golden Rule,” and the role of friends in providing care.

Scope

The collection covers a single date—February 5, 1888—within the broader period of 1883‑1898 that the Alice Austen House Museum archives. It is geographically focused on Clifton, Staten Island, and New York City. The material is limited to personal correspondence; it does not include photographs, business records, or other documents. The collection offers a snapshot of late Victorian social life, health concerns, and the interpersonal networks surrounding a prominent Staten Island photographer.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@caroline_sweet_correspondence:collection {title: "Caroline M. Sweet Correspondence to Alice Austen", creator: @caroline_sweet, created: @date_1888_02_05, description: "Letters from Caroline M. Sweet to photographer Alice Austen, discussing health, social norms, and personal connections in late 19th‑century Staten Island."}

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

@caroline_sweet:person {full_name: "Caroline M. Sweet", role: "correspondent"}

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

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

@violet_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"}

@clifton_staten_island:place {city: "Clifton", borough: "Staten Island", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@new_york_city:place {city: "New York City", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@pennsylvania_avenue:place {street: "Pennsylvania Avenue", city: "Clifton", borough: "Staten Island"}

@letter_1001:document {date: @date_1888_02_05, from: @caroline_sweet, to: @alice_austen, location: @clifton_staten_island, address: @pennsylvania_avenue}

@letter_1002:document {date: @date_1888_02_05, from: @caroline_sweet, to: @alice_austen, subject: "Mother's health", location: @clifton_staten_island}

@letter_1003:document {date: @date_1888_02_05, from: @caroline_sweet, to: @alice_austen, location: @clifton_staten_island, address: "222 West Fourth St., N.Y.C."}

@letter_1004:document {date: @date_1888_02_05, from: @caroline_sweet, to: @alice_austen, location: @clifton_staten_island, address: "222 West Fifth Street."}

@caroline_sweet_correspondence -> contains -> [@letter_1001, @letter_1002, @letter_1003, @letter_1004]

@caroline_sweet -> wrote -> @letter_1001

@caroline_sweet -> wrote -> @letter_1002

@caroline_sweet -> wrote -> @letter_1003

@caroline_sweet -> wrote -> @letter_1004

@letter_1001 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1002 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1003 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1004 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@file_pinax -> documents -> @caroline_sweet_correspondence

@date_1888_02_05

@date_1866

@date_1952

Metadata

Files (4)

1898_2-5-1888 Feb 1001-sweet copy.jpgJPEG
450.88 KB
OCR Text

Miss E. Alice Austen Pennsylvania Avenue Clifton, S.C. N.Y.

1898_2-5-1888 Feb 1002-1898-sweet copy.jpgJPEG
1.82 MB
OCR Text

Tuesday Dear Miss Queen: I was glad to hear from you yesterday to learn your Mother is getting well so rapidly. A letter recently received from Mrs. Wheelock told me your Mother had gone to your home of her condition. We are all liable, you know, to meet with an accident away from our friends and to expect help from others; we must remember the Golden Rule, which I always try to keep green in my memory. I am glad I happened to be near your Mother at the time she was in need of help and if what little assistance I was able to

1898_2-5-1888 Feb 1003-1898-sweet copy.jpgJPEG
1.55 MB
OCR Text

offer, made her trouble lighter, I am pleased. Kindly give her my regards and best wishes for a very quick recovery. Yours truly, Caroline M. Sweet. #222 West Fourth St. N.Y.C.

1898_2-5-1888 Feb 1004-1898-sweet copy.jpgJPEG
1.79 MB
OCR Text

Dear Mrs. Waldo: Thank you very much for your letter, received this morning. I hope your pain is nearly well. I am glad it happened to be near her, so be of service and would like to hear from you later regarding her condition. Very truly, Caroline M. Sweet 222 West Fifth Street. Tuesday.

Version History (5 versions)

  • ✓ v5 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:52:29 PM
    "Added description"
  • v4 · 12/9/2025, 9:07:20 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 9:07:04 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:56:20 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:41:38 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Caroline_Sweet_Correspondence"

Parent

01KC29F6KJQSY6DX0R6M882G6K

No children (leaf entity)