1896 Correspondence and Announcements Collection

Version: 11 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 5:48:40 AM

Added description

Description

1896 Correspondence and Announcements Collection

Overview

The 1896 Correspondence and Announcements Collection is a digitized assemblage of personal letters, envelopes, postcards, marriage announcements, and philatelic correspondence produced during the calendar year 1896. Curated by the Alice Austen House Test and hosted on the PINAX platform, the collection brings together material from a diverse group of writers—including Julia Martin, Jane Allen, and the American Collectors’ Association—alongside postal artifacts and printed announcements. All items are in English and are presented as high‑resolution JPEG images with accompanying OCR‑derived text.

Background

The collection was assembled for the Alice Austen House Test, a repository that preserves nineteenth‑century epistolary and philatelic records. Contributors span several families and organizations: the Austin family, the Colby family, the American Collectors’ Association, and individual correspondents such as Julia Martin of Santa Barbara and Jane Allen of Kingston, Ontario. The provenance reflects a network of domestic, social, and hobbyist communication that crossed state and national borders, linking California, New York, Michigan, Canada, and beyond.

Contents

  • Personal letters: Eight letters by Julia Martin, three by Jane Allen, and two from the American Collectors’ Association.
  • Postal artifacts: Ten envelopes and postcards addressed to women in Staten Island, with Canadian postage and U.S. postmarks.
  • Marriage announcements: Two printed notices of the Alexander and Erving families’ weddings in New York.
  • Fishkill correspondence: Two letters dated 30 December 1896, discussing family health and photographs.
  • Supplementary documents: Photographs, postmarks, and editorial annotations.

Each item is accompanied by a metadata record that includes sender, recipient, origin, destination, date, and subject tags such as “philately,” “social history,” and “boarding house.”

Scope

The collection covers the year 1896 and includes material from the United States (California, New York, Michigan, Maryland, etc.) and Canada (Ontario, Quebec). It focuses on personal, social, and hobbyist communication—letters, envelopes, marriage announcements, and philatelic correspondence—providing insight into domestic networks, postal practices, and social events of the late nineteenth century. The collection is suitable for researchers of family history, social history, philately, and regional studies of the 1890s.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:file -> documents -> @collection_1896_envelopes_postcards

@file_pinax:file -> documents -> @marriage_announcements_1896

@file_pinax:file -> documents -> @julia_martin:person

@file_pinax:file -> documents -> @jane_allen:person

@file_pinax:file -> documents -> @american_collectors_association:organization

@correspondence_announcements_1896:collection {title: "1896 Correspondence and Announcements Collection", creator: [@julia_martin, @alice_andrews, @austin_family, @alice_austin, @alice_linden, @alice_husten, @alice_weston, @clara_austin, @lawrence_d_alexander, @mrs_alexander, @mr_erving, @mrs_erving, @jane_allen, @american_collectors_association], institution: @alice_austen_house_test, created: {start: @date_1896_02_05, end: @date_1896_12_30}, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Personal letters","Postcards","Envelopes","Marriage announcements","Weddings","Social life","Social history","Boarding house","Family history","Photographs","Philately","Philatelic organizations","Collecting","19th century"], description: "A collection of correspondence, postcards, envelopes, and marriage announcements from 1896, featuring letters from Julia Martin, Jane Allen, and the American Collectors' Association, as well as wedding announcements and various other correspondence.", places: [@santa_barbara, @staten_island, @san_francisco, @kingston, @cape_vincent, @montreal, @virginia, @crescent_bay, @fishkill_new_york, @north_plains, @baltimore, @port_huron, @new_york, @canada]}

@correspondence_announcements_1896:collection -> includes -> @collection_1896_envelopes_postcards

@correspondence_announcements_1896:collection -> includes -> @marriage_announcements_1896

@correspondence_announcements_1896:collection -> includes -> @julia_martin

@correspondence_announcements_1896:collection -> includes -> @jane_allen

@correspondence_announcements_1896:collection -> includes -> @american_collectors_association

@julia_martin:person -> contributed_to -> @correspondence_announcements_1896:collection

@jane_allen:person -> contributed_to -> @correspondence_announcements_1896:collection

@american_collectors_association:organization -> contributed_to -> @correspondence_announcements_1896:collection

@julia_martin:person -> owned -> @the_palms

@julia_martin:person -> hosted -> @colby_family:organization

@julia_martin:person -> corresponded_with -> @alice_austen:person {frequency: "multiple letters in 1896"}

@jane_allen:person -> wrote -> @letter_oct_19_1896:document

@jane_allen:person -> wrote -> @letter_oct_19_1896_part2:document

@jane_allen:person -> wrote -> @letter_dec_21_1896:document

@jane_allen:person -> wrote -> @letter_dec_31_1896:document

@american_collectors_association:organization -> organized -> @american_collectors_association:event {date: @date_1896_01_15, location: @new_york}

@marriage_announcements_1896:collection -> includes -> @lucy_alexander_wedding:event

@marriage_announcements_1896:collection -> includes -> @sarah_erving_wedding:event

@lucy_alexander_wedding:event -> took_place_at -> @new_york

@sarah_erving_wedding:event -> took_place_at -> @new_york

@envelope_kingston_allen_1896_11_18:document -> origin -> @canada

@envelope_kingston_allen_1896_11_18:document -> destination -> @staten_island

@envelope_santabarbara_martin_1896:document -> origin -> @santa_barbara

@envelope_santabarbara_martin_1896:document -> destination -> @staten_island

@envelope_fishkill_1896_12_31:document -> origin -> @brooklyn

@envelope_fishkill_1896_12_31:document -> destination -> @staten_island

@envelope_kingston_linden_1896_12_31:document -> origin -> @kingston

@envelope_kingston_linden_1896_12_31:document -> destination -> @staten_island

@envelope_baltimore_husten_1895_03_13:document -> origin -> @baltimore

@envelope_baltimore_husten_1895_03_13:document -> destination -> @halter_island

@envelope_port_huron_clara_1896_04_04:document -> origin -> @port_huron

@envelope_port_huron_clara_1896_04_04:document -> destination -> @santa_barbara

@fishkill_correspondence_collection:collection -> contains -> [@letter_1002, @letter_1003]

@letter_1002:document -> mentions -> @photographs:concept

@letter_1003:document -> mentions -> @thanksgiving:concept

@letter_1002:document -> mentions -> @mother:person

@letter_1003:document -> mentions -> @mother:person

@julia_martin:person -> attended -> @santa_barbara_philharmonic:event {date: @date_1896_10_23, conductor: @herr_lehny}

@julia_martin:person -> performed -> @charades_activity:event {date: @date_1896_10_23, participants: [@mrs_burton, @reddington_girl1, @reddington_girl2, @miss_taylor]}

@julia_martin:person -> assisted_at -> @ice_cream_table_fair:event {date: @date_1896_10_23, purpose: "cottage hospital fundraiser"}

@julia_martin:person -> hired -> @mrs_king:person {role: "housekeeper", start_date: @date_1896_10_23}

@julia_martin:person -> hired -> @mrs_nicoll:person {role: "boarder and house helper", start_date: @date_1896_02_04}

@julia_martin:person -> hired -> @mrs_adam:person {role: "boarder", start_date: @date_1896_12_06}

@julia_martin:person -> rented_room -> @the_palms {price_per_week: 20, capacity: 2, date_range: {start: @date_1896_10_23, end: @date_1896_12_06}}

@julia_martin:person -> added_rooms -> @the_palms {new_rooms: 2, rent_prices: [10, 12], date: @date_1896_12_06}

Metadata

Title
1896 Correspondence and Announcements Collection
Type
Collection
Creator
Julia MartinAlice AndrewsAustin FamilyAlice AustinAlice LindenAlice HustenAlice WestonClara AustinMr. and Mrs. Lawrence D. AlexanderMr. and Mrs. ErvingJane AllenAmerican Collectors' Association
Institution
Alice Austen House Test
Created
1896-02-05/1896-12-30
Language
en
Subjects
Correspondence, Personal letters, Postcards, Envelopes, Marriage announcements, Weddings, Social life, Social history, Boarding house, Family history, Photographs, Philately, Philatelic organizations, Collecting, 19th century
Place
Santa Barbara, California, Staten Island, New York, San Francisco, California, Kingston, Cape Vincent, Montreal, Virginia, Crescent Bay, Fishkill, New York, North Plains, Baltimore, Maryland, Port Huron, Michigan, New York, Canada
Source
PINAX

Version History (10 versions)

  • ✓ v11 (current) · 12/4/2025, 5:48:40 AM
    "Added description"
  • v10 · 12/4/2025, 5:44:49 AM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v9 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:52 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v8 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:10 AM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 6 groups"
  • v7 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:09 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBKY1TZ9P7V4DEV161G891EB"
  • v6 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:08 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBKY1SP3FQYX4F59FE1ZXCJR"
  • v5 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:06 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBKY1R6NV3FGA9823FCXXWGY"
  • v4 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:05 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBKY1PVSQK60E8H1G2W0V3H8"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:03 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBKY1NDMZB9WW4748VAZJJP5"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 5:41:01 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBKY1KEBNPDZJRKCZWQQ1D88"

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

Files were organized primarily by year (1896) and then by correspondence type or sender. The largest group consists of Julia Martin's extensive correspondence, while other groups were created for envelopes/postcards, formal announcements, and letters from specific individuals like Jane Allen and the Fishkill correspondent. This approach maintains chronological consistency while highlighting the most active correspondents and distinct document types.

## Groups Created

- **1896_Julia_Martin_Correspondence**: Letters from Julia Martin to Alice Austen spanning various dates in 1896, discussing personal matters, housekeeping, and social events
- **1896_Envelopes_Postcards**: Envelopes and postcards addressed to Alice Austen, primarily showing mailing information without substantial content
- **1896_Announcements**: Formal announcements of marriages and events from 1896
- **1896_Allen_Correspondence**: Letters from Jane Allen and others to Alice Austen regarding photographs and personal matters
- **1896_Fishkill_Correspondence**: Letters from Fishkill to Alice Austen regarding family health and personal matters
- **1896_Other_Correspondence**: Miscellaneous letters from various correspondents to Alice Austen

Parent

↑ 01KBKXV3Z4YBVNHH5M4KCJN90A

Children (6)