The Artificial Intelligence tools (like ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot, Gemini, Grok, Meta, Grok, and Perplexity) can provide much useful and nearly instant information about subjects in a concise format, especially when they have been pre-trained on a large volume of information about the subjects.
I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with information about a young Leominster, Massachusetts boy's life. My paternal grandfather, Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942) was age 13 in 1890.
1) I chose to use the responses from free Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 (as of 1 October 2025) today.
My Prompt was: "Please describe an autumn day in the life of Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942) at age 13 in Leominster, Massachusetts in 1890. What household duties did he have? Did he go to school, and what did he learn at school? What games, entertainment and fun did he enjoy?"
I uploaded a PDF of my updated Genea-Musings blog post (My Paternal Grandfather, Frederick Walton "Fred" Seaver (1876-1942)) to provide information about Fred and his family to the AI Tool.
(Google Gemini AI-created image of an 1890 school classroom)
2) Here is the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 response:
An Autumn Day in Young Fred Seaver's Life at Age 13
Leominster, Massachusetts - October 1890
Morning: Before the School Bell
The crisp October morning arrived early at 149 Lancaster Street,
where thirteen-year-old Frederick Walton Seaver shared a home with
his parents, Frank and Hattie, his five-year-old brother Harry, and
his grandparents Edward and Sophia Hildreth. Fred likely rose at
dawn, as most working-class families did in 1890, when daylight
determined the rhythm of daily life.
Before school, Fred would have had his share of household chores.
Boys his age were expected to contribute to the family's welfare, and
the Hildreth/Seaver household had practical needs. He probably
carried in wood or coal for the stoves that heated the home and
cooked the family's meals—a constant task as autumn's chill
deepened. He may have helped pump and carry water from the well or
outdoor pump, as indoor plumbing was still uncommon in many
Leominster homes in 1890. If the family kept chickens in their yard,
as many families did, Fred might have gathered eggs or fed the birds
before breakfast.
The morning meal was likely hearty and simple—perhaps oatmeal or
cornmeal mush, bread with butter or jam, and milk. His mother Hattie,
a capable homemaker, would have prepared this before Fred needed to
leave for school. His father Frank and grandfather Edward would have
already headed off to their jobs at one of Leominster's many comb
shops, where they worked as a combmaker and a teamster, transporting materials and
finished goods.
School Days: The Three R's and More
In October 1890, Fred would have been attending one of
Leominster's public schools—likely a grammar school, as the town
had several to serve its growing population. Massachusetts took
education seriously; the state had established compulsory education
laws, though enforcement was uneven, and many children left school
early to work. At thirteen, Fred was fortunate to still be attending
regularly.
The school day typically ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a break
for lunch. Fred likely walked to school, as most students did,
perhaps joining friends along the way or keeping an eye on younger
neighborhood children. The schoolhouse would have been a substantial
wooden or brick building, heated by a large stove that created zones
of warmth and cold throughout the classroom.
In his classroom, Fred would have studied the fundamentals:
reading, writing, and arithmetic—the famous "three R's."
Reading included literary works, poetry, and historical texts.
Students memorized and recited passages regularly, training both
memory and public speaking. Writing instruction emphasized
penmanship, composition, and grammar. Fred would have practiced his
handwriting in copybooks, working to achieve the elegant script that
was considered a mark of education.
Arithmetic lessons covered practical mathematics—addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and percentages.
These skills were essential for the business world Fred would soon
enter. Students worked problems on slates (small chalkboards) that
could be erased and reused, saving precious paper.
Beyond the basics, Fred's curriculum likely included geography
(with particular emphasis on Massachusetts and the United States),
American history (with heavy doses of patriotism and moral lessons),
and some natural science. Spelling bees were popular competitive
exercises, and students might have studied elementary physiology,
learning about the human body and the dangers of alcohol and
tobacco—temperance education was mandated in Massachusetts schools.
The discipline was strict by modern standards. Teachers, often
unmarried women or male schoolmasters, maintained order through a
combination of moral authority and, when necessary, corporal
punishment. Students were expected to sit quietly, speak when called
upon, and show respect to their instructor and elders.
Midday: Dinner Pail and Play
At the noon recess, Fred would have eaten the lunch his mother
packed—perhaps bread and cheese, cold meat, an apple from a local
orchard, and maybe a slice of cake or pie if the family could afford
such treats. Some families called this meal "dinner," as it
was often the main meal before fathers returned home for "supper."
The schoolyard would have erupted with energy during this break.
Boys and girls typically played separately, following the social
conventions of the era. Fred and his male classmates might have
played various games that required little equipment:
- Marbles was immensely popular—boys carried
their prized glass or clay marbles in small bags and engaged in
competitive games with complex rules. Winners might claim their
opponents' marbles, making each game meaningful.
- Mumblety-peg was a pocket knife game where boys
threw or flipped a knife to make it stick in the ground—skills that
also proved useful for practical tasks.
- Baseball was rapidly becoming America's pastime,
and by 1890 it had reached even small-town schoolyards. Boys might
have played informal games with makeshift equipment during longer
recess periods.
- Foot races, wrestling, and "tag" variations
filled the schoolyard with energetic boys testing their speed and
strength.
- In colder weather, boys might have played "fox and
geese" in the snow, or engaged in snowball fights once
winter arrived in earnest.
Afternoon: Books, Lessons, and Homeward Bound
The afternoon sessions continued the academic work, perhaps with
some variation—maybe a geography lesson with map study, or a
history recitation where students demonstrated their memorization of
important dates and events. Friday afternoons sometimes included
"speaking pieces"—memorized poems or speeches that
students performed before their classmates.
As the school day ended around 4 p.m., Fred would have gathered
his slate, books, and dinner pail for the walk home. The October
afternoon would have offered beautiful New England fall scenery—the
maples, oaks, and birches ablaze with crimson, gold, and orange. The
smell of wood smoke from home fires would have hung in the cooling
air, mixing with the earthy scent of fallen leaves.
Evening: Chores, Family, and Simple Pleasures
Arriving home, Fred faced more chores before supper. Autumn was a
crucial time for preparations before winter's harsh arrival. He might
have helped his father stack firewood, ensuring adequate fuel for the
cold months ahead. The family likely had a garden that needed
tending—late vegetables to harvest, dead plants to clear, perhaps
potatoes to dig and store in the root cellar.
On a weekday evening, there might have been homework—arithmetic
problems to solve, spelling words to memorize, or passages to read.
The family gathered around the kitchen table, which served multiple
purposes in most working-class homes.
After supper (perhaps a hearty stew, bread, and vegetables from
the garden), the family's entertainment options were simple by modern
standards but rich in their own way. The Seavers and Hildreths might
have:
- Read aloud together from the Bible, popular
novels, or story papers—serialized fiction that was affordable
entertainment. The family might have subscribed to the Youth's
Companion, a popular magazine for young people, or local
newspapers that Fred could practice reading.
- Played parlor games like checkers, dominoes, or
card games (though some strict families avoided cards as gambling
implements).
- Made music if anyone in the family played an
instrument or sang. Many families gathered around a piano or organ if
they could afford one, singing popular songs and hymns.
- Told stories of family history, local events, or
tales passed down through generations. Grandfather and grandmother
Hildreth, living with the family, would have been a wonderful source
of stories from earlier times.
Weekend Adventures: A Boy's Freedom
On Saturdays, with no school, Fred would have had different
responsibilities and opportunities. He might have helped his father
and grandfather with larger projects around the house or accompanied
them on errands into Leominster's downtown. The town was bustling
with activity—comb shops, stores, livery stables, and the comings
and goings of a thriving industrial community.
Fred might have earned a few pennies running errands for neighbors
or doing odd jobs. With such earnings, he could visit the general
store for penny candy—licorice whips, peppermints, or horehound
drops. If he saved enough, he might have bought a dime novel—the
exciting (and parent-disapproved) adventure stories that boys
devoured.
The woods and streams around Leominster offered countless
adventures – there was a wooded area and stream behind his home.
Fred and his friends might have:
- Gone fishing in local ponds and streams, a
practical skill that could supplement the family's food supply.
- Explored the woods, building forts, climbing
trees, and engaging in imaginative play as soldiers, Indians, or
cowboys—popular themes from the stories and legends of the era.
- Hunted for chestnuts, hickory nuts, or walnuts in
the autumn woods—both a fun activity and a valuable contribution to
the family's food stores.
- Watched or visited the comb factories, which
dominated Leominster's economy. Fred would have been fascinated by
the machinery, the skilled craftsmen, and the transformation of raw
materials into finished combs. Little did he know he would spend his
entire working life in this industry.
Sundays: Sabbath Observance
The Sabbath was strictly observed in 1890s New England. The
Seavers and Hildreths were probably Episcopalians, and Fred might have
attended services at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Leominster with his family,
dressed in his Sunday best. The service would have included
traditional liturgy, hymn singing, and a sermon. Sunday School
provided religious instruction for children.
Sunday afternoons were quiet, with limited activities considered
appropriate for the Sabbath. Fred might have read improving books,
written letters, or taken a quiet walk with family members. Evening
might bring hymn singing or Bible reading at home.
The Rhythms of a Boy's Life
At thirteen, Fred Seaver stood at the threshold between childhood
and young adulthood. In just a few years, he would likely leave
school to work full-time, as most boys of his class did. The skills
he learned—both academic and practical—would serve him throughout
his life. The values instilled by family, church, and community—hard
work, honesty, respect for authority, and mutual support—would
shape the man he became.
His autumn days in 1890 were filled with responsibilities that
modern children might find burdensome, yet they were also rich with
simple pleasures: the freedom to explore nature, the excitement of
schoolyard games, the warmth of family gathered around the evening
table, and the beauty of a New England autumn unfolding around him.
These were the experiences that would stay with Fred Seaver
throughout his life, memories of a time when Leominster was his
entire world, before the adventures and challenges of adulthood lay
ahead.
3) The Google NotebookLM Audio Overview about this post is here.
The Google NotebookLM Video Overview of this post is below.
4) I never met my paternal grandfather. I have interviews with and letters from four of his children describing and discussing him, but they knew nothing about his childhood except for the basic family information.
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Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver
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