Writing an AI Narrative Report in ChatGPT for David Auble (1817-1894)

 In her blog post, Writing a Family History Story Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) (posted 6 November 2023 on her Journey to the Past blog), Brenda Leyndyke used the ChatGPT 3.5 artificial intelligence system to write a biographical sketch of one of her ancestors.  She used a Timeline Report in RootsMagic to provide events, dates, and places for the AI report.

This seems like an opportunity to add narrative to the cut and dried "Facts" that we put into our genealogy software and online trees, so I thought I would try it out.  Here is what I did:

1)  I made a Timeline Report in RootsMagic 9 for my 2nd great-grandfather, David Auble (1817-1894):

RootsMagic can include events for the other family members (parents, siblings, spouses, children) in a Timeline with the "Show relative events" checked box on the "Edit Person" page.  I chose not to include them in this test.

2)  I went into ChatGPT 3.5 (https://chat.openai.com/) and wrote a query (including a copy/paste of the text timeline) listed below:

Write a biography of David Auble (1817-1894), son of John and Anna (Row) Auble, husband of Sarah Knapp (1818-1904), and father of William A. Auble (1845-1901), Frances Mary Auble (1846-1917), Charles Auble (1849-1916), Katherine Auble (1851-1940), Anna Mattison Auble (1859-1913), and Cora A. Auble (1862-1876) with the following facts:

0 1817 Birth: Stillwater, Sussex, New Jersey, United States1
27 1844 Marriage: Sarah G. Knapp; Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States2–3
27 30 Apr 1844 Deed: bought 4 acres of land with David Foster in Newton from Nathan Drake for 310 dollars; Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States4
29 17 Jan 1846 Deed: sold half interest in 4 acres of land in Newton to David L. Foster for 175 dollars; Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States5
33 1 Jun 1850 Occupation: boot and shoe man; Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States6
33 1 Jun 1850 Census: Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States7
43 1 Jun 1860 Occupation: shoe store; Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States8
43 1 Jun 1860 Census: Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States9
53 1 Jun 1870 Occupation: boot & shoe maker; Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States10
53 1 Jun 1870 Census: Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States11
53 1 Aug 1870 Deed: bought land in Terre Haute from Manning M. and Anna M. Knapp for $2000; Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States12
63 1 Jun 1880 Occupation: shoe maker; Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States13
63 1 Jun 1880 Census: Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States14
75 1892 Residence: 411 Chestnut; Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States15–16
77 Bef 22 Mar 1894 Residence: Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States17
77 22 Mar 1894 Death: Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States18–19
77 Aft 22 Mar 1894 Burial: Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States20

I had to include the names of the parents, spouse and children in the query, otherwise they would not appear in the biography. The numbers at the beginning of each Event line are the person's age at the time of the Event, and the numbers at the end of the Event lines are source citation links.

3)  The ChatGPT Biography quickly appeared:

David Auble, born in 1817 in Stillwater, Sussex, New Jersey, United States, was the son of John and Anna (Row) Auble. He led a life marked by various roles and responsibilities, including as a husband and father. His life journey was characterized by transitions and achievements, with a focus on his family and professional endeavors.

In 1844, at the age of 27, David Auble entered into a significant milestone in his life by marrying Sarah G. Knapp in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey. This union marked the beginning of their family together, which would eventually include six children: William A. Auble (born in 1845), Frances Mary Auble (born in 1846), Charles Auble (born in 1849), Katherine Auble (born in 1851), Anna Mattison Auble (born in 1859), and Cora A. Auble (born in 1862).

David Auble's involvement in property transactions is evident in his life's records. On April 30, 1844, he and David Foster jointly purchased four acres of land in Newton from Nathan Drake for the sum of 310 dollars. This early investment might have been a significant step in securing his family's future.

In 1846, David Auble decided to sell his half interest in the same four acres of land in Newton to David L. Foster for 175 dollars. This transaction suggests that he might have been preparing for new opportunities or a change in location.

By the time of the 1850 census, at the age of 33, David had shifted his occupation to "boot and shoe man" and had moved to Newark, Essex, New Jersey. This change indicated a shift in his career and possibly a desire to seek new prospects in the bustling city.

In the 1860 census, David was listed as operating a shoe store in Newark, Essex, New Jersey. This suggests that his involvement in the footwear industry continued to be his primary source of livelihood.

In 1870, at the age of 53, David Auble had relocated to Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, where he worked as a "boot & shoe maker." He also acquired land in Terre Haute in August 1870, purchasing it from Manning M. and Anna M. Knapp for $2000, underlining his commitment to securing his family's future in their new location.

In the 1880 census, David's occupation was still listed as a shoe maker in Terre Haute, confirming his continued involvement in the shoe industry.

By 1892, David Auble and his family resided at 411 Chestnut in Terre Haute, Indiana. This location served as their home for several years.

Tragically, David Auble's life came to an end in Terre Haute on March 22, 1894. His death marked the closing chapter of a life that had witnessed significant changes, from a small-town upbringing in New Jersey to pursuing opportunities in the footwear industry in Indiana. He was laid to rest in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he left behind a legacy of hard work, family values, and a commitment to providing for his loved ones.

4) That seems pretty good, and it beats typing it all out yourself in a General Note for a profile. It added some boilerplate text in each event that may be correct. If I had Facts/Events for the birth, marriage and death of each child, parent, or sibling in the RootsMagic profile, then there would be more family detail. The age and source citation links don't show up in the ChatGPT narrative.

5) RootsMagic 9 can create a Narrative Report for a Family which looks like this (I chose to not include Fact/Event Notes in the narrative):

Narrative Report for David Auble

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First Generation

1. David Auble1–2 was born in 1817 in Stillwater, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.3 On 30 Apr 1844, he bought 4 acres of land with David Foster in Newton from Nathan Drake for 310 dollars, in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.4 On 17 Jan 1846, he sold half interest in 4 acres of land in Newton to David L. Foster for 175 dollars, in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.5 David appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1850 at West Ward in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.6 On 1 Jun 1850 he worked as a boot and shoe man in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.7 He appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1860 at 4th Ward in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.8 On 1 Jun 1860 David worked as a shoe store in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.9 He appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1870 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.10 On 1 Jun 1870 he worked as a boot & shoe maker in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.11 On 1 Aug 1870, David bought land in Terre Haute from Manning M. and Anna M. Knapp for $2000, in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.12 He appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1880 at 411 Chestnut Street in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.13 On 1 Jun 1880 he worked as a shoe maker in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.14 David resided 411 Chestnut in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States in 1892.15–16 He resided at 411 Chestnut Street in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States before 22 Mar 1894.17 He died on 22 Mar 1894 at the age of 77 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.18–19 David was buried after 22 Mar 1894 at Woodlawn Cemetery in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.20 David Auble and Sarah G. Knapp21–22 were married in 1844 in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.23–24 Sarah G. Knapp25–26, daughter of William Knapp and Sarah Cutter, was born in Jan 1818 in probably Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States.27 She appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1850 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.28 She appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1860 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.29 Sarah appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1870 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.30 She appeared in the census on 1 Jun 1880 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.31 She appeared in the census on 1 Apr 1900 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.32 Sarah died on 1 Sep 1904 at the age of 86 in Bushnell, McDonough, Illinois, United States.33 She was buried after 1 Sep 1904 at Bushnell Cemetery in Bushnell, McDonough, Illinois, United States.34 She was also known as Sarah Auble.35–38 Sarah was also known as Sarah G. Auble.39 She was also known as Sarah Knapp Auble.40 David Auble and Sarah G. Knapp had the following children: +2 i William A. Auble, born abt 1845, probably Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States; married Mary Louise Thompson, 28 Mar 1880, Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States; died bef 24 Jan 1901, probably Danville, Vermilion, Illinois, United States. 3 ii Frances Mary "Fannie" Auble was born in Oct 1846 in probably Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.41 She died on 8 Jan 1917 at the age of 70 in Keokuk, Lee, Iowa, United States.42 She was buried after 8 Jan 1917 at Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk, Lee, Iowa, United States.43 Fannie was also known as Mary Frances Auble.44 +4 iii Charles Auble, born 31 Oct 1849, Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States; married Georgianna Kemp, 19 Jun 1898, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States; died 23 Mar 1916, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States. 5 iv Katherine "Kate" Auble was born in Oct 1851 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.45 She appeared in the census on 1 Jan 1920 in Keokuk, Lee, Iowa, United States.46 She died before 1 Jun 1940 at the age of 88 in Keokuk, Lee, Iowa, United States.47 Kate was buried on 1 Jun 1940 at Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk, Lee, Iowa, United States.48 She was also known as Catherine Auble.49 +6 v Anna Mattison Auble, born 24 Feb 1859, Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States; married Henry Shannon Buntin, 7 Dec 1888, Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States; died 1913, Bushnell, Sumter, Florida, United States. 7 vi Cora A. Auble50 was born about 1862 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, United States.51 She died before 13 Jan 1876 at the age of 14 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.52 She was buried on 13 Jan 1876 at Woodlawn Cemetery in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, United States.53

For the Facts/Events in a RootsMagic narrative report - you have a choice of  "Keep fact sentences in same paragraph," "New paragraph after each fact," or "New paragraph after facts with notes." I chose the first option above.  The third option would be many pages long since the Fact Notes have transcriptions and descriptive text.  RootsMagic does not have the "Don't show Facts" for this report like other genealogy software programs have.

6)  I posted a genealogical sketch for David Auble (1817-1894) for the 52 Ancestors series using the RootsMagic "Individual Summary" report - see 52 Ancestors - Week 21: #28, David Auble (1817-1894).  The benefit of this type of sketch is that the source citations appear and you can include Fact/Event Notes in the text.  However, it requires some editing 

7)  If a researcher had a Timeline but no Notes, then the ChatGPT 3.5 feature might work pretty 

well for them - they could Copy/Paste the result into the General Note for the profile.  However, it might have to be edited if ChatGPT made an obvious assumption or error.  

8)  Brenda also tried Google Bard in another post, but that didn't work as well.  My thanks to Brenda for trying this and making it work fairly well.  

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