Perplexity Rocks as an AI Genealogy Report Tool

 I haven't used Perplexity as an AI tool for genealogy research much to date - it is Free or Pro ($) to use.  Thomas MacEntee mentioned it in his recent presentation to the San Diego Genealogical Society, so I got around to trying it out today.

I wondered if Perplexity could find out information on the Internet about a specific person, and be able to synthesize the information into a report.   

My research subject was my 4th great-grandfather Martin Carringer (1758-1835), so I crafted this prompt:

"Please create a biography from published sources of Martin Carringer (1758-1835), likely son of Henrich and Rosina Carringer, husband of Mary Houx, and father of a number of children.  He lived in Pennsylvania and settled in Mercer County in 1796.  He served in the Revolutionary War.   Tell me about his military service, settling in Mercer County, land records, probate records, and the names and lifespans of his children."

The response was:

Martin Carringer was born around 1758, likely in Pennsylvania to parents of German heritage. While his parentage is not definitively known, it's possible he was the son of Henrich "Henry" Carringer and Rosina, based on circumstantial evidence.Martin served as a private in the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment during the Revolutionary War. Records show he served from May 4 to May 31, 1781, in a detachment transporting provisions for troops to Pittsburgh. He received pay for 61 days at one shilling per day.In 1785, Martin married Maria Magdalena Hoax (also known as Mary Houx) in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The couple had several children:

1. Johann Jacob Carringer (1785-1865)
2. Maria Elisabetha Carringer (1789-1850)
3. Katharine Carringer (1792-after 1860)
4. George Carringer (1795-1870)
5. Calli Carringer (1797-before 1810)
6. Heinrich Carringer (1800-1881)
7. Soloman Carringer (1802-after 1820)
8. Joseph Carringer (1805-1869)

In 1796, Martin Carringer moved his family to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he was one of the early settlers. He established a farm in Sandy Creek township, which later became part of Perry township.Martin wrote his will on March 3, 1830, which was proved on February 4, 1835, in Mercer County. In his will, he bequeathed to his son Henry 150 acres "laid off the east end of the plantation" and to his son George "the residue of the aforesaid plantation".Martin Carringer died on January 25, 1835, in Sandy Creek township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Kelso Cemetery, located on private land south of Wolf Road and about 0.2 miles east of Fredonia Road in Perry township. His tombstone reads "Martin Carringer departed this life January 25, 1835 in the 80th year of his age".Martin's Revolutionary War service and his role as an early settler in Mercer County are noted in several historical accounts. He is mentioned prominently in the "History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania," published by Brown, Runk & Co in Chicago.

I then asked "can you describe his Revolutinoary War Service in more detail?"

Here is the response:

Based on the search results, Martin Carringer's Revolutionary War service can be described in more detail as follows:Martin Carringer served as a private in the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment during the Revolutionary War. His service record includes several specific periods:

1. From May 4 to May 31, 1781, he served in a detachment of four men under Sergeant Robert Porter, transporting provisions for troops down the river to Pittsburgh. He received pay for 61 days at one shilling per day.
2. From June 1 to July 31, 1781, he continued serving in the same detachment, boating forage and provisions on the Monongahela River to Pittsburgh. Again, he was paid for 61 days at one shilling per day.
3. In October 1781, he served in the same detachment and was paid one shilling per day. The receipt for this period was signed "Martin Carringer, Priv. 8th Penna Rgt."
4. In February, March, and April of 1783, he was on the roll of Captain John Clark's company in a detachment from the Pennsylvania line commanded by Lt. Col. Stephen Bayard.

Martin Carringer enlisted from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on September 4, 1776. His name appears on the list of soldiers of the Pennsylvania Line who were entitled to receive donation lands. The record indicates he was awarded 200 acres as a private.For his service, Martin Carringer was officially listed as a Pennsylvania Revolutionary War pensioner on June 19, 1824, when he was 75 years old. He applied for his pension on April 12, 1824, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, at the age of 65.Additionally, Martin Carringer applied for a Bounty Land Warrant in 1827, which was presented to the Treasury on April 17, 1827, by U.S. Senator William Marks. He was awarded 100 acres of land.It's worth noting that there are some discrepancies in the spelling of his name in various records, appearing as "Martin Cariger," "Martin Callinger," and "Martin Carringer" on different documents.

And another query:  "can you more fully describe the land records and probate records?"

And the response was:

Land Records

Martin Carringer received several land grants as a result of his service in the Revolutionary War. Notably, he was awarded 200 acres of donation land under Warrant No. 941, located in District No. 5 in what is now Perry Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania. This land was surveyed on October 3, 1785, by Benjamin Lodge, D.S., and was initially described as being in Westmoreland County.After moving to Mercer County around 1795 or early 1796, Martin Carringer established a farm. Historical records indicate that he built a cabin on his land shortly after arriving. The farm remained in the Carringer family for several generations. In his will, Martin bequeathed 150 acres of the plantation to his son Henry and the remaining portion to his son George.Additionally, Martin Carringer applied for and received a Bounty Land Warrant in 1827, which entitled him to 100 acres of land located in Township 8, Range 6 in the U.S. Military District of Ohio, specifically in the southern part of Holmes County, Ohio.

Probate Records

Martin Carringer's will was written on March 3, 1830, and was proved on February 4, 1835, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The will provides detailed instructions for the distribution of his estate:

• To his son Henry, he bequeathed 150 acres from the east end of the plantation.
• To his son George, he left the remainder of the plantation.

The probate records confirm that Martin Carringer's estate included significant land holdings, which were divided among his children according to his wishes. The probate process also involved the inventory and appraisal of his personal property, which would have been typical for estates of that period.

Children and Their Lifespans

Martin Carringer and his wife, Maria Magdalena "Mary" Houx, had several children. The names and lifespans of their children are as follows:

1. Johann Jacob Carringer (1785-1865)
2. Maria Elisabetha Carringer (1789-1850)
3. Katharine Carringer (1792-after 1860)
4. George Carringer (1795-1870)
5. Calli Carringer (1797-before 1810)
6. Heinrich Carringer (1800-1881)
7. Soloman Carringer (1802-after 1820)
8. Joseph Carringer (1805-1869).

These records provide a comprehensive view of Martin Carringer's life, his contributions during the Revolutionary War, his settlement in Mercer County, and the legacy he left through his land and family.

My final prompt was:  "can you weave all of this information with the source links into one response without dropping anything?"

And it did, and put headings on the different paragraphs, and had the source links too.  Here is the final product:

Martin Carringer (1758-1835): A Revolutionary War Veteran and Pioneer Settler

Early Life and Family BackgroundMartin Carringer was born around 1758, likely in Pennsylvania, to parents of German heritage. While the exact details of his parentage are not definitively known, it is possible that he was the son of Henrich "Henry" Carringer and Rosina, based on circumstantial evidence.Revolutionary War ServiceMartin Carringer served as a private in the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment during the Revolutionary War. His service record includes several specific periods:

1. From May 4 to May 31, 1781, he served in a detachment of four men under Sergeant Robert Porter, transporting provisions for troops down the river to Pittsburgh. He received pay for 61 days at one shilling per day.
2. From June 1 to July 31, 1781, he continued serving in the same detachment, boating forage and provisions on the Monongahela River to Pittsburgh. Again, he was paid for 61 days at one shilling per day.
3. In October 1781, he served in the same detachment and was paid one shilling per day. The receipt for this period was signed "Martin Carringer, Priv. 8th Penna Rgt."
4. In February, March, and April of 1783, he was on the roll of Captain John Clark's company in a detachment from the Pennsylvania line commanded by Lt. Col. Stephen Bayard.

Martin enlisted from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on September 4, 1776. His name appears on the list of soldiers of the Pennsylvania Line who were entitled to receive donation lands. For his service, Martin Carringer was officially listed as a Pennsylvania Revolutionary War pensioner on June 19, 1824, when he was 75 years old. He applied for his pension on April 12, 1824, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, at the age of 65. Additionally, Martin applied for a Bounty Land Warrant in 1827 and was awarded 100 acres of land.Marriage and FamilyIn 1785, Martin married Maria Magdalena "Mary" Houx in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The couple had several children:

1. Johann Jacob Carringer (1785-1865)
2. Maria Elisabetha Carringer (1789-1850)
3. Katharine Carringer (1792-after 1860)
4. George Carringer (1795-1870)
5. Calli Carringer (1797-before 1810)
6. Heinrich Carringer (1800-1881)
7. Soloman Carringer (1802-after 1820)
8. Joseph Carringer (1805-1869)

Settling in Mercer CountyIn 1796, Martin Carringer moved his family to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he was one of the early settlers. He established a farm in Sandy Creek township, which later became part of Perry township. Historical records indicate that he built a cabin on his land shortly after arriving. The farm remained in the Carringer family for several generations.Land RecordsMartin received several land grants as a result of his military service. Notably, he was awarded 200 acres of donation land under Warrant No. 941, located in District No. 5 in what is now Perry Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania. This land was surveyed on October 3, 1785, by Benjamin Lodge, D.S., and was initially described as being in Westmoreland County. Additionally, he received 100 acres of land in the southern part of Holmes County, Ohio, through a Bounty Land Warrant in 1827.Probate RecordsMartin Carringer's will was written on March 3, 1830, and was proved on February 4, 1835, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The will provides detailed instructions for the distribution of his estate:

• To his son Henry, he bequeathed 150 acres from the east end of the plantation.
• To his son George, he left the remainder of the plantation.

The probate records confirm that Martin Carringer's estate included significant land holdings, which were divided among his children according to his wishes. The probate process also involved the inventory and appraisal of his personal property, which would have been typical for estates of that period.Death and LegacyMartin Carringer died on January 25, 1835, in Sandy Creek township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Kelso Cemetery, located on private land south of Wolf Road and about 0.2 miles east of Fredonia Road in Perry township. His tombstone reads "Martin Carringer departed this life January 25, 1835 in the 80th year of his age".Martin's Revolutionary War service and his role as an early settler in Mercer County are noted in several historical accounts. He is mentioned prominently in the "History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania," published by Brown, Runk & Co in Chicago.This biography captures the key aspects of Martin Carringer's life, including his military service, family, settlement in Mercer County, land records, and probate details.

The source links provided are:

[1] https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Carringer-207

[2] https://www.geneamusings.com/2022/09/rabbit-holes-with-randy-where-was.html

[3] https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Carringer-22

[4] https://www.scribd.com/document/114222913/Descendants-of-Martin-Carringer-1758-1835-4-Generations

[5] https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/07/carringers-in-news-pennsylvania-story.html

That's enough for now, but you can see that it searches the Internet for information to help create the biographical sketch.  Of course, I, and other researchers, have written books, newspaper articles and blog posts about this person.  But, you never know what it may find!  

If it doesn't find information about your subject, but you have the subject in your family tree, Perplexity (and other AI tools) can take a set of notes or a timeline to write a genealogical sketch for you, but more information rather than less is best!  Just copy and paste it into the Perplexity search box. 

UPDATE on 27 July:  Unfortunately, it doesn't work well if no one has written a blog post in some detail about the subject's life, or if there is no profile (or a skimpy profile) on WikiTree.  Perhaps they will train it on FamilySearch which has more profiles and short biographies.

Note that Perplexity can:

• Put source links after many of the statements, although when I copy them into Blogger they are invisible, but if you click in the blank space you can see the source document on the Internet!  
• Find images online for the person (if available).
• Respond to requests for more information about specific issues.  
• Offer possible questions for more information.
• Can summarize everything but you have to ask for the summary and the source links.
• Can copy your chat segments to put into a word processor, and provides the source links.
• Saves the chat for some period of time, and you can add onto it.
• This took about 10 minutes to complete the prompt and responses.

 I doubt that this works for published books or newspaper articles, unless they have been published on the Internet by someone other than a record provider.  In the above responses, one of the sources was WikiTree, and one was for my article on Scribd, plus several of my blog posts including one from last week).   

==============================================

The URL for this post is: 

Copyright (c) 2024, Randall J. Seaver

Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.