Stephen Little, the National Genealogical Society's Artificial Intelligence Program Director, has created another useful saved ChatGPT prompt to identify, describe, summarize and analyze an item - an artifact, a document, a photograph, a file, etc. You can see the complete prompt on Facebook in the Genealogy and Artificial intelligence Group here.
Steve comments that:
"Saved PROMPTs are a convenient way to create, save, share, and re-use an instruction set (a prompt) with a large language model (LLM or chatbot). This prompt is a tool I use frequently to generate a description, caption, transcript, or report; the prompt will process about any type of item you can upload or attach to a chatbot message.
"This prompt is available here in two formats: 1) the full-text of the PROMPT is included below; this version works at all LLMs, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Meta, or xAI/Grok; to use, just paste the PROMPT into the chatbot message along with the object you would like to describe; 2) You can also find the PROMPT as a free tool at OpenAI's GPT Store here: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-bPFKDVuFe-steve-s-item-identifier."
I wanted to try this prompt out with one of my ancestors records, and have it summarize the facts in the record, and analyze the record.
1) Here is the death certificate of my great-grandmother Julia E. "Juliet" (White) Richmond of Putnam, indham County, Connecticut:
Here is the complete response by the free ChatGPT4 AI tool:
### Analysis of the Death Certificate for Juliett Richmond (1913)
#### Phase One: Detailed Breakdown
**1. Composition and Layout:**
- The document is structured into sections with pre-printed form fields, where information is filled in by hand.
- The title reads "State of Connecticut, Bureau of Vital Statistics," indicating it is an official state record. Below this, there are two main parts labeled "Medical Certificate of Death" and "Undertaker’s Certificate: Personal and Statistical."
- Each section is numbered with form questions, allowing for consistent entries about the deceased individual’s details.
- On the left margin, there's a vertical notation that states: “I certify that this is a true copy of the certificate received for record,” followed by an attestation with a handwritten signature.
- The word "Certified Copy" and the cost of $5.00 are typed in the upper left corner, indicating it is a legal copy.
**2. Color Palette:**
- The document is a grayscale image with black typeface for printed fields and a darker tone for handwritten entries. This monochromatic style is typical of historical official documents, which were often printed in black ink on white paper for legibility.
**3. Space and Layout:**
- The form is organized into clearly delineated fields with separate sections for the Medical Certificate and Undertaker’s Certificate.
- The layout is utilitarian, prioritizing clarity and consistency in the data structure, which is typical of official death certificates meant for record-keeping and legal documentation.
**4. Perspective and Depth:**
- As a flat, one-dimensional record, the document lacks artistic perspective or depth. The focus is on functionality and readability.
--
**Subject Matter Analysis:**
**1. Main Figures and Objects:**
- The primary figure is "Juliett Richmond," whose death details are recorded in the document. Information is presented about her personal life, cause of death, family background, and funeral arrangements.
**2. Environment Context:**
- This certificate pertains to the early 20th century in Connecticut, USA, specifically from 1913. It captures data about death in the context of a time when records were manually processed, and documents like these served as primary legal evidence of death.
**3. Events and Actions:**
- The document confirms the death of Juliett Richmond, including specifics about her age, marital status, cause of death, place of residence, and funeral arrangements.
- Key entries include:
- **Full name:** Juliett Richmond
- **Cause of death:** “Cancer of Bowel”
- **Date of death:** October 2, 1913
- **Date of birth:** September 8, 1848
- **Age at death:** 65 years, 22 days
- **Marital status:** Widow of Thomas Richmond
- **Burial location:** West Thompson Cemetery, Connecticut
**4. Symbols and Significance:**
- The mention of "Certified Copy" and the handwritten attestation symbolize the document's legal significance and authenticity as an official record of death.
- Details such as "Cancer of Bowel" and the absence of extended medical details suggest the state of medical documentation at the time, where brief descriptions sufficed.
---
**Technique Analysis:**
**1. Materials and Medium:**
- The document is a printed paper form with handwritten additions in ink, reflecting early 20th-century administrative practices.
**2. Brushstrokes and Mark-making:**
- The handwriting appears to be neat and legible, suggesting care in filling out the details. Different handwriting styles in specific areas, such as the undertaker's signature, indicate contributions by multiple people.
**3. Texture and Surface Quality:**
- The scanned image retains some texture from the original paper, likely of a slightly rough or pulpy quality typical of government records of this era.
**4. Skill and Precision:**
- The handwritten entries show careful penmanship, which would be essential in official records to ensure clarity. The structure of the document demonstrates the period's systematic approach to vital records.
---
**Transcription:**
**Medical Certificate of Death**
1. Full name of deceased: Juliett Richmond
2. Primary cause of death: Cancer of Bowel
3. Duration: [Not specified]
4. Secondary or contributory: None marked
5. Duration: [Not specified]
- "I hereby certify that I attended the deceased in [her?] last illness, and that the cause of death was as above stated."
- Signature: H. [Last name unclear, possibly Als?meen]
- Dated: Oct 2, 1913
**Undertaker’s Certificate: Personal and Statistical**
1. Full name of deceased: Juliett Richmond
2. Place of death – Town: Killingly
3. Number of families in house: [Field is blank]
4. Residence at time of death: Putnam, Conn.
5. Occupation: Housewife
6. Condition: Widow
7. If widow, give name of husband: Thomas Richmond
8. Date of death: Year 1913, Month Oct, Day 2
9. Date of birth: Year 1848, Month Sept, Day 8
10. Age: 65 years, 22 days
11. Sex: Female
12. Color: White
13. Birthplace – Town: Killingly, State or Country: Conn.
14. Father's name in full: Henry Mathew
15. Father’s birthplace – Town: [North?] Grosvenordale, State or Country: Conn.
16. Mother's maiden name: Lucy Carey
17. Mother’s birthplace – Town: North Grosvenordale, State or Country: Conn.
18. Place of burial: West Thompson Cemetery
19. Name of informant: Richmond & Dresser
20. Was body embalmed: Yes
- Undertaker's Signature: A.W. Elliott
- Address: Putnam, Conn.
---
**Historical and Cultural Context:**
This certificate serves as an important legal document that memorializes the life and death of Juliett Richmond, providing insight into the historical methods of documenting death in early 20th-century Connecticut. Its entries offer a glimpse into her family background, occupation, and even medical limitations of the time, as the cause of death is broadly stated without extensive medical detail. Her death from cancer at age 65 reflects the relatively shorter life expectancy and limited cancer treatments available in 1913.
**Emotional and Cultural Impact:**
For descendants and historians, this document is a valuable genealogical record. The formal, somber presentation adds gravity to the life it summarizes in brief lines, prompting a reflection on mortality and the bureaucratic handling of death records in this period. The meticulous data preservation showcases how family and cultural histories were documented, reinforcing connections to past generations and their lived experiences.
---
### Phase Two: Narrative Interpretation
**Title: "A Life Summarized: The Death Certificate of Juliett Richmond, 1913"**
The death certificate of Juliett Richmond is a legal document that, despite its clinical formality, encapsulates the essence of a life lived in the small towns of Connecticut in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Juliett, a 65-year-old woman, passed away on October 2, 1913, from bowel cancer, leaving behind records that reveal her as the widow of Thomas Richmond. Her birth on September 8, 1848, in Killingly, Connecticut, and her life until her death in nearby Putnam, frame her as a figure woven into the fabric of rural New England life.
The certificate, a "Certified Copy" priced at $5.00, bears two main sections: the "Medical Certificate of Death," briefly noting her cause of death as "Cancer of Bowel," and the "Undertaker’s Certificate: Personal and Statistical," which provides more depth into her life details—her parentage (Henry Mathew and Lucy Carey, both from North Grosvenordale), her residence, and her burial at West Thompson Cemetery. The straightforward, no-frills document mirrors the sober duty of recording death, a ritual both intimate and detached, factual yet heavy with implied finality.
Handwritten entries by different hands add a human touch to this government record, capturing the careful penmanship typical of early 20th-century legal forms. Each line offers a fact, yet together they sketch a life story: Juliett was a housewife, a mother perhaps, or a neighbor in her town, living her days quietly in Killingly and Putnam. Her death from cancer reminds us of the era’s medical limitations, and her age—65—reflects the life expectancy norms of her time.
In essence, Juliett Richmond’s death certificate is more than just a piece of paper; it is a window into a past life, into the ways people recorded, acknowledged, and remembered the departed.
3) How did the ChatGPT4 AI tool do with the transcription of this death certificate with typed words and handwritten words? My opinion is that the tool transcribed the typed words well, but the transcription of the handwriting for some items was wrong. For instance:
* The "Cause of Death" is clearly "Cancer of breast" not "Cancer of colon." The handwriting is cramped but readable.
* The "Place of Death" is "Putnam" No. "6 Church St." not "Killingly."
* The "Marital Status" should be "married" not "widowed." The line required the clerk to not cross out the correct word ("married") and cross out the incorrect words - in this case "single," "divorced" and "widowed."
* The "Birthplace" is "East Killingly," not "Killingly."
* The "Father's Name" is "Henry White," ot "Henry Matthew." The handwriting is unclear.
* The "Birthplace of Father" reads "Dont know," not "(North) Grosvenordale, Conn."
* The "Mother's Name" is "Amy Oatley," not "Lucy Carey."
* The "Birthplace of Mother" reads "Dont know," not "North Grosvenordale, Conn."
* The "Place of Burial" is "Putnam. Cemetery: Grove St." not "West Thompson Cemetery."
* The "Name of Informer" is "Thos Richmond, Address: Putnam" not "Richmond & Dresser." The handwriting is poor on this item.
* The "Name of Embalmer" and "License" were omitted from the transcription.
* The "Signature of Undertaker" is "H.E. Smith," not "A.W. Elliott."
4) What about the Phase One and Phase Two analysis of this record? I think this material is satisfactory, but I am not completely familiar with the described registration process.
I disagree with the statement "The handwriting appears to be neat and legible..." It is readily apparent from my list of dfferences that the handwriting was hard to read in some lines. The AI tool had difficulty reading some of the handwriting, and some items were not accurately transcribed when the handwriting was fairly clear.
Unfortunately, the errors in transcription carry over into the analysis of the record, so it says Juliett was "widowed," the cause of death was "cancer of bowel," and the parents names and birthplaces were wrong. All of those are critical pieces of information for a genealogist.
5) My final thoughts here are:
- AI seems to be wonderful, but the real value is in getting the details correct.
- We have to carefully review each transcription and analysis to ensure we have correct information.
- Some records (e.g., census records with their small print and many rows and columns) may not be easily analyzed by this AI prompt and tool.
- I think that these AI tools will constantly improve over time.
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