The Artificial Intelligence tools (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Meta, CoPilot and Claude) 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 family traveling from New York to Wisconsin in about 1845.
1) My first Prompt was: "My 3rd great-grandparents traveled from Jefferson County NY to Dodge County WI in about 1845. How might they have traveled, how long would it take, and how did they have food and lodging on the trip?"
The ChatGPT4 response was:
Traveling from Jefferson County, New York, to Dodge County, Wisconsin, in the 1840s would have been a long and demanding journey, taking about four to six weeks depending on the route and travel conditions. Here’s how they might have traveled and managed their food and lodging along the way:
Possible Routes and Modes of Travel
- Erie Canal and Great Lakes: Many families took advantage of the Erie Canal, which connected Albany to Buffalo. From Buffalo, they could board a steamboat or sail across the Great Lakes to Milwaukee or Chicago. From there, they could continue west by foot, wagon, or horseback to reach Dodge County.
- Overland by Wagon: If they avoided the Great Lakes, they might have traveled overland by wagon drawn by horses or oxen, using existing roads or trails that were often rough and unpredictable. This overland route was likely slower and physically demanding, as they’d have to cross several rivers and navigate varied terrain.
Travel Time
- Canal and Lake Route: Using the Erie Canal and Great Lakes, the journey would be shorter, possibly taking three to four weeks if weather and steamboat schedules cooperated.
- Overland Wagon Route: An overland trip would be longer, taking around six weeks, as the pace was much slower and dependent on the condition of horses, oxen, or even hand carts.
Food and Lodging
Food:
- Packed Provisions: They likely packed food that could last the journey, such as dried meats, hardtack, beans, and flour. Preserving foods by drying, salting, or pickling was common.
- Local Supplies: Along the canal or main roads, they could buy fresh food from farms, inns, or small settlements. Trading goods or labor for food was also possible.
- Fishing and Hunting: If the route included wilderness or water bodies, they could fish or hunt small game.
Lodging:
- Inns and Taverns: Inns were scattered along canals and major routes, though availability depended on their route. Staying at inns or taverns offered them a place to sleep, although families often slept in shared spaces or simple bunks.
- Camping: Families traveling by wagon often camped along the way, setting up temporary shelters using the wagon or canvas tents. For those traveling on a more remote route, they might sleep in the wagon itself or under open skies.
- Boarding Houses in Towns: They might occasionally stay in boarding houses or pay for lodging in a settler's home if they stopped in larger towns along the way.
This journey would have been an adventure with uncertain conditions, testing their resilience and resourcefulness. Families had to prepare for potential delays, repairs to the wagon, or finding replacements for livestock if needed.
3) My second prompt was: "How developed was Dodge County WI in 1845? What kind of housing and food was there then? What kind of work was done then?"
ChatGPT4 told me this:
In 1845, Dodge County, Wisconsin, was in its early stages of settlement and development. It was part of the western frontier, attracting pioneers drawn by inexpensive, fertile land. Here’s what life was like in the area at that time:
Development in Dodge County (1845)
- Population: The area was sparsely populated. Wisconsin was still a territory (statehood came in 1848), and settlers were just beginning to arrive in significant numbers. Dodge County's population was growing but consisted primarily of farmers, trappers, and a few merchants.
- Towns: Early settlements such as Beaver Dam, Horicon, and Juneau were beginning to form. These towns served as hubs for settlers, offering basic supplies and services.
- Land: Much of the land was still wilderness, requiring settlers to clear it for farming. Tall prairies and dense forests dominated the landscape, and clearing trees was labor-intensive but essential for building and agriculture.
Housing
Log Cabins:
- The most common housing for early settlers was the log cabin. These were simple, one-room structures made from trees felled on the property.
- Cabins typically had dirt floors, a stone fireplace for cooking and heating, and small, shuttered windows.
- Over time, families might expand their homes or replace them with frame houses as they prospered.
Boarding Houses or Shared Lodging:
- For newcomers without land yet, boarding with other families or living temporarily in shared accommodations was common.
DIY Construction:
- Most settlers built their homes themselves, often with help from neighbors in "house-raising" events. Homes were basic but functional, designed for survival rather than comfort.
Food
Agriculture:
- Settlers grew staple crops like wheat, corn, potatoes, and oats, which could be planted soon after clearing land.
- Vegetable gardens provided fresh produce, while fruit was scarce initially unless wild berries or orchard trees were found.
Hunting and Fishing:
- Deer, turkey, rabbits, and fish from local rivers and lakes supplemented diets. Hunting and fishing were necessary while crops were established.
Preserved Foods:
- Until crops matured, settlers relied on preserved foods brought from eastern states, including salted meat, dried beans, and flour. They baked bread and cooked simple meals over open hearths.
Community Mills:
- As settlements grew, gristmills were established to process wheat into flour, making bread more accessible.
Work
Farming:
- Clearing land for crops and livestock was the primary occupation. Settlers raised cattle, pigs, chickens, and sheep. Corn and wheat were staple crops.
Timber and Lumber:
- Logging was critical for construction and trade. The abundance of trees made lumber an essential resource for both local use and export.
Construction:
- Settlers built homes, barns, fences, roads, and public buildings. Many became skilled at carpentry and masonry.
Milling and Trade:
- Gristmills and sawmills were among the first businesses established. These mills supported agriculture and construction.
Domestic Work:
- Women and children contributed significantly by maintaining gardens, preserving food, making clothing, and managing household tasks.
Community Development:
- Establishing churches, schools, and trading posts became priorities as settlements grew.
Life for New Arrivals
For newcomers, life in Dodge County in 1845 meant hard work and resourcefulness. Settlers faced challenges such as:
- Clearing land and building homes before winter.
- Adjusting to unfamiliar wildlife, weather, and terrain.
- Coping with isolation and limited access to goods and services.
Despite these hardships, settlers were optimistic about building a better future. The fertile soil, abundant timber, and opportunities for self-sufficiency were significant draws for families looking to establish themselves in the new frontier.
4) I asked the same questions on Perplexity, and received similar answers. I recommend doing several AI tools because they may have been trained on different reference materials.
Perplexity also provides links and summary information from the Internet. In this case, their answers were informed by:
5) Is this information complete and accurate? We always have to confirm information that has been summarized, analyzed and presented by the AI Tools, and they may not be complete or accurate. This information looks pretty good to me, and appears to be derived from resources that rely on personal experiences from that era.
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Copyright (c) 2024, Randall J. Seaver
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