I've used FREE Artificial Intelligence tools to create biographies, poems and songs about my ancestors lives, genealogy research, and family history in the recent past. Today, I want to share a poem and a song about my second great-grandmother, Mary Jane (Sovereen) Kemp (1840-1874).
(image created by ChatGPT4)
1) Here is the information I used for a Prompt for the poem and the song lyrics: Please create a poem and song lyrics for: Mary Jane Sovereen was born 29
December 1840 in Fredericksburg, Norfolk County, Ontario, the
daughter of Alexander and Eliza (Putman) Sovereen. She was the first
of 14 siblings. Her father was of German origin, a farmer and
innkeeper. The family was the Baptist religion. Mary Jane married
James Abraham Kemp (1831-1902) on 10 March 1861 in Middleton, Norfolk
County, Ontario. James was a carpenter, farmer and innkeeper. They
had five children - Sarah Elizabeth Kemp (1862-1946), Seymour Kemp
(1864-1877), Melvina Marylis Kemp (1866-1929), Georgianna Kemp
(1868-1952) and James Alexander Kemp (1872-1934). In the 1871 Canada
census, the James Kemp family resided in Windham, Norfolk county,
Ontario, and Mary Jane was age 30, born in Ontario, of Baptist
religion, and was keeping house. Mary Jane (Sovereen) Kemp died 20
May 1874 of typhoid fever in Delhi, Norfolk County, Ontario, leaving
James with five young children aged 2 to 12. She is buried in Delhi
Cemetery and shares a gravestone with husband James and his second
wife.
2) I chose the poem created by Grok 3 today. Here are the stanzas:
MARY JANE'S LULLABY
Beneath the skies of Fredericksburg’s embrace,
On winter’s end, the 29th of December’s grace,
Mary Jane was born to earth’s sweet call,
Daughter of Alexander and Eliza Putman, standing tall.
First of fourteen, a sister strong and true,
In Norfolk’s fields where Baptist roots grew,
A German father tilled the land with care,
An innkeeper’s hearth warmed the air.
Then came James Abraham Kemp, her heart’s own flame,
A carpenter, farmer, innkeeper of name,
On March’s breath, the 10th of ’61,
Two souls were wed, their journey begun.
From love’s rich soil, five blossoms sprang,
Sarah Elizabeth, with life so long to sing,
Seymour, a fleeting star, too soon to fade,
Melvina Marylis, a tender light arrayed.
Georgianna followed, steadfast and bright,
James Alexander, the youngest in sight,
In Windham’s home, by ’71 she stood,
A mother weaving joy through motherhood.
But typhoid’s shadow crept in May’s cruel bloom,
On the 20th of ’74, it sealed her doom,
At thirty-three, she slipped from earthly care,
Leaving James and babes in sorrow’s stare.
In Delhi’s quiet earth, her rest is found,
A gravestone shared where love is bound,
With Alexander, Eliza, her roots so deep,
Mary Jane’s spirit eternal we keep.
Sarah, Seymour, Melvina, Georgianna too,
James Alexander, her legacy grew,
A life too brief, yet endlessly sown,
Mary Jane Sovereen Kemp, forever known.
3) Here is the AI created song and lyrics for "Mary Jane's Lullaby" (with song lyrics created on Grok 3 used as custom lyrics on Suno.com), using a folk ballad style in a medium tempo:
"Mary Jane’s Lullaby"
[Verse 1]
In Fredericksburg’s winter, the snow gently fell,
December’s last whisper, a story to tell,
Alexander and Eliza, with love in their hands,
Brought Mary Jane forth to Ontario’s lands.
First of fourteen, a light in their care,
A farmer’s strong daughter, with dreams in the air.
[Verse 2]
James Abraham Kemp, with hammer and plow,
An innkeeper’s promise, a carpenter’s vow,
In Middleton’s March, their hands intertwined,
A life built together, a love so defined.
Baptist and steadfast, she tended the home,
A family took root where her spirit would roam.
[Chorus]
Oh, Mary Jane, your flame burned so bright,
A mother, a daughter, a beacon of light,
Through fields and through seasons, your heart carried on,
In Delhi’s still silence, your song isn’t gone.
[Verse 3]
Five little souls, her joy and her pride,
Sarah Elizabeth, with years by her side,
Seymour, then Melvina, Georgianna’s sweet face,
James Alexander crowned her tender embrace.
In Windham’s soft cradle, by ’71’s call,
She held them so close, the heart of it all.
[Bridge]
But fever came creeping, a thief in the spring,
Typhoid’s cold shadow took flight on its wing,
At thirty-three summers, she slipped from the day,
Left James and her children to mourn her away.
In Delhi’s green graveyard, her name softly lies,
A gravestone of echoes beneath quiet skies.
[Chorus]
Oh, Mary Jane, your flame burned so bright,
A mother, a daughter, a beacon of light,
Through fields and through seasons, your heart carried on,
In Delhi’s still silence, your song isn’t gone.
[Verse 4]
The years rolled ahead, her legacy grew,
Sarah, Melvina, Georgianna too,
James Alexander carried her name through the years,
Seymour’s young echo still rings in their tears.
Though time took her body, her spirit holds fast,
A mother eternal, a love unsurpassed.
[Outro]
Oh, Mary Jane, the winds softly sing,
A lullaby lifted on memory’s wing,
From Norfolk’s deep roots to the stars up above,
Rest now, sweet Mary Jane, in infinite love.
The AI tools do this so much better than I could, and weaves the poem and song along a story theme that is true and heartfelt. Each tool provides a different poem and song from the same prompt --I love fishing in all of the AI streams!! Frankly, doing the poems and song are the most genealogy fun I have every week!
4) These stories, told in verse and song, are part of my genealogy and family research. My hope is that they will be passed down to my grandchildren and their descendants to highlight the importance of sharing stories, memories, admiration, and love of our ancestors. I will add them to my Google Drive and to my YouTube channel and my FOREVER account.
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My blog posts with the AI-created poems and songs to date are on this AI and Genealogy Compendium page.
Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver
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