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-grandfather, James Abraham Kemp (1831-1902).
(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: James Abraham Kemp was born 22 May 1831 in Hillier, Prince Edward County, Ontario, the son of Abraham Kemp and Sarah Fletcher. He had 10 siblings. His father was a farmer. In the 1851 Canada West census, he was age 21, a labourer, of Wesleyan Methodist religion, residing in Ameliasburg, Prince Edward County, Ontario. He moved to Delhi, Norfolk County, Ontario around 1855, seeking better opportunities. In some records, he is listed as an innkeeper and there was a Kemp’s Hotel in Fredericksburg, Norfolk county in the early 1870s. In the 1861 Canada West census, James was age 28, a carpenter, born in Upper Canada, residing in Middleton, Norfolk county, Ontario.
James married Mary Jane Sovereen (1840-1874) on 10 March 1861 in Middleton, Norfolk County, Ontario. 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 James was age 40, born in Ontario, of Wesleyan Methodist religion, and a carpenter. Mary Jane (Sovereen) Kemp died 20 May 1874 of typhoid fever, leaving James with five young children. James Abraham Kemp married, secondly, to Melissa Wilson (1840-1902) on 16 November 1876 in Bell Ewart Innisfil, Simcoe County, Ontario. He was age 42, a widower, a builder, a resident of Norfolk County. They had one child: Alfred Francis Edward Kemp (1880-1953).
In the 1881 Canada census, the James A. Kemp family resided in Middleton township, Norfolk County, Ontario. James was age 49, married, a carpenter, of Wesleyan Methodist religion. His wife Melissa and his three youngest children lived with him. In the 1891 Canada census, the James A. Kemp family resided in Middleton township, Norfolk County, Ontario. James was age 58, married, a carpenter, of Wesleyan Methodist religion. His wife Melissa and his youngest child lived with him. In the 1901 Canada census, the James A. Kemp family resided in Delhi Village, Norfolk County, Ontario. James was age 69, married, a farmer, of Baptist religion. His wife Melissa and his three youngest child lived with him. James Abraham Kemp died 19 September 1902 in Delhi of acute indigestion and hart failure. He was age 70, married, a farmer, of Baptist religion. His wife Melissa died 9 days later. James and his two wives are buried in Delhi Cemetery in Delhi, Norfolk county, Ontario. His will was written 25 March 1802 and left $5 to his four older children and provided the majority of his estate to his youngest son, Alfred, under the condition that he would provide care for Melissa while she remained a widow. Family stories about James A. Kemp include that he was a skilled carpenter, joiner and innkeeper.
2) I chose the poem created by Grok 3 today. Here are the stanzas:
THE CARPENTER'S HANDS
Beneath the skies of Hillier’s green embrace,
On May the twenty-second, thirty-one,
A boy was born, the tenth in humble grace,
James Abraham, a farmer’s sturdy son.
With siblings ten, in Prince Edward’s wide land,
He grew 'mid fields, a Wesleyan at heart,
A laborer young, with calloused, eager hand,
In Ameliasburg, his story found its start.
To Norfolk then, ambition drew him near,
By five-and-fifty, seeking better days,
An innkeeper’s sign, a carpenter’s clear cheer,
Kemp’s Hotel rose proud in Fredericksburg’s haze.
With Mary Jane, his bride in sixty-one,
Five children came, their laughter filled the air—
Sarah, Seymour, Melvina, joy begun,
Georgianna, James, a lineage fair.
Yet sorrow struck, typhoid’s cruel decree,
Took Mary Jane in seventy-four’s dark spring,
A widower left, with five to raise, to be
Both father, mother, mending every sting.
But love returned, Melissa joined his side,
In seventy-six, at Bell Ewart they wed,
A builder still, with Alfred, joy revived,
A family forged where grief once fiercely tread.
Through Middleton’s broad township, years unfurled,
A carpenter’s craft in wood and nail took flight,
His faith held firm, Wesleyan’s quiet world,
Till Baptist hymns sang soft in Delhi’s night.
At sixty-nine, a farmer’s life he claimed,
With Melissa near, and children growing tall,
A life of toil, of love, of hands well-aimed,
In Norfolk’s soil, he answered nature’s call.
September nineteen, nineteen hundred-two,
The heart gave out, digestion’s sharp decline,
At seventy years, his earthly race ran through,
Melissa followed, nine days past the line.
In Delhi’s earth, with wives, he rests at peace,
A will to Alfred, care for widow’s years,
Five dollars each, to elder kin’s release,
A craftsman’s life, etched deep in love and tears
From inn to field, from chisel’s edge to plow,
James Abraham, a soul of grit and skill,
A joiner’s art, a father’s steadfast vow,
Lives on in tales where memory holds still.
3) Here is the AI created song and lyrics for "The Carpenter's Hands" (with song lyrics created on Grok 3 used as custom lyrics on Suno.com), using a folk ballad style in an upbeat tempo:
THE CARPENTER'S HANDS
[Verse 1]Born in Hillier’s springtime glow, eighteen-thirty-one,Tenth of eleven, farmer’s kin, beneath Ontario’s sun.Fields of Prince Edward shaped his hands, a Wesleyan soul so true,A laborer’s life at twenty-one, with dreams he’d soon pursue.[Verse 2]To Delhi’s call he wandered far, by eighteen-fifty-five,An innkeeper’s sign, a carpenter’s pride, kept hope and hearth alive.With Mary Jane, he took his stand, five children blessed their years,But typhoid stole her gentle hand, left James with silent tears.[Chorus]Oh, James, you carved your way through time,From plank to plow, a steadfast climb,Through love and loss, your heart held sway,James Abraham, you built your day.[Verse 3]Melissa came, a second chance, in seventy-six they swore,A builder’s life in Norfolk’s span, with Alfred at their door.Through Middleton’s wide township green, his chisel found its song,A Wesleyan faith, then Baptist peace, where he’d always belong.[Chorus]Oh, James, you carved your way through time,From plank to plow, a steadfast climb,Through love and loss, your heart held sway,James Abraham, you built your day.[Verse 4]At sixty-nine, the fields he claimed, a farmer’s final stand,With Melissa near, his children grown, in Delhi’s quiet land.September brought his rest at last, nineteen hundred-two,Heart gave out, nine days she passed, two souls forever true.[Bridge]From inn to home, from wood to will,A craftsman’s mark on every hill,Five dollars left to elder kin,To Alfred’s care, his last begin—A life of grit, of sweat, of grace,James Abraham, your timeless place.[Chorus]Oh, James, you carved your way through time,From plank to plow, a steadfast climb,Through love and loss, your heart held sway,James Abraham, you built your day.[Outro]Now Delhi holds your resting ground, beside your loves so near,A joiner’s tale, a father’s sound, in stories we still hear.James Abraham, your road runs long, through wood and earth and stone,A life well-lived, a builder’s song, forever now your own.
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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