The Claude (now Sonnet 4) artificial intelligence tool can be used to write family-friendly biographies of my ancestors that might interest and engage my relatives and descendants to help them learn about and understand their ancestry. Using the ABC method described in Using Artificial Intelligence In the Ancestor Biography Creation (ABC) Process, here is one ancestor biography.
2) For the Claude AI biography, I attached the PDF of the genealogical sketch for the specific ancestor using the plus (+) icon, and then prompted the AI tool with: "You are an expert genealogist. Please create a draft biography from the attached file, including parents, siblings, spouses and children (with birth and death dates and places), summarize life events, and add historical facts as appropriate, but do not add or embellish any extra genealogical details. Use section headings. Expand the information in each section to add more details. The tone should be engaging and suitable for family members."
Sarah G. (Knapp) Auble (1818-1904):
A Life Well Lived
Early Life and Family Origins
Sarah G. Knapp was born in January 1818, most likely in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, during a time when the young American nation was still finding its footing after the War of 1812. She entered the world as the eighth child in what would become a large and accomplished family of eleven children.
Her parents, William and Sarah (Cutter) Knapp, had built a substantial household that would prove to be quite remarkable for its time. Sarah was the third of four daughters in this bustling family, surrounded by siblings who would go on to make their own marks in the world. Her brothers and sisters included Joseph C. Knapp (1805), Samuel C. Knapp (1806-1852), Cyrus C. Knapp (1809-1872), Catharine Knapp (1810-1889), Benjamin Knapp (1811-1857), Charles C. Knapp (1813-1888), Hannah Maria Knapp (1816-1903), William Knapp (1823-1860), Manning M. Knapp (1825-1892), and the youngest, Elsie Morford Knapp (1831-1903).
The Move to Newton
Before Sarah reached her twelfth birthday, the Knapp family made a significant decision that would shape her formative years. William Knapp moved his large family to Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey, sometime before 1830, where he established a boot and shoe shop. This move represented the entrepreneurial spirit that seemed to run in the family and provided young Sarah with her first glimpse of small-town business life.
Newton, nestled in the rolling hills of northwestern New Jersey, was a growing community that offered opportunities for ambitious families like the Knapps. Here, Sarah spent her teenage years watching her father build his business while her siblings began to make their own ways in the world.
Marriage and New Beginnings
In 1844, at the age of 26, Sarah married David Auble, a local young man who shared her family's work ethic and values. David, born in 1817 in Sussex County, was the son of John and Anna (Row) Auble. Though no official marriage record survives, the timing is confirmed by the birth of their first child around 1845, and David's 1894 obituary specifically mentions their 1844 marriage.
The marriage connected Sarah to another established local family and, more importantly, to a man who would prove to be a devoted husband and father. David's obituary would later praise him as one of Terre Haute's "most honored citizens," known for his "strict and honest business practices."
Building a Family in Newark
After their marriage, David and Sarah made their first major move as a couple, relocating to Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. This bustling industrial city offered greater opportunities for David's boot and shoe making trade, and it was here that they would welcome and raise most of their children.
Their family grew steadily through the 1840s and 1850s:
William A. Auble (born about 1845) would eventually make his way to Indiana, and marry Mary Louise Thompson in 1880 in Terre Haute. His death date and place are not known.
Frances Mary "Fannie" Auble (October 1846) remained devoted to her family throughout her life, never marrying, and eventually became a teacher. She would live until 1917, dying at age 70 in Keokuk, Iowa.
Charles Auble (October 31, 1849) would become a painter residing in Chicago, and later marry Georgianna Kemp in Milwaukee in 1898, eventually settling in San Diego where he died in 1916.
Katherine "Kate" Auble (October 3, 1851) also remained single and devoted to family, living to the remarkable age of 88 before her death in 1940 in Keokuk, Iowa.
Anna Mattison Auble (February 24, 1859) would marry Henry Shannon Buntin in 1888 and provide a loving home for her mother and sisters in their later years.
Cora A. Auble (October 28, 1860) was the family's heartbreak, dying at just 15 years old in 1876 in Terre Haute.
Life in Newark
The census records paint a picture of a hardworking, stable family making their way in industrial Newark. In 1850, the family lived in the West Ward, where David worked as a boot and shoe man while Sarah managed their growing household. The older children attended school, reflecting the family's commitment to education.
By 1860, they had moved to Newark's Fourth Ward, and David was working in a shoe store, having accumulated $500 worth of personal property – a respectable sum for the time. The family continued to prioritize education, with the school-age children all attending classes regularly.
The Great Move West
Sometime after 1867, the Auble family made a momentous decision that would define Sarah's later years. They packed up their established life in Newark and headed west to Terre Haute, Indiana, joining the great wave of Americans seeking new opportunities in the expanding nation.
This move was facilitated by family connections – Sarah's brother Manning M. Knapp had purchased property in Terre Haute in 1867, and on August 1, 1870, Sarah bought this land from Manning and his wife Anna for $2,000. This transaction established the family at 411 Chestnut Street, which would become Sarah's home for the rest of her husband's life.
Terre Haute Years
Terre Haute in the 1870s was a thriving railroad town, and the Auble family found their place in this growing community. David continued his boot and shoe making trade, eventually operating a shop on Main Street where he became known for his integrity and honest business practices.
The 1870 census (which mistakenly listed David as "Daniel") shows the family well-established, with David owning $2,500 worth of real estate and $200 in personal property. Their daughter Mary (Frances) had become a teacher, demonstrating the family's continued emphasis on education and respectable employment.
By 1880, the family had settled comfortably at 40 Chestnut Street (later remembered as 411 Chestnut Street). Several of the adult children remained at home, including Charles, who had become a painter, and daughters Fannie, Katherine, and Anna, all still single and contributing to the household.
Widowhood and Family Devotion
Sarah's life took a significant turn on March 22, 1894, when David passed away at age 77 after being an invalid for two years and confined to home for over a year. His obituary revealed the depth of respect he had earned in the community and highlighted Sarah's distinguished family connections, particularly her brother Manning M. Knapp, who had served seventeen years on New Jersey's Supreme Court bench.
At age 76, Sarah found herself widowed but surrounded by devoted children. The 1900 census shows her living at 411 Chestnut Street with daughters Frances and Catherine, with Frances serving as head of household and working as a teacher while owning the home free of mortgage.
Final Years in Illinois
After 1900, Sarah made her final move, joining her daughter Anna (Auble) Buntin and her family in Bushnell, Illinois. This arrangement allowed her to spend her final years surrounded by family, including her grandchildren David Campbell Buntin (born 1889), Catherine Buntin (born 1892), and Henry Shannon Buntin (born 1895).
Legacy and Death
Sarah G. (Knapp) Auble died on September 1, 1904, in Bushnell, Illinois, at the age of 86. She was laid to rest in Bushnell Cemetery, having lived through some of the most transformative decades in American history – from the early republic of her birth through the Civil War, Industrial Revolution, and into the dawn of the 20th century.
(Sarah Auble gravestone, Bushnell, Indiana, courtesy of Find A Grave)
Her life exemplified the experiences of many 19th-century American women: born into a large family in rural New Jersey, married young, raised children while supporting her husband's business endeavors, and adapted to multiple moves as the family sought better opportunities. Through it all, she maintained strong family bonds and instilled values of education, hard work, and integrity that carried forward through her children and grandchildren.
The Knapp Family Legacy
Sarah's family connections proved to be a source of pride throughout her life. Her brother Manning M. Knapp's distinguished judicial career brought honor to the family name, while her brother Charles C. Knapp became a respected citizen of Terre Haute. These connections illustrate the upward mobility and success that characterized many American families of this era who emphasized education, hard work, and moral character.
Sarah's story is ultimately one of resilience, family devotion, and the quiet strength that characterized countless American women of her generation who helped build communities and raise families during the nation's most dynamic period of growth and change.
3) A poem and song lyrics to commemorate the life of Sarah (Knapp) Auble (1818-1904) can be found in "Sarah's Footprints of Love" --- A Family History Poem and Song Created by Artificial Intelligence. The song created from the song lyrics can be heard in that blog post, and below:
4) An audio overview (essentially a podcast created by the Google ContentLM AI tool) discussing the life of Sarah (Knapp) Auble (1818-1904) can be heard at https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/be0b30ea-9753-4695-8cf3-7cb9ec6d40d5/audio.
5) An AI-assisted "Day In the Life of Sarah Auble" description is in Ask AI: "Please Describe a Day in the Life of My 3rd Great-Grandmother, Sarah (Knapp) Auble (1818-1904) in 1885 in Terre Haute, Indiana."
6) The ABC Biography of David Auble (1817-1894) can be found at ABC Biography of #28 David Auble (1817-1894) of New Jersey and Indiana.
7) I lightly edited the Claude biography text to add more family detail and correct minor errors. Every large language model (LLM) AI tool writes descriptive text much better than I can write. I was an aerospace engineer in my former life, and my research reports and genealogical sketches reflect "just the facts gleaned from my research." The AI tools are very perceptive, insightful and create readable text in seconds, including local and national historical events and social history detail.
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