Artificial Intelligence tools can provide social and historical information about how our ancestors lived their daily lives - housing, family, work, community, social life, etc.
I have lived all of my life in an urban setting, with office employment, a home with modern conveniences, stores for purchased materials and food, ease of travel locally and nationally, varied entertainment at home or in the community, and much more. I have no idea how my ancestors lived and survived, say, 140 years ago. I wanted to find out.
1) My prompt for the free AI tool Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 was: "Please describe a 'Day In the Life of My 3rd Great Grandmother in 1885.' She was a boot and shoemaker's wife named Sarah (Knapp) Auble (born in 1818, died 1904) and resided in Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana in the 1865 to 1900 time frame. She and David Auble (born in 1817, died in 1894) married in about 1844 and had six children born between 1845 and 1860; one son (William) was married in 1880 and lived in Danville; two daughters (Fannie and Kate) never married; one daughter (Anna) married in 1888; one son (Charles, a painter) married in 1899; the sixth child (Cora) died in 1876 at age 16 unmarried. In 1885, the Auble family resided at 411 Chestnut Street in Terre Haute and David had a shoemaker shop nearby. What would Sarah do each day in 1885? What features would their home have? How big a house was typical in 1885 for a family with two parents and four adult children? How was the house furnished? Assume that they were not self-sufficient for food and had to buy supplies on a regular basis."
The AI Claude Sonnet 4 response:
2) I was curious about entertainment. My prompt was: "What might the family do for entertainment on a weekend?"A Day in the Life of Sarah Auble - Summer 1885, Terre Haute, Indiana
Sarah rises before dawn at half past five, as she has for decades. The wooden floors creak under her feet as she makes her way to the kitchen in her cotton wrapper and slippers. At 67, her joints remind her of every chore, but the household rhythm is deeply ingrained. She kindles the fire in the cast-iron cookstove, grateful that David had the gas lines run to their Chestnut Street home two years prior - though she still prefers wood for baking.
The Auble house is a modest two-story frame dwelling typical of Terre Haute's working-class neighborhoods. With six rooms total - a front parlor, dining room, and kitchen downstairs, plus three bedrooms upstairs - it feels cramped with four adult children still at home. Fannie and Kate share the smaller back bedroom, while Charles has the front room. Anna sleeps in the same room as her parents, though that will change when she marries in three years.
By six o'clock, Sarah has coffee brewing and is slicing yesterday's bread. The icebox holds butter, milk, and leftover cold beef from Sunday's dinner. She'll need to visit Hoffman's Grocery later for flour and sugar - David's cobbler business provides steady income, but every penny counts with so many mouths to feed. The house has running water now, a marvel that still amazes her, though they share a privy in the backyard with the neighbors.
The parlor showcases their modest prosperity: a horsehair sofa, two upholstered chairs, a center table with a kerosene lamp, and David's pride - a small upright piano that Kate plays on Sunday evenings. Ingrain carpets cover the main rooms, while rag rugs warm the bedroom floors. The dining room holds their walnut table and six chairs, with Sarah's good china displayed in a corner cupboard.
As the family gathers for breakfast, Sarah serves oatmeal porridge, fried eggs, and bacon. David leaves for his shop two blocks away by seven-thirty, while Charles heads to his job at the paint shop. The unmarried daughters help with morning dishes - a task made easier by the kitchen's wooden sink and hand pump, though water must still be heated on the stove.
Sarah's morning is spent in the endless cycle of household management. She sweeps the downstairs rooms, shakes the rugs, and tends to the laundry soaking in the wooden tubs on the back porch. Monday is wash day, and with six adults in the house, the task is formidable. She and her daughters take turns at the washboard, then hang clothes on lines strung between the house and the carriage house where they stable their horse.
Around ten o'clock, she walks to the market district along Wabash Avenue. Her marketing basket fills with necessities: five pounds of flour, coffee beans, a small piece of salt pork, onions, and potatoes. She stops at the dry goods store for thread and buttons - Kate's dress needs mending, and Charles has worn through another shirt collar. The neighborhood is bustling with other housewives on similar errands, and Sarah exchanges pleasantries about the weather and local gossip.
Dinner preparation begins early. Today she's making beef stew with dumplings, using the tough cuts that become tender with long, slow cooking. The kitchen grows warm from the stove, and she's grateful for the cross-breeze through the windows she had David install screens for last summer. The dining room fills at noon when David returns from the shop for the main meal of the day.
The afternoon brings quieter tasks. Sarah sits in the kitchen with her mending basket, darning socks and patching work clothes while keeping an eye on the bread rising for tomorrow. Kate helps with the ironing, using the heavy flatirons heated on the stove. The repetitive work allows for conversation - they discuss Anna's beau, worry about Charles's late nights, and wonder whether William and Mary will visit from Danville this autumn and bring their granddaughter Bessie.
As evening approaches, Sarah prepares a lighter supper of cold meat, cheese, bread, and preserved peaches from last summer's canning. The family gathers around the dining table lit by kerosene lamps, sharing the day's news. David's shop had steady business - three repairs and a new pair of boots ordered. Charles mentions painting a large house and railroad talk of expansion. The daughters share neighborhood news gleaned from afternoon visits with friends.
After supper, the family moves to the parlor. Kate plays hymns on the piano while Sarah works on her latest quilt square. David reads the Terre Haute Weekly Gazette aloud, sharing news of the growing city and the wider world. By nine o'clock, the kerosene lamps are extinguished, and the household settles into sleep.
Sarah's last task is checking the kitchen, banking the coals in the stove, and setting the coffee pot ready for morning. She climbs the narrow stairs, her hand trailing along the wooden banister worn smooth by years of use. In the bedroom she shares with David, she removes her daily dress and hangs it carefully in the wardrobe before slipping into her cotton nightgown.
As she lies in the iron bedstead with its rope springs and corn-husk mattress, Sarah reflects on the day's small victories and tomorrow's challenges. The house around her holds the breathing of her family - children who are no longer children but not yet fully independent. At 67, she has seen Terre Haute grow from a frontier town to a thriving city, but her world remains centered on this house, these people, and the endless, essential work of keeping a family fed, clothed, and cared for.
The AI Claude Sonnet 4 response was:
Weekend Entertainment for the Auble Family - 1885
Saturday Evenings: After David closes the cobbler shop early on Saturday afternoon, the family often gathers in the parlor for music. Kate plays popular songs like "Beautiful Dreamer" or "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" on their upright piano, while the family sings along. Sarah might work on her needlepoint while listening, and David sometimes pulls out his harmonica to accompany Kate's playing.
The unmarried daughters, Fannie and Kate, occasionally attend Saturday evening socials at the Methodist church they belong to - supervised gatherings with other young adults featuring parlor games, charades, and group singing. Charles, now 25, might visit one of Terre Haute's respectable saloons with friends from his paint shop, though Sarah worries about his drinking habits.
Sunday Activities: Sunday begins with the entire family attending morning services at their Methodist church. Sarah wears her best black wool dress with jet buttons, while David dons his Sunday suit. The service includes hymn singing, which the musical Auble family particularly enjoys.
Sunday dinner is the week's most elaborate meal. Sarah prepares roast chicken or beef with all the trimmings - mashed potatoes, green beans from their kitchen garden, fresh bread, and perhaps a cake or pie. The extended meal allows for leisurely family conversation.
Sunday Afternoon Diversions: After dinner, the family might take a carriage ride through Terre Haute's growing residential districts or out to the countryside. David enjoys showing off their horse and buggy, modest though it is. They sometimes visit Deming Park, where families stroll the paths and children play.
The family often receives or pays social calls on Sunday afternoons - visiting David's relatives or Sarah's acquaintances from church. These formal visits involve sitting in parlors, discussing local news, and sharing refreshments. Anna might accompany her parents to meet suitable young men and their families.
Home Entertainment: Sunday evenings often feature family reading sessions. David might read aloud from the Bible or popular novels like those by Charles Dickens. The family enjoys parlor games - Twenty Questions, charades, or card games like Authors or Old Maid (though they avoid gambling games).
Sarah sometimes invites neighbors over for Sunday evening gatherings, serving coffee and cake while the adults discuss local politics, church matters, and neighborhood news. Kate's piano playing often provides background entertainment.
Seasonal Activities: In summer, the family might attend band concerts in the town square or church picnics with basket lunches. They occasionally take the train to nearby parks or lakes for day outings.
Winter evenings are spent around the parlor stove, with Sarah reading ladies' magazines like Godey's Lady's Book while David works on shoe repairs he's brought home. The daughters might practice their penmanship or work on embroidery projects.
Special Occasions: For birthdays or holidays, the family hosts larger gatherings with extended relatives and close friends. These might feature more elaborate meals, musical performances, and party games. Christmas brings gift-giving (though modest), carol singing, and special church services.
Community Events: The Aubles occasionally attend lectures at the local lyceum, where traveling speakers discuss topics like temperance, politics, or exotic travel. They might also attend traveling theatrical performances or circuses when they visit Terre Haute.
Charles sometimes escorts his sisters to local dances or social events, serving as their proper chaperone. The family attends community celebrations like Fourth of July parades and speeches, where David's status as an established tradesman gives them a respectable social position.
Reading and Self-Improvement: The family subscribes to newspapers and occasionally purchases popular books. Sarah enjoys domestic advice literature, while the daughters read romantic novels (though Sarah monitors their choices carefully). David follows political news and trade publications related to his cobbler business.
These entertainments reflect the Aubles' position as respectable working-class citizens - not wealthy enough for elaborate diversions, but prosperous enough to afford modest pleasures and maintain their social standing in Terre Haute's growing community.
3) Prompt 3: "What clothes would Sarah wear for her daily activities and going to church on Sunday?"
The AI Claude Sonnet 4 response:
Sarah Auble's Wardrobe - 1885
Daily Work Clothing:
For her everyday household duties, 67-year-old Sarah dresses practically but respectably. She begins each day in her cotton wrapper (a loose house robe) and slippers while starting the fire and preparing breakfast. Once the family is up, she changes into her daily work dress.
Her typical work dress is made of sturdy cotton or wool blend in a dark color - navy blue, brown, or black - that won't show stains from cooking and cleaning. The dress features a fitted bodice with small buttons down the front, a high neckline with a white cotton collar that can be removed for washing, and long sleeves that she rolls up for messy tasks. The skirt falls to her ankles and is full enough to allow movement but not so full as to be impractical around the stove.
Over this, Sarah wears a large white cotton apron that covers most of her dress front and ties around her waist. She owns several aprons - some plain for daily use, others with simple embroidered trim for when neighbors might call. Her petticoat is made of sturdy cotton, and she wears a corset laced more loosely than a younger woman might, for comfort during long days of physical work.
For footwear, she chooses practical black leather boots that lace up to mid-calf - sturdy shoes made by David in his shop, designed for standing on kitchen floors and walking to market. Her stockings are thick cotton or wool, depending on the season.
Sarah keeps her graying hair pinned up in a simple chignon at the back of her neck, practical for kitchen work. She might wear a small cotton cap while cooking to keep hair away from food and protect it from cooking odors.
Marketing and Errands:
When leaving the house for grocery shopping or social calls, Sarah adds respectability to her outfit. She exchanges her work apron for a smaller, more decorative one or removes it entirely. She dons a dark wool shawl or cape for warmth and modesty, and replaces her house cap with a simple bonnet tied under her chin - black or dark brown straw with minimal ribbon trim.
For carrying purchases, she uses a sturdy wicker marketing basket with handles, essential for her daily trips to the grocer and dry goods store.
Sunday Church Attire:
Sarah's Sunday best reflects her family's modest prosperity and social respectability. Her finest dress is made of good-quality wool in black or very dark navy - appropriate for a woman her age and station. The dress features:
A high neckline with white lace collar and cuffs
Fitted bodice with small jet or bone buttons down the front
Long sleeves that button at the wrists
A bustle pad worn beneath the skirt to achieve the fashionable silhouette
Skirt length that just touches the ground
Over this she wears her best black wool cape or mantle with a small collar, fastened with a simple brooch that was a wedding gift decades ago. Her Sunday bonnet is more elaborate - black straw or velvet with ribbon trim and perhaps a small feather, tied with wide ribbons under her chin.
For footwear, she has black leather boots with a slight heel, made by David with extra care and featuring small buttons up the side. These are polished weekly and reserved strictly for church and formal occasions.
Sarah owns black kid gloves for church, and in winter adds a muff to keep her hands warm during the walk to services. Her Sunday handbag is a small black leather reticule that holds her prayer book, handkerchief, and perhaps a few coins for the collection plate.
Undergarments and Accessories:
Regardless of the occasion, Sarah wears:
Cotton chemise as the base layer
Corset with steel boning (laced looser for work, tighter for church)
Cotton drawers that button at the waist and tie at the knees
Petticoats - one or two depending on the dress
Cotton or wool stockings held up with garters
Her jewelry is minimal but meaningful - her gold wedding band, perhaps small gold earrings, and for Sunday, a simple brooch or watch pin on her dress bodice.
Seasonal Variations:
In summer, Sarah's work dresses are lighter cotton in similar dark colors. She might wear a sunbonnet with a deep brim when hanging laundry or tending the kitchen garden. Winter brings heavier wool fabrics, and she adds woolen shawls and warmer capes.
For sleeping, she wears a long cotton nightgown with long sleeves and high neckline, and in winter adds a flannel bed jacket for extra warmth.
Care and Maintenance:
Sarah owns perhaps three or four work dresses that she rotates, plus her Sunday best and one "second-best" dress for special occasions. She spends considerable time maintaining these garments - washing, mending, pressing, and altering as needed. The dark colors are chosen specifically to hide stains and wear, while the simple styles allow for easy laundering and repair.
This wardrobe reflects both the practical demands of Sarah's daily life and the social expectations of a respectable tradesman's wife in 1885 Terre Haute - modest but clean, practical but proper, reflecting her family's position in the community's social hierarchy.
4) I was expecting this wealth of information from the relatively simple prompts, and did not ask for more detail (other than the weekend activity and Sarah's clothing). I am thankful for the information about life of an older woman in the 1880s in a thriving small Indiana city.
OpenAI ChatGPT4 and X.ai Grok 3 were also prompted to provide this informaiton, and the responses were different but similar.
I have a great appreciation for the wives of daily workers who contributed to making the lives of their children possible. Each of our ancestors had a full life filled with daily activities and responsibilities, seeing family and friends, and dealing effectively with all the people in their household.
A similar question might be interesting in the early 1860s when this Auble family had six children below age 18 and resided in Newark, New Jersey.
Links to my blog posts about using Artificial Intelligence are on my Randy's AI and Genealogy page. Links to AI information and articles about Artificial Intelligence in Genealogy by other genealogists are on my AI and Genealogy Compendium page.
Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver
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