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.
1) I wrote genealogical sketches for almost every known ancestor back through 9 generations in blog posts based on 38 years of genealogical research in my 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies series. The genealogical sketch for my 3rd great-grandfather, John Richman (1788-1867), #40 on my Ahnentafel List), including family members, record abstracts and sources, is 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 33: #40 John Richman (1788-1867).
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(John Richman in about 1865, from family sources, colorized by MyHeritage)
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 biography based on information in 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."
3) Here is the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 biography:
John Richman (1788-1867): A Life in Wiltshire
Early Life and Family Origins
John Richman was born around 1788 in the village of Hilperton, Wiltshire, England, during the final years of King George III's reign. While the exact date of his birth remains uncertain due to sparse church records of the era, census data suggests he was born between 1788 and 1792. His parents were likely John and Mary (Parsons) Richman. Interestingly, a baptismal record exists for a "John Rich" on September 27, 1789, in Hilperton—the child of John and Mary Rich. This may well be our John Richman, as the family occasionally used the shortened surname "Rich," a common practice in rural England at the time.
Parents and Siblings
John grew up as part of a large family typical of the late 18th century. His parents, John and Mary (Parsons) Richman, had eight children in total:The family experienced the heartbreak common to the era, losing two children in infancy. John's survival to adulthood was fortunate, as infant mortality rates in late 18th-century England were tragically high.
- Thomas Richman (1775-1851) - the eldest son
- Ann Richman (1777-1779) - died in infancy
- Joseph Richman (1779-1865) - lived to age 86
- Ann Richman (1782-unknown) - the second daughter named Ann
- Mary Richman (1784-1864) - lived to age 80
- Phebe Richman (1787-1788) - died in infancy
- John Richman (1788-1867) - our subject
- William Richman (1796-1852) - the youngest son
John's childhood was further marked by loss when his mother, Mary (Parsons) Richman, died in 1802 in Hilperton. He was only about 14 years old at the time, still dependent on his family for support. Six years later, in 1808, his father John also passed away in Hilperton, leaving 20-year-old John and his younger brother William as orphans.
These early losses likely strengthened the bonds between the surviving Richman siblings and may have contributed to John's decision to remain in Hilperton throughout his life, maintaining connections to his childhood home and the community that had supported his family through difficult times.
Marriage and Family Life
On February 8, 1811, at the age of approximately 23, John married Ann Marshman in a ceremony conducted by banns at St. Michael's Church in Hilperton. The wedding was officiated by J. Bailes, with Thomas Marshman—likely Ann's relative—serving as witness, and Richard Hiscock also present. Both John and Ann marked the marriage register with an "X," indicating they were unable to write their names, which was common among the working class of the time.
The couple established their home in Hilperton, where they would spend their entire married life. Their union was blessed with several children, though tragedy would visit their household repeatedly:The loss of multiple children, including two daughters both named Mary within a span of just two years, reflects the harsh realities of life in early 19th-century rural England.
- Elizabeth Richman (born before October 6, 1811) - She survived to adulthood, married Thomas Hogan, had no children, and lived until August 1897
- Sarah Richman (born before April 3, 1814) - Married James Thompson in Bath, Somerset, in 1847, had four children, and died January 24, 1891
- John Richman Jr. (born before February 13, 1816) - Married Maria Matthews in 1835, had seven children, and died before June 1, 1884, in Bradford-on-Avon
- Ann Richman (baptized March 8, 1818) - Her later life remains unknown
- James Richman (born April 22, 1821) - Eventually emigrated to America, marrying Hannah Rich in 1845, had nine children, and dying December 20, 1912, in Putnam, Connecticut
- Thomas Richman (baptized June 22, 1823) - Died young at age 21 in September 1844
- Mary Richman (baptized June 22, 1823) - Died in infancy before March 1825
- Mary Richman (baptized March 23, 1825) - The second Mary, who lived only two months, dying in May 1825
Working Life and Occupations
John Richman was a man of varied trades, adapting to the economic demands of his time. Throughout his working life, he was recorded as a weaver, laborer, coal hauler, and butcher. This diversity of occupations was typical of rural working-class men who needed to find work wherever it was available.
In the 1841 census, he was listed as a coal hauler, a physically demanding job that involved transporting coal to homes and businesses. By 1851, he had established himself as a butcher, suggesting he had managed to secure a more stable and potentially profitable trade. A photograph from around 1865 shows him wearing a traditional Wiltshire smock, and according to an expert in period clothing who examined the image, John was likely both a farmer and butcher. The expert noted that his smock was made in Keevil, a village about four miles from Hilperton, indicating the local nature of his business connections.
Home and Community
The Richman family lived on Marsh Lane in Hilperton Marsh, a small community within the larger parish of Hilperton. In 1841, their household was multigenerational, with John and Ann living with their daughter Elizabeth and son James. Remarkably, their son John Jr. lived in the same dwelling with his own family, including his wife Maria and their three young children—Elizabeth, James, and baby David.
This arrangement was common in rural England, where families often shared housing due to economic necessity and strong family bonds. Ann Richman worked as a weaver, contributing to the family income, while Elizabeth also worked in the textile trade. The presence of multiple generations under one roof provided both economic advantages and emotional support during difficult times.
Later Years and Widowhood
By 1861, John had become a widower, Ann having passed away in 1856. At age 72, he was living as a pauper—a classification that meant he was receiving poor relief from the parish. He shared his modest home with his granddaughter Rosa Thompson (originally Rosa Richman), who at age 13 was working as a servant, likely helping to support her grandfather.
Despite his reduced circumstances, John maintained his dignity and connection to the community. The photograph taken around 1865, when he was approximately 77 years old, shows a distinguished-looking gentleman in his Sunday best, wearing a traditional Wiltshire smock and a top hat that, according to experts, was fashionable fifty years earlier—suggesting he had treasured and maintained it for decades.
Historical Context
John Richman lived through one of the most transformative periods in English history. Born during the Industrial Revolution's early stages, he witnessed the Napoleonic Wars, the Reform Acts that gradually expanded voting rights, and the beginning of the Victorian era. His village of Hilperton was part of Wiltshire's textile-producing region, and the family's involvement in weaving connected them to an industry that was rapidly changing due to mechanization.
The fact that John and Ann could not write their names in 1811 but that their granddaughter Rosa was described as a "scholar" in 1851 reflects the gradual improvements in education that occurred during John's lifetime. The establishment of church schools and the growing recognition of the importance of literacy slowly reached even rural communities like Hilperton.
Final Years and Legacy
John Richman died on April 26, 1867, at the age of 79 in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. He was laid to rest in St. Michael's Church cemetery in Hilperton, the same church where he had been baptized and where he had married Ann nearly 56 years earlier. His burial in the family parish, despite dying in the neighboring town of Bradford-on-Avon, demonstrates the enduring connection to his home community.
John's legacy lived on through his surviving children and their descendants. His son James carried the family name to America, settling in Connecticut where the Richman line continued. The preservation of his photograph by descendants, passed down through generations and still cherished by family members in both England and America, speaks to the lasting impact of this humble Wiltshire man.
Remembering John Richman
John Richman's life story is one of resilience, adaptation, and enduring family bonds. From his uncertain beginnings in the sparse church records of the 1780s to his dignified photograph in the 1860s, he represents the experiences of countless working-class English families who lived through dramatic social and economic changes. His ability to provide for his family through various trades, to maintain his dignity despite financial hardship in old age, and to leave descendants who would honor his memory across continents, marks him as a man who, while never famous, lived a life of quiet significance.
The traditional Wiltshire smock he wore, the top hat he treasured, and the village community that supported him in his final years all speak to a way of life that was disappearing even as he lived it. John Richman stands as a bridge between the rural England of the 18th century and the more modern world that his descendants would inherit.
4) A poem and song lyrics to commemorate the life of John Richman (1788-1867) can be found in "Richman's Threads Of Time" -- A Family History Poem, Song and Podcast Created by Artificial Intelligence. The song created from the song lyrics can be played in that blog post, and in "John Richman's Threads of Time" on Suno.com., and below:
5) An audio overview (essentially a podcast created by the Google NotebookLM AI tool) discussing the life of John Richman (1788-1867) can be heard in: https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/4c051b01-924d-4a30-a20b-8d1e2e589f12/audio. Here's a YouTube video with the podcast:
6) I 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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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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