I am impressed by the family stories generated and published by other genealogists and family historians, and I wish that I was a more creative writer. I want to be able to write interesting, meaningful and good stories about my own ancestors to help me and my relatives (brothers, children, grandchildren, cousins) understand their ancestors lives and times. At my age, I'm not going to significantly improve my writing, so I've relied on Artificial Intelligence to help me.
Like me, several genealogists and family historians are using Artificial Intelligence to generate story ideas and to write the stories, which are then edited for accuracy and content, and then published on websites and/or blogs.
1) Here is the AI prompt that I'm using for the free AI tool Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 for story ideas, and a one-paragraph summary of the answers: "Please provide ten unique interview questions to ask Georgianna (Kemp) Auble about her life experiences in 1951 based on the attached report. Provide one-paragraph answers to each question." I then attached my genealogical sketch (52 Ancestors Friday: #15 Georgianna (Kemp) Auble (1868-1952)) for the AI tool to use to provide the questions or ideas, and then ask the AI tool to provide the answers to the questions based on the information in my genealogical sketch, historical events, cultural background, etc.
2) The Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 response to my prompt for my great-grandmother Georgianna (Kemp) Auble (1868-1952) was:
Interview Questions for Georgianna Kemp Auble
1. What was it like growing up in rural Ontario after losing your mother when you were just six years old?
Losing my dear mother Mary Jane when I was so young was the hardest thing I ever faced as a child. I barely remember her voice, but I recall her gentle hands and the way she would sing to us children in the evenings. When Papa married Melissa Wilson two years later, I was grateful to have a mother figure again, but it took time to adjust to our new family arrangement. Melissa was kind to us, and I came to love my half-brother Alfred dearly. Growing up in Middleton township, we children had to grow up quickly - there were always chores to be done, whether helping with the younger ones or assisting Papa with his carpentrywork. The loss of my mother taught me early that life could change in an instant, and perhaps that's what gave me the courage later to leave everything I knew in Canada and start fresh in America.
2. What motivated you to leave Canada and immigrate to Chicago in 1890?
My sister Elizabeth had already made the journey to Chicago and was writing to us about the opportunities there - how different life was in the big city compared to our quiet farming community in Ontario. At 21, I felt restless in Middleton township, and frankly, there weren't many prospects for a young woman like me. Chicago was rebuilding after the Great Fire, and there was work to be found, especially for domestic help and in the growing businesses. Elizabeth assured me I could stay with her until I got on my feet, and the idea of earning my own money and perhaps finding a good husband in the city was very appealing. It took courage to leave Papa and my siblings behind, but I knew if I didn't take the chance then, I might never have another opportunity. The train ride to Chicago was the longest journey I'd ever taken, and when I saw those tall buildings and bustling streets for the first time, I knew I'd made the right decision.
3. Tell me about meeting and marrying Charles Auble in 1898. What drew you to him despite the significant age difference?
Charles was such a gentleman when we first met through mutual friends in Chicago's social circles. Yes, he was nearly twenty years older than me (at first he told me he was ten years older), but he had a steady profession as a house painter and decorator, and he treated me with such respect and kindness. At 29, I wasn't getting any younger, and many of my friends had already married and started families. Charles had never been married before either, so we were both ready to settle down and build a life together. He was dashing and romantic, he even wrote poems for me and gave me flowers during our courtship, was patient with my nervousness about marriage, and always made me laugh with his stories about the houses he painted and the wealthy families he worked for. When he proposed, I knew he would be a good provider and a faithful husband. Our wedding in Milwaukee was small but lovely, and I felt so proud walking down the aisle in my best dress, finally becoming Mrs. Auble at last.
4. How did it feel to become a mother to Emily when you were 31, and what were your hopes and dreams for her?
When I held little Emily for the first time, I was overwhelmed with joy and terror all at once. At 31, I had wondered if motherhood would ever come to me, and here was this perfect little girl with Charles's eyes and my stubborn chin. I was determined to be the mother to her that I wished I could have had longer with my own dear mother. I wanted Emily to have every opportunity - a good education, nice clothes, and the chance to marry well someday. Living in Chicago, I could see how different life was for educated women compared to the farm women I'd known in Ontario. I taught her to read early, made sure she attended school regularly, and tried to instill in her the importance of being independent and capable. When we moved to San Diego, I hoped the warm climate and growing city would give her even more opportunities than she'd have had back in Chicago.
5. What was life like as a widow in San Diego after Charles died in 1916?
Charles's death was so sudden and tragic - one moment he was coming down the stairs talking about his work day, and the next he was gone. At 48, I never imagined I'd be a widow with a teenage daughter to support. Those first months were the loneliest of my life. Thankfully, Emily was such a help, and the neighbors on 14th Street were kind to us. San Diego was still a small enough city then that people looked out for each other. I had to learn to manage our finances, make decisions about the house, and be both mother and father to Emily. I took in some sewing work and managed our small savings carefully. The warm weather and beautiful surroundings helped lift my spirits during the darkest days, and I found strength I didn't know I had. When Emily married Lyle, I was so relieved to know she'd found a good man who would take care of her, and I was grateful they welcomed me into their home rather than leaving me to face old age alone.
6. How did you adapt to the rapid changes in San Diego from 1911 to the 1950s?
When we first arrived in San Diego in 1911, it felt like a sleepy little town compared to bustling Chicago, but my goodness how it grew! The Panama-California Exposition in 1915 brought so many visitors and new residents, and suddenly there were paved streets, electric streetcars, and all sorts of modern conveniences. I watched downtown grow taller and the neighborhoods spread out toward the beaches and hills. The military presence during both world wars changed everything - young men everywhere, new defense jobs, and families moving in from all over the country. By the time Betty was born, Balboa Park had become this beautiful cultural center, and there were picture shows, department stores, and even radio programs to listen to in the evenings. Sometimes I'd sit on the porch at Fern Street and marvel at the automobiles going by, remembering when Papa traveled everywhere by horse and buggy back in Ontario. The changes were exciting, though sometimes overwhelming for an old woman like me.
7. What was your relationship like with your granddaughter Betty, who called you "Nana"?
Oh, that little Betty was the light of my life! From the moment she was born in 1919, she had me wrapped around her tiny finger. She started calling me "Nana" when she was just learning to talk, and it melted my heart every time. I loved having a little one in the house again after Emily had grown up. Betty was so bright and curious - always asking questions about my life in Canada, wanting to hear stories about her grandfather Charles, and begging me to teach her the old songs I remembered from my childhood. I taught her to sew and helped her with her schoolwork when Emily and Lyle were busy. When she went to college, I was so proud and was so blessed to hear about her classes and friends. She'd bring her friends by to meet me, and they'd all want to hear about the "old days." Betty made me feel like my long life had real purpose and that the stories and wisdom I'd gathered over the years were worth preserving. I remember the 1942 wedding of Betty with Fred Seaver, and the two energetic little boys, Randy in 1943 and Stan in 1946, that she had. I loved and spoiled them too. Our little house on Fern Street was full with Betty and Randy there while Fred served in the U.S. Navy in World War II.
8. How did you manage financially during the Great Depression, and what was it like applying for Old Age Security in 1948?
The Depression hit when I was already in my 60s, living with Emily and Lyle. We were luckier than many families - Lyle kept his job at the department store, though his wages were cut, and Emily took on extra work when she could find it. I helped by doing all the household management, cooking, and mending to stretch our dollars as far as possible. I had saved a little money over the years and contributed what I could to the household expenses. We grew vegetables in the backyard, canned fruit when it was in season, and made do with what we had. When I applied for Old Age Security in 1948, I felt a mix of pride and embarrassment - proud that I'd survived to 80 years old, but embarrassed to need government assistance. That $60 a month meant I could contribute more to the household and not feel like such a burden on Emily and Lyle. The Social Security office was very kind, and I was grateful that President Roosevelt had created such a program for elderly folks like me.
9. What did it mean to you to become an American citizen, and how did you maintain connections to your Canadian roots?
Taking the oath of American citizenship in 1898 after my marriage was one of the proudest moments of my life. I had chosen this country, made it my home, married an American man, and was raising an American daughter. But I never forgot my Canadian roots - I still spoke with a bit of an accent that people would comment on, and I kept up correspondence with family back in Ontario for many years. I taught Emily about her grandfather James and told her stories about the farm in Middleton township. When the Canadian relatives would write with news, I'd share it over dinner, keeping those connections alive. I considered myself fully American - I supported the country through two world wars and raised my family here - but Canada would always be the place where I learned to be strong and independent. Being an immigrant taught me to appreciate the opportunities America offered while never forgetting the values and resilience I learned growing up in rural Ontario.
10. Looking back on your 83 years, from rural Canada to modern California, what do you consider your greatest accomplishments?
If I had to choose my greatest accomplishments, I'd say raising Emily to be a strong, capable woman and living to see my granddaughter Betty grow into such a bright young lady and mother. I'm proud that I had the courage to leave everything familiar in Canada and build a new life in America. I survived the loss of my mother, my husband, and the many challenges that come with being a woman largely on my own. I adapted to incredible changes - from oil lamps to electric lights, from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles, from small farming communities to big modern cities. Most importantly, I tried to be a source of strength and wisdom for my family. When Emily needed me after her father died, I was there. When Betty needed stories and guidance, I provided them. I may not have been wealthy or famous, but I lived through some of the most remarkable decades in history, and I passed on the values of hard work, faith, and family loyalty that I learned from my own parents. That feels like a life well-lived to me.
3) Of course, all of this AI material is historical fiction since I don't have details of every day or every year in the lives of my ancestors. Each ancestor has a unique life, and has unique family, economic and social experiences. I don't know about the education, thoughts, wisdom, decision-making skills, temperaments, emotions, figures of speech, or sound of the voice of any of my ancestors older than my parents and maternal grandparents. My ancestors, and everyone else's, were human, imperfect, had to support themselves and their family, had health, social and economic challenges, and almost all of them did the best they could with their life situations.
4) But does it matter if I am presenting these as seemingly real answers or conversations? I don't think so - because my purpose is to enable my relatives to know who their ancestors were and to help them understand the lives of their ancestors. The AI-generated responses are much better than any response I have in my memory bank or thast I can dream up.
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