Using the ABC method described in Using Artificial Intelligence In the Ancestor Biography Creation (ABC) Process, here is another ancestor biography.
3) Here is the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 biography:
Biography of Rev. Jonathan Oatley
(1790-1872)
Early Life and Family Background
Jonathan Oatley was born on July 7, 1790, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, during the early years of the new American republic. He was the first son and fifth child in a large family of eleven children born to Joseph Oatley (1756-1815) and Mary (Hazard) Oatley (1764-1857). Growing up in a bustling household, Jonathan was surrounded by siblings who would remain important throughout his life.
His siblings included his older sisters Polly (1781-1796), Hannah (1783-????), Betsy (1786-1811), and Nancy (1788-1873), as well as younger brothers and sisters: Joseph (1793-1883), Stephen (1796), Mary (1798-1873), Benedict (1800-1811), Susan (1803-1895), and Rouse (1806-1812). Tragically, several of his siblings died young, including Polly at just 15 years old, probably Hannah as a child, and both Benedict and Rouse in childhood, reflecting the harsh realities of early 19th-century life.
The Oatley family had deep roots in Rhode Island, and Jonathan's mother was a Hazard, connecting him to one of the prominent families in the region. This connection would prove significant throughout his life, as land transactions show his dealings with members of the Hazard family.
Marriage and Family Life
Jonathan's path to matrimony began in the Baptist Church at Exeter, Rhode Island, where he was baptized on February 6, 1813, at the age of 22. Just two weeks later, on February 20, 1813, Amy Champlin was baptized at the same church—a meeting that would change both their lives forever.
Amy Champlin was born on March 9, 1798, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, making her eight years younger than Jonathan. She was the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Kenyon) Champlin, another established Rhode Island family. The young couple's courtship was swift, and they were married on May 29, 1813, in Exeter, just months after their baptisms.
Their union proved to be extraordinarily fruitful, blessed with fourteen children over the course of twenty-two years. Their first twelve children were born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, while the family was still rooted in Jonathan's birthplace. The final two children would be born after the family's move to East Killingly, Connecticut.
Their Children
The Rhode Island Years (1815-1832):
John Alfred Oatley (1815-1863): Their firstborn, who would marry Eliza A. Edson in 1837, six children, and settled in Connecticut.
Joseph H. Oatley (1816-1898): Married Cynthia Taft in 1838, five children, and became a stone cutter like his father
Almira O. Oatley (1817-1908): Married Warren Taft in 1840, two children, and lived a remarkably long life
Nancy E. Oatley (1818-1892): Married Ira Edson in 1837, eight children, and remained in Connecticut
Lorenzo Dow Oatley (1821-1900): Named after the famous Methodist preacher Lorenzo Dow, married to (1) Elizabeth Atalia Weatherhead in 1844, one child, and (2) Dolly Leavens Aldrich in 1847.
Stephen Hazard Oatley (1822-1863): Named for his grandfather and mother's family, married Susan Maria Wood in 1843, six children, and died serving during the Civil War
William Henry Oatley (1824-1899): Married to (1) Sarah Ann Randall in 1849 and (2) Jennie W. Butts in 1864, and returned to Rhode Island in later life
Benedict Oatley (1825-1891): Named after his deceased uncle, married Caroline Olive Mowry in 1845, one child
Amy Frances Oatley (1826-1864): Named after her mother, married Henry Arnold White in 1844, three children
Jonathan Oatley (1828-1884): Named after his father, married Hannah Bishop in 1849, carried on the family traditions
Mary Eliza Oatley (1831-1907): Married Earl Wright Pray in 1849, seven children
Hannah Hazel Oatley (1832-1907): Married Asahel Edwin Chase in 1849, fourteen children, and moved to Massachusetts
The Connecticut Years (1836-1837):
Olive F. Oatley (1836-1884): Born after the family's move, married Harris Olney Burton in 1856, two children
George Whittier Oatley (1837): Tragically died at just five months old, buried in Bartlett Cemetery in Killingly.
Religious Calling and Ministry
Jonathan's spiritual journey led him to formal ministry in his late thirties. On April 18, 1829, "Brother Jonathan Oatley" received a letter of recommendation from the Exeter church, and he served as a delegate to an Ecclesiastical Council that July. By October 1829, the congregation voted to give him a letter of recommendation and dismission as he prepared to take on pastoral duties.
Around 1829, Jonathan was ordained and became pastor of the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown, Rhode Island. This was a significant responsibility in a community where the church served as both spiritual and social center. His pastorate lasted approximately three years, during which he ministered to his neighbors and friends in the community where he had been born and raised.
The Move to Connecticut
In 1834, when Jonathan was 44 years old, he made the momentous decision to uproot his large family from their Rhode Island roots. Along with Amy and their twelve children (ranging from 19-year-old John Alfred to 2-year-old Hannah Hazel), they embarked on the journey to East Killingly, Connecticut, about 50 miles distant.
This move represented both opportunity and challenge. Jonathan carried with him a letter of recommendation from the South Kingstown church and began serving as pastor of the Baptist Church in East Killingly around May 1, 1834. The family quickly integrated into their new community, joining the local Baptist congregation.
Life as a Craftsman and Minister
In Connecticut, Jonathan and his sons developed expertise as quarrymen and granite workers while also maintaining farming operations. This combination of skilled trades and agriculture was common for rural families of the era. The Oatleys owned a quarry near Killingly Old Pond, and the "Oatley Ledges" near East Killingly became well-known landmarks.
Their craftsmanship left a lasting mark on the community. The family created long granite steps for the church in "Kentuck," and when that church was eventually demolished, these steps were carefully preserved and relocated to serve the Union Baptist Church in East Killingly—a testament to the quality and durability of their work.
Trials and Restoration
Not all was smooth in the Oatley family's church life. In 1847, a significant crisis arose within the Baptist congregation. Church records reveal that "elder Jonathan Oatley, and his wife Amy, Joseph Oatley, William Oatley, Amy Oatley White, were at different times during the year 1847 excluded from the fellowship, ordinances, and watch-care of this church."
The specific nature of this conflict is not recorded, but church discipline was taken seriously in 19th-century Baptist communities. However, the story has a redemptive ending. On February 5, 1853, the same church unanimously voted to restore Jonathan, Amy, and their children "to the full fellowship of said Church." This restoration demonstrates both the seriousness with which the church viewed reconciliation and the respect the community ultimately maintained for the Oatley family.
Later Years and Loss
The 1850s and 1860s brought both joy and sorrow to Jonathan's later years. Census records show that by 1850, most of his children had married and established their own households, with only 14-year-old Olive still living at home. Jonathan was listed as a stone cutter at age 59, continuing his skilled trade.
Tragedy struck on February 8, 1865, when Amy died of phthisis (tuberculosis) at the age of 66. After thirty-one years of marriage, Jonathan found himself a widower. This loss marked the end of a remarkable partnership that had produced fourteen children and weathered the challenges of relocation, church conflicts, and the demands of frontier life. He had 55 grandchildren.
Despite his advancing age, Jonathan remained remarkably active. Family tradition holds that when he was 75 years old, he walked the considerable distance from Killingly, Connecticut, back to South Kingstown, Rhode Island, to visit his many friends and relatives—a journey of roughly 50 miles that speaks to both his physical vigor and his deep connections to his birthplace.
Final Years
By 1870, the 79-year-old Jonathan was living with his son Joseph and his family in East Killingly. Joseph, now 55, had followed his father into the stone cutting trade, carrying on the family business. The 1870 census shows Jonathan still listed as being "at home," suggesting he remained mentally alert and involved in family life.
Jonathan Oatley's remarkable life came to an end on August 10, 1872, in Killingly, Connecticut. He was 82 years, 1 month, and 3 days old—an exceptional lifespan for his era. His death certificate listed the cause simply as "old age," reported by Dr. E.A. Hill. His occupation was recorded as "Clergyman," reflecting how his community remembered him despite his years as a craftsman.
Legacy and Remembrance
Jonathan and Amy were laid to rest together in Bartlett Cemetery on Chestnut Hill in East Killingly, where they remain today. In a touching family tradition, before the caskets were lowered into their graves, the silver coffin plates were removed and given to family members as keepsakes.
Jonathan's gravestone bears a simple but dignified inscription:
REV.JONATHAN OATLEYwas Born in S. Kingston, R.I.July 7, 1790and died in KillinglyAug. 10, 1872aged 82 years and 3 mos.& 3 daysHistorical Context
Jonathan Oatley's life spanned one of the most transformative periods in American history. Born just fourteen years after the Declaration of Independence, he lived through the eighteen presidencies of George Washington through Ulysses S. Grant. He witnessed the War of 1812, the expansion westward, the rise of industrialization, and the Civil War.
His move from Rhode Island to Connecticut in 1834 was part of a larger migration pattern as New Englanders sought new opportunities and land. The combination of his roles as minister, craftsman, and farmer reflects the diverse skills required for success in 19th-century rural America.
The Baptist faith that shaped Jonathan's life was experiencing significant growth during his lifetime, particularly on the American frontier. His service as a minister in both Rhode Island and Connecticut placed him at the center of communities where the church provided not only spiritual guidance but also social cohesion and moral authority.
Jonathan Oatley's life story—from his birth in the early Republic through his death in the Reconstruction era—embodies the experiences of countless American families who built communities, raised large families, practiced their faith, and left lasting legacies through their children and their work. His fourteen children and their descendants carried forward the Oatley name and the values he and Amy instilled, making him a true patriarch of an American family dynasty.
4) A poem and song lyrics to commemorate and celebrate the life of Jonathan Oatley (1790-1872) can be found in "Jonathan's Faith" -- 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 on Suno.com, and below:
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.
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