Using the ABC method described in Using Artificial Intelligence In the Ancestor Biography Creation (ABC) Process, here is another ancestor biography using the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 AI tool.
3) The Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 biography is:
John Auble (1780-1831): A Family Biography
Early Life and Birth
John Auble, known in his earliest years as Johannes Abel, was born on March 11, 1780, in New Germantown, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. He entered the world during a time when America was still fighting for its independence, with the Revolutionary War ongoing and the young nation's future far from certain. His birth was carefully recorded in the baptismal records of the Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick, New Jersey, where he was baptized on June 25, 1780, just over three months after his birth.
As was customary in German Lutheran families of the time, John's parents served as witnesses to his baptism, marking his formal entry into the church community that would play a central role in his life. The family's German heritage was evident not only in their religious practices but also in the evolution of their surname—from the Germanic "Abel" to the more Americanized "Auble" that John would eventually adopt.
Family Heritage and Parents
John was the eldest son and second child of Johannes Abel (1758-1818) and Sophia Trimmer Abel (1755-1811), who had married in 1777. His father Johannes, born in 1758, would have been a young man during the Revolutionary War, living through the transformation of colonial America into an independent nation. His mother Sophia, born in 1755, was slightly older and came from the Trimmer family line.
The Abel family represented the strong German immigrant community that had settled in New Jersey during the 18th century. These families brought with them Lutheran religious traditions, agricultural skills, and a strong work ethic that would serve them well in establishing themselves in their new homeland.
Siblings and Family Life
John grew up in a large family, sharing his childhood with six siblings over the years. The family experienced both joy and tragedy, as was common in the 18th century. His siblings included:
Anna Maria Abel (1778-before 1784), his older sister who sadly died young
Anna Maria Abel (1784-unknown), named after the first Anna Maria, showing the family's practice of reusing names after early deaths
David Abel (1787-1858), who would live a long life of 71 years
Elisabeth Abel (1789-unknown)
George Abel (1793-1870), who lived to the remarkable age of 77
Jacob Abel (1796-1837), the youngest brother
Growing up as the eldest son in this large household, John likely carried significant responsibility in helping to care for his younger siblings and assist with the family's agricultural pursuits. The spacing of the children over nearly two decades meant that John experienced both the role of protective older brother and witness to the joys and sorrows that marked family life in early America.
Marriage and New Beginnings
On July 15, 1804, at the age of 24, John married Anna Rouw at the same Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick where he had been baptized. Anna, born in 1787, was seven years his junior and the daughter of Philip Row and Mary (Smith) Row. The marriage ceremony took place within their tight-knit Lutheran community, where such unions were not just personal commitments but community celebrations.
This marriage marked a new chapter for John, as he transitioned from son to husband and soon-to-be father. The early 1800s were a time of westward expansion and opportunity in America, and young couples like John and Anna were part of a generation that would help shape the growing nation.
Building a Family in Sussex County
After their marriage, John and Anna established their home in Sussex County, New Jersey, where they would raise their family over the next quarter-century. Between 1804 and 1830, they welcomed nine children into the world, creating a bustling household that reflected the large families common in early 19th century America.
Their children were:
Sophia Auble (born c. 1805) - Their eldest daughter married twice, first to Alley H. Foster before 1827, with whom she had one child. After being widowed, she married Seth W. Hulse before 1850. Sophia lived a long life, dying on May 1, 1887, in Blairstown, Warren County, New Jersey, at the age of 82.
William Auble (born c. 1808) - Their eldest son followed a path that took him to Philadelphia, where he married Tamsen Kemball on February 25, 1836. After having one child together, William later married Harriet F. (surname unknown) before 1860. He died on February 13, 1875, in Camden, New Jersey, at age 67.
Sarah Auble (born c. 1811) - She married Elijah E. Schoonover before 1838 and had six children, contributing significantly to the family's next generation. Sarah lived until February 27, 1889, dying in Newton, Sussex County, at age 78.
Elizabeth Auble (born 1814) - She moved to Philadelphia, where she lived until her death from pneumonia on January 13, 1899, at the remarkable age of 85.
David Auble (born 1817) - Born in Stillwater, Sussex County, David married Sarah G. Knapp in 1844 in Newton, Sussex County. They had six children together. David eventually moved west, representing the American spirit of westward expansion, and died on March 22, 1894, in Terre Haute, Indiana, at age 77.
Nathan S. Auble (born c. 1820) - He married Julia R. Kimball before 1844 in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, and they had eight children together. Nathan died on October 14, 1886, in Philadelphia at age 66.
Samuel H. Auble (born c. 1823) - Tragically, Samuel's life was cut short when he died on September 12, 1844, at just 21 years old in Philadelphia. He was buried nine days later at Monument Cemetery in Philadelphia, representing the family's heartbreak at losing a son so young.
Hampton Auble (born September 1827) - He married Louisa F. Bonsall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and they had three children. Hampton lived until June 20, 1901, reaching the age of 74.
Robert Auble (born June 20, 1830) - The youngest child, born just months before his father's death. Robert married twice: first to Ellen E. Hartman on December 6, 1855, in Hardwick, Warren County, with whom he had six children, and later to Amanda Savercool around 1900. Robert died on February 4, 1920, in Blairstown, Warren County, at age 90.
Life in Early 19th Century New Jersey
The 1830 United States Census provides us with a snapshot of John's household in his final year. Living in Green Township, Sussex County, the family included multiple generations under one roof—a common arrangement that provided economic security and family support. The census recorded two young boys under five, two boys aged 5-10, one boy aged 10-15, and John himself as the male aged 50-60. The female members included one girl aged 5-10, one young woman aged 15-20, and Anna as the woman aged 40-50.
This household composition tells the story of a family in transition, with older children beginning to reach adulthood while younger ones still needed care and guidance. John, at 50, was approaching what was considered old age for the time period, though he would not live to see his 51st birthday.
Final Days and Legacy
John Auble's life came to an end on January 16, 1831, in Byram, Sussex County, New Jersey, just two months shy of his 51st birthday. He died during a harsh winter, leaving behind his wife Anna and their large family. His death occurred at a time when many of his children were still young and needed support.
The inventory of John's personal estate, taken on March 1, 1831, revealed a modest but respectable accumulation of $307 in personal property, including some doubtful debts. Notably, no real property was listed, suggesting that John may have been a tenant farmer rather than a landowner, or that any real estate was not part of the probate inventory for other reasons.
Anna's Later Years
After John's death, Anna (Row) Auble faced the challenge of raising their children as a widow. By 1850, she was living in Stillwater, Sussex County, with her daughter Sophia Hulse, finding comfort and support within her family network. Anna remained in Stillwater through the 1850s, maintaining her connection to the community where she and John had built their life together.
Anna lived nearly 30 years beyond her husband, dying on June 12, 1860, in Stillwater at the age of 73. She was buried in Stillwater, though John's final resting place remains unknown to family historians.
Historical Context and Family Impact
John Auble lived through some of the most formative years in American history. Born during the Revolutionary War, he grew up as the new nation established itself, lived through the presidencies of the founding fathers, and witnessed the early stages of westward expansion that would define the 19th century.
His family's story reflects the broader German-American immigrant experience in New Jersey, where communities maintained their religious and cultural traditions while adapting to American life. The evolution of the family name from Abel to Auble represents this process of cultural integration.
The geographical spread of John and Anna's children—from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to Indiana—mirrors the American pattern of westward migration and opportunity-seeking that characterized the 19th century. Their descendants would continue this tradition, spreading the Auble family name across the growing nation.
Enduring Questions
Like many family histories from this era, John Auble's story contains some mysteries that continue to intrigue genealogists. The presence of another John Auble in the 1840 and 1850 censuses raises questions about possible additional family connections or earlier marriages that may have produced children before John's documented marriage to Anna Row.
While these questions may never be fully resolved, they remind us that even well-documented family histories contain gaps that speak to the complexity of life in early America, where records were sometimes incomplete and families faced challenges that might scatter their members or complicate their stories.
John Auble's legacy lives on through his many descendants, who can trace their roots back to this hardworking German-American farmer who helped build the communities of early New Jersey and raised a family that would spread across the growing American nation.
4) A poem and song lyrics to commemorate and celebrate the life of John Auble can be found in "John Auble's Legacy" -- A Family History Poem, Song, Audio Overview and Video Overview 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.
Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver
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