I 've used FREE Artificial Intelligence tools to create biographies, poems, songs and podcasts about my ancestors lives, plus my genealogy research and family history in the recent past.
Every ancestor lives a unique life with unique relationships and life stories. Today, I want to share a poem, song, podcast and video about my 4th great-grandparents, Martin Carringer (1758-1835) and Maria Magdalena "Molly" Houx, #96 and #97 on my Ahnentafel list.
I requested Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 (a FREE AI tool) to create poems and song lyrics to describe and celebrate the lives of Martin and Molly (Houx) Carringer. I uploaded a PDF of my updated couple genealogical sketch which has all of the information I have about the lives of Martin and Molly.
(AI ChatGPT image of Martin and Molly (Houx) Carringer family in Mercer County, Penn. in 1815)
1) The prompt I used for the poem and song lyrics was: "Please create a poem and song lyrics to describe and celebrate the lives of Martin and Molly (Houx) Carringer using the attached document."
2) The Poem is::
The Story of Martin and Molly
From Lancaster's hills in seventeen fifty-eight,
Young Martin was born to a German's estate,
His father had fought in the French-Indian War,
And Martin would answer when freedom called for more.
At eighteen he enlisted, left Westmoreland's ground,
To march with the Eighth through winter's harsh sound,
Across icy mountains to join Washington's side,
Through Brandywine's fury and Germantown's pride.
At Valley Forge winters, he stood with the brave,
While hunger and cold sent men to their grave,
Then westward to Pittsburgh, on rivers so wide,
Building forts in the wilderness, the frontier his guide.
In Maryland's Frederick, sweet Molly was raised,
A daughter of Theodorus, through her childhood days,
Just seventeen summers when Martin came near,
In May of eighty-five, she became his dear.
To Westmoreland County, the young couple came,
One hundred fifty acres to build their good name,
Eight children they welcomed, through joy and through pain,
Johann Jacob first, then came Lizbet's refrain.
Catherine and George, then Calli too young,
Soloman and Henry, and Joseph—the last one,
In log cabin churches their babies were blessed,
While Molly kept house and gave all children rest.
But Martin dreamed westward of wilderness land,
Two hundred acres promised for his soldier's stand,
In seventeen ninety-six, to Mercer he came,
Built a cabin alone where no others had claim.
Through Conneaut's marshes, not a soul could he see,
The first in that country, as wild as could be,
He cleared the thick forest with axe and with plow,
While Molly raised children—eight souls to endow.
Oh, Martin was generous, but fierce as a flame!
His temper was legendary, yet greater his fame,
"I raise corn to give away," he boldly declared,
"To those who have nothing—with them it is shared!"
Ten dollars he gave when the church needed aid,
The highest subscription that anyone paid,
A hewn-log building with windows of glass,
Where pioneers gathered for Sunday's class.
The neighbors all loved him despite his rough ways,
His heart was so golden through all of his days,
"A character rarely found," the history told,
Worth more than silver, worth more than gold.
Through census and seasons, the family grew strong,
While children grew up and established their own,
Jacob fought in the war of eighteen-twelve,
George married Isabella, together they'd delve.
At seventy-five, Martin claimed his pension due,
For battles at Brandywine, for Valley Forge too,
One hundred more acres in Ohio he gained,
Recognition and honor for service sustained.
He wrote out his will with careful detail,
Made sure that his Molly would never fail,
"Let Henry provide for her all of her days,
A horse and two cows, and fruit always."
In January's cold of eighteen thirty-five,
At eighty years old, he ceased to be alive,
They buried him deep on the land that he'd claimed,
Where Kelso Cemetery would carry his name.
But Molly lived on for fifteen years more,
In the house Martin built with its one humble door,
At eighty-two summers, her story was done,
August of eighteen-fifty, she joined her loved one.
Six children survived when Molly passed away,
Their legacy spreading through each passing day,
From Pennsylvania hills to Iowa plains,
The Carringer name and pioneer veins.
So raise up a glass to Martin and Molly,
Who lived through hardship but never in folly,
Who fought for our freedom and settled the land,
Who raised up eight children with love and firm hand.
A soldier, a farmer, a giver, a friend,
A wife who stood faithful from beginning to end,
Their names carved in stone, their deeds carved in time,
A frontier love story, courageous, sublime.
From seventeen fifty-eight to eighteen-fifty's close,
Through revolution and wilderness, that's how it goes,
Two lives intertwined on America's stage,
Martin and Molly—legends of a pioneer age.
3) The AI-created song lyrics are:
The Story of Martin and Molly
(Verse 1)
In seventeen fifty-eight he came into this world,
A Pennsylvania boy while revolution swirled,
At eighteen years he answered when his country called his name,
Through Brandywine and Valley Forge, he played freedom's game,
He marched across the mountains in the bitter winter snow,
To fight beside General Washington so long ago
(Verse 2)
Sweet Molly from Frederick, just seventeen and fair,
She married that old soldier with the fiery tempered air,
In May of eighty-five they spoke their sacred vows,
Then headed west to build their dreams and work the virgin plough,
By seventeen ninety-six they'd reached the promised land,
Two hundred acres waiting for a working man's strong hands
(Chorus)
Martin and Molly, hearts of pioneer gold,
Martin and Molly, their story must be told,
From Maryland to Mercer County, through the wilderness they'd roam,
Eight children and a legacy, they built a frontier home,
Martin and Molly, brave and strong and true,
Martin and Molly, this song's for you
(Verse 3)
"I raise my corn to give away," old Martin used to say,
"To those who have no money, I'll help them find their way,"
He'd curse like thunder rolling when something sparked his rage,
But neighbors loved his generous heart throughout his every age,
Ten dollars for the church he gave, the highest one around,
A man of contradictions on that Pennsylvania ground
(Verse 4)
Through census counts and seasons, their children grew up strong,
Jacob, Lizbet, Catherine, George—they carried on the song,
Henry, Joseph, Calli, Soloman bore the family name,
Some died young, some traveled west, but loved their parents just the same,
The land that Martin settled stayed three generations through,
A testament to pioneer hearts that always stayed true
(Bridge)
When Martin passed in thirty-five at eighty years of age,
He left behind a legend written on history's page,
But Molly carried onward for fifteen years alone,
In that little back room of the house that they called home,
At eighty-two she joined him in the ground where they now rest,
Side by side in Kelso Cemetery, their long journey blessed
(Chorus)
Martin and Molly, hearts of pioneer gold,
Martin and Molly, their story must be told,
From Maryland to Mercer County, through the wilderness they'd roam,
Eight children and a legacy, they built a frontier home,
Martin and Molly, brave and strong and true,
Martin and Molly, this song's for you
(Outro)
So here's to the Carringers, those ancestors so dear,
Who fought for our freedom and settled the frontier,
Their blood runs through generations, their courage lights the way,
Martin and Molly Carringer, we honor you today,
We honor you today,
We honor you today
"The Story of Martin and Molly" (based on the song lyrics using Suno.com, with a melodic pop style in an upbeat tempo) can be played below:
4) The AI tools do this so much better and faster than I can, and weave the poem and song along a story theme that is true and heartfelt. Each tool provides a different poem and song from the same prompt --I love fishing in all of the AI streams!! Frankly, doing the poems and song are the most genealogy fun I have every week!
5) These stories, told in verse and song are part of my genealogy and family research. My hope is that they will be passed down to my grandchildren and their descendants to highlight the importance of sharing stories, memories, admiration, and love of our ancestors. I will add them to my Google Drive, to my YouTube channel, and to my FOREVER account.
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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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