Several genealogists and family historians, including me, 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.
Every ancestor has a unique life, and has their own stories based on their life experiences from birth to death. Today, I want to hear about my third great-grandfather Samuel Vaux's unique stories. I wrote an AI-assisted biography of Samuel in ABC Biography of #54 Samuel Vaux (1816-1880) of Somerset, New York, Wisconsin, Missouri and Kansas.
I attached my genealogical sketch ( 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 47: #54, Samuel Vaux (1816-1880)) for the AI tool to use to provide the questions or ideas, and then asked the AI tool to provide the answers to the questions based on the information in my genealogical sketch, historical events, social and cultural background, etc.
(AI ChatGPT5 image of Vaux family in Wisconsin in 1860)
1) Here is the AI prompt that I'm using for the free AI tool Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 for story ideas, and a two-paragraph summary of the answers: Please provide ten unique interview questions to ask Samuel Vaux
(1816-1880) about his life experiences in early 1880 based on the
attached report. Provide two-paragraph answers to each question.
Here is the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 response:
Interview with Samuel Vaux - Early 1880
Ten Questions for the Pioneer Patriarch
1. Mr. Vaux, you've lived through tremendous
changes, from your birth in Somerset, England in 1816 to now residing
in Kansas. What motivated your family to leave England for America
back in the 1830s?
Well, you must understand that England in the 1830s was a place of
great uncertainty for working families like ours. My father James was
trying to support ten children, and opportunities seemed limited in
Somerset, no matter how beautiful the countryside. We heard tales
from neighbors and friends who had already made the crossing about
the abundance of good farmland available in America, particularly in
New York State. The promise of owning our own land - something that
would have been nearly impossible for a family like ours in England -
was too compelling to ignore.
The decision wasn't made lightly, mind you. Leaving behind
everything familiar, the church where we were baptized, the graves of
our ancestors, and our family friends, was heartbreaking. But America represented hope - hope
for a better future for all of us children. When we heard about the
opportunities in Erie County, New York, and the success that other
English families were having there, it seemed like Providence was
calling us westward. I was about twenty-one then, old enough to
understand that this was likely our one chance to build something
lasting for future generations.
2. Tell us about meeting and marrying Mary Ann
Underhill in Aurora, New York. How did an English immigrant and a
local New York girl come together?
Mary Ann was unlike anyone I'd ever met - she had that American
spirit of independence, but also the warmth and strength that made
her the perfect partner for frontier life. I met her through the
community in Aurora, where her family, the Underhills, were
well-established. Her father Amos and mother Mary had deep
roots there, and they welcomed me despite my being a newcomer from
across the ocean. Mary Ann saw something in this young Englishman, I
suppose, and wasn't concerned about my foreign birth or different
accent.
We married around 1837 when she was twenty-two and I was
twenty-one. She taught me so much about American ways, about the
land, about the community we were joining. In many ways, Mary Ann was
my bridge to truly becoming an American. She had faith in our future
together and supported every move we made, from New York to Wisconsin
to Missouri and now here to Kansas. Through forty-three years of
marriage, she's been my anchor, my advisor, and my dearest friend.
Without her steady presence and wise counsel, I doubt I could have
achieved half of what we've built together.
3. You've been quite successful as a farmer and
landowner, buying the Sprague farm in Aurora for $795 and selling it
for $1,500 just eight years later. What was your approach to farming
and land investment?
Success in farming requires more than just working hard - though
Lord knows that's essential. You must read the land, understand the
soil, watch the weather patterns, and most importantly, know when
opportunity presents itself. When I bought the Sprague farm in 1845,
I could see it had good drainage, fertile soil, and was
well-positioned near the highways. Those fifty-three acres taught me
everything about American agriculture, and I reinvested every penny
of profit back into improving the land and our farming methods.
The decision to sell in 1853 wasn't easy, but I could see that the
real opportunities were moving westward. Wisconsin was opening up
with even richer prairie soil, and land prices in New York were
rising to the point where selling made financial sense. Over the
years, whether in Wisconsin or later in Missouri, I've always looked
for land that could support not just crops, but a family's future.
You have to think beyond the immediate harvest to the long-term
value. Each move we've made has been calculated to position our
family better, to accumulate the resources needed to give our
children opportunities I never had in England.
4. Your family has moved several times - from New
York to Wisconsin to Missouri, and now you're in Kansas. What drove
these westward migrations?
Each move represented a step toward better opportunities, richer
soil, and more space for our growing family. The move from New York
to Wisconsin before 1854 was driven by the incredible fertility of
the prairie lands and the reasonable prices for good acreage.
Wisconsin offered us the chance to expand our farming operation
significantly, and it's where our daughters met their husbands. The
community in Burnett township was welcoming to families like ours,
and we prospered there for many years.
The move to Missouri in 1869 was perhaps our most ambitious. We
bought that forty-acre plot in Andrew County for two thousand dollars
- a substantial investment that showed our confidence in the region's
future. Missouri's soil was rich, the growing season favorable, and
we were able to achieve our greatest financial success there. Now, in
our later years, being here in Kansas with our daughter Abigail
allows us to be close to family while still experiencing the frontier
spirit that has defined our American journey. Each move has been
about following opportunity while staying true to our values of hard
work and family unity.
5. You and Mary Ann raised six children who have
spread across the country. What values did you try to instill in them
as they grew up on the frontier?
The most important thing Mary Ann and I tried to teach our
children was the value of honest work and perseverance. Growing up on
the frontier requires resilience - you face crop failures, harsh
winters, illness, and countless other challenges. We wanted our
children to understand that success comes from getting back up every
time life knocks you down. We also emphasized education whenever
possible; we always ensured
our girls attended school when it was available.
Family loyalty has been paramount in our household. When times
were tough, we supported each other. When opportunities arose, we
celebrated together. Our daughters Mary Almeda, Celia Ann, Abigail,
and Elizabeth have all married good men and established their own
families, but they've never forgotten where they came from. Our son
James has made us proud with his own family, and we try to honor the
memory of our dear Amos, taken too soon by that terrible typhoid
fever. We taught them that being American means embracing opportunity
but never forgetting your responsibilities to family and community.
6. The loss of your youngest son Amos to typhoid
fever in 1876 must have been devastating. How did your family cope
with such a tragedy?
Losing Amos at just twenty-two years old nearly broke our hearts.
He was our youngest boy, full of life and promise, working alongside
us on the Missouri farm. When that typhoid fever took hold, we did
everything we could - called in doctors, tried every remedy, prayed
without ceasing - but sometimes the Lord calls our loved ones home
before we're ready to let them go. Mary Ann and I held each other
through those dark months, and our faith was severely tested.
What carried us through was the support of our other children and
the knowledge that Amos had lived a good, honest life in his brief
time with us. He worked hard, respected his parents, and was beloved
by his sisters and brother. We found comfort in knowing that he's at
peace now, free from the struggles of this world. The frontier
teaches you that life is precious and uncertain - we've seen too many
families lose children to disease, accidents, and the harsh realities
of building a life in unsettled lands. Amos's memory motivates us to
cherish every day with our remaining children and to live in a way
that would make him proud.
7. You've witnessed tremendous changes in America
during your lifetime - from the 1830s through now in 1880. What
changes have impressed you most?
The transformation has been nothing short of miraculous. When we
first arrived in New York in the 1830s, much of what is now settled
farmland was still wilderness. I've seen the railroad lines spread
across the continent, connecting communities that once took weeks to
reach. The telegraph has made communication nearly instantaneous
across vast distances. When I was young in England, news traveled at
the speed of a horse; now information crosses the entire country in
hours.
The growth of cities and industry has been remarkable, though I
admit I'm glad to have remained connected to the land. But what
impresses me most is how America has absorbed so many different
peoples - English like ourselves, Germans, Irish, and others - and
welded them into communities working toward common goals. I've seen
territories become states, witnessed the great conflict of the Civil
War, and watched as inventions like the steel plow revolutionized
farming. The America my grandchildren will inherit bears little
resemblance to the country we entered forty-three years ago, and I
believe it's mostly changed for the better.
8. Looking back on your business dealings and
land transactions, what advice would you give to young men starting
out in farming today?
First and foremost, never buy land you haven't walked yourself.
Study the soil, understand the drainage, check the boundaries, and
know your neighbors. I learned early that good land is the foundation
of everything else - it doesn't matter how hard you work if you're
working poor soil. Always be conservative with debt, but don't be
afraid to invest in quality land when the opportunity presents
itself. The appreciation in land values has been the key to our
family's financial security.
Second, diversify your efforts and always be looking ahead. Don't
put all your hopes in one crop or one season. Build relationships in
the community - your neighbors will be your lifeline during difficult
times and your partners during prosperous ones. Keep meticulous
records of your transactions and always honor your agreements.
Reputation is everything in farming communities. Finally, remember
that the ultimate measure of success isn't just the money you
accumulate, but the legacy you leave for your children. Every
decision should be made with the next generation in mind.
9. Your daughters have married and established
families across several states. How do you maintain family
connections across such distances?
Distance is one of the great challenges of American life - our
children's opportunities have scattered them from Wisconsin to Iowa
to Missouri and Kansas. We maintain connections primarily through
letters, though the postal service has improved tremendously over the
years. When possible, we arrange visits, particularly during
important family events like weddings or when new grandchildren are
born. Having our daughter Abigail here in Kansas allows us to stay
close to at least part of our family in our later years.
We've also tried to establish traditions that keep the family
together in spirit even when we're apart. We share news of each
other's lives, celebrate successes together through correspondence,
and support each other during difficult times. Mary Ann and I have
always emphasized to our children that no matter how far they travel
or how successful they become, they're part of the Vaux family
legacy. We encourage them to tell their children stories about our
journey from England, about their grandparents' courage in crossing
the ocean, and about the values that have sustained us through four
decades in America.
10. As you reflect on your life's journey from a
young man in Somerset to an established American patriarch, what do
you consider your greatest accomplishments?
My greatest accomplishment isn't measured in acres owned or
dollars earned, though I'm proud of the financial security we've
built. Rather, it's the family Mary Ann and I have raised and the
legacy we're leaving. Six children who have grown into responsible,
productive members of their communities - that's a blessing beyond
measure. Each of our children has carried forward the values we tried
to instill, and they're raising their own children with the same
emphasis on hard work, integrity, and family loyalty.
I'm also proud that we've proven an immigrant family could not
only survive in America but truly prosper. When we left Somerset in
the 1830s, we had little more than hope and determination. Now, as I
approach my final years, our children and grandchildren are spread
across this great nation, contributing to their communities and
building their own versions of the American dream. If my life has
shown anything, it's that America truly is a land where ordinary
people can achieve extraordinary things through hard work, faith, and
perseverance. That's a legacy worth leaving for future generations of
the Vaux name.
3) Here is the Audio Overview created by Google NotebookLM to describe this interview of Samuel Vaux.
The Video Overview created by Google NotebookLM to explain this blog post:
4) 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, historical and social experiences. I don't know about the thoughts, education, wisdom, decisions, 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 -- happy, sad, loving, imperfect, innocent at times, craven at times, saintly at times, perhaps evil at times. They survived childhood, and had to support themselves and their family. They had health, social and economic challenges. I think that almost all of them did the best they could with their life situations.
5) 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 that I can dream up. They are typical of what I expect an experienced author and social historian would write given the know facts.
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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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