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-grandmother Rebecca (Hill) Rich's unique stories. I wrote an AI-assisted biography of Rebecca in ABC Biography of #43 Rebecca (Hill) Rich (1788-1862) of Hilperton, Wiltshire.
I attached my genealogical sketch (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 36: #43 Rebecca Hill (1790-1862)) 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, cultural background, etc.
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 Rebecca (Hill) Rich (1788-1862) about her life experiences in 1860 based on the attached report. Provide two-paragraph answers to each question."
2) The Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 response to my prompt for my 3rd great-grandmother Rebecca (Hill) Rich was:
An Interview with Rebecca (Hill) Rich of Hilperton, Wiltshire in 1860
A Grandmother's Stories for Her Grandchildren
At age 72, Rebecca Rich sits by the fire in her Hilperton cottage, sharing memories with her visiting grandchildren. Her weathered hands still busy with mending, her voice carries the wisdom of seven decades.
1. Grandmother, what was it like being the oldest child when you were young?
Oh, my dears, being the eldest was both a blessing and a burden. When our dear mother passed away, I was but seven years old, and my father tried as his best to care for us, but his parents had died and my mother’s parents and brothers and sisters helped our family quite a bit. By the age of fifteen, I found myself caring for your great-uncles George, Samuel, and Lucia as if they were my own children. I had to learn to bake bread before the sun rose, to mend their clothes by candlelight, and to comfort them when they cried for Mother. There were many nights I fell asleep exhausted, wondering if I was doing right by them.
But you know, those early years taught me everything I needed to know about running a household and caring for a family. When I married your grandfather John and we began having children of our own, I already knew how to stretch a shilling, how to make a hearty meal from little, and how to love with my whole heart. Looking back, I believe the Lord was preparing me for the great joy of raising eleven children of my own, even though it seemed so hard at the time.
2. Tell us about your wedding day to Grandfather John.
What a day that was, February 14th, 1815! Your grandfather looked so handsome in his best coat, and I wore my mother's wedding dress, altered to fit me properly. We were married by banns at St. Michael's Church, the very same church where I was baptized as a babe. My brother George stood as witness, and the whole village seemed to be there to wish us well. I remember my hands shaking so much I could barely make my mark in the register book.
The curious thing was, we were married on Saint Valentine's Day, though I don't think we planned it that way - it just happened to be when the banns were completed. The village women said it was a lucky sign for love, and perhaps they were right, for we've had forty-five years together now. After the ceremony, we had a simple celebration at the cottage with fresh bread, cheese, and ale. It wasn't grand by rich folks' standards, but it was perfect for us. I still remember thinking I was the luckiest woman in all of Wiltshire.
3. What was the hardest thing about losing some of your babies?
Her voice grows soft and distant
Oh, my sweet grandchildren, that is perhaps the hardest question you could ask an old woman. Losing little John at age four, and then baby William when he was barely four months old... there are no words for the ache in a mother's heart. I remember holding tiny William in my arms, so perfectly formed, and wondering why the Lord gave him to us only to take him away so soon. Your grandfather and I, we wept together many nights, questioning what we had done wrong.
But I learned that grief is the price we pay for love, and I wouldn't trade the brief time I had with those precious boys for anything. They taught me to treasure every moment with my other children - every first step, every word, every bedtime prayer. When I watch you children playing now, I think of them sometimes, wondering what they would have been like as grown men. I believe they're watching over our family still, and someday, when I join them in heaven, I'll hold them again and tell them all the stories of the brothers and sisters they never got to know.
4. What was it like watching three of your children decide to go to America?
When Hannah first told me she was thinking of following James Richman to America, my heart nearly stopped. America seemed as far away as the moon! I had never been further than Trowbridge market, and here was my daughter talking about crossing the great ocean to a land I could barely imagine. When William and Samuel decided to follow her, I felt like my heart was being torn in three pieces, each one sailing away from me forever.
But I also felt such pride in their courage. These children of mine, who learned to read and write better than their old mother ever could, who had dreams bigger than our little village could hold - how could I stand in their way? I packed their few belongings with extra stockings I knitted through many late nights, tucked a bit of Wiltshire soil in Samuel's bag, and gave them my blessing. Now I treasure every letter that comes, and I tell everyone in Hilperton about my children across the sea. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to see those strange new places, but mostly I'm content knowing they're building good lives and raising families of their own.
5. How did you manage to feed and clothe eleven children?
Chuckles and shakes her head
Lord knows it was like trying to fill eleven bottomless buckets with one small pitcher! I became the master of making much from little - a pot of porridge could be stretched with extra water and a prayer, and one chicken could make soup for three days if you were clever about it. I learned to grow every vegetable we could manage in our little garden, and I taught the older children to help with the younger ones so no hands sat idle.
The secret was keeping everyone busy and useful. Even little Samuel, when he was barely tall enough to reach the table, could shell peas or wind yarn. I made clothes from old clothes, turned sheets sides-to-middle when they wore thin, and saved every scrap of fabric for patches. Your grandfather's steady work as a weaver helped, but it was careful planning and the grace of God that kept us all fed, clothed, and healthy. I always said a family that works together stays together, and we certainly proved that true.
6. What do you remember about the times when England was at war with Napoleon?
Those were frightening times, my dears, though I was just a young woman then. We would hear tales from travelers about the great battles across the sea, and every able-bodied man in the village worried he might be called to fight. Food was dear, and there were times we went without sugar or tea for weeks on end. The government men would come through the villages looking for supplies and men to serve, and mothers would hide their sons if they could.
I remember the day we heard that Napoleon had finally been defeated at Waterloo - it was 1815, just a few months after your grandfather and I were married. The church bells rang all day, and there was such celebrating in the village! People danced in the streets and shared what little ale they had. It felt like the whole world could breathe again. Your grandfather said it meant our children would grow up in a peaceful England, and thank the Lord, he was right about that.
7. Can you tell us about the changes you've seen in Hilperton over the years?
Oh my, the changes I've witnessed! When I was a girl, everything moved at the pace of walking feet and horses. Now we have the railway line nearby, and I've seen those great iron horses puffing smoke and carrying people faster than the wind. The old ways of farming are changing too - there are new machines that can do the work of many men, though your grandfather still prefers his hand loom to those great factory contraptions.
The village has grown as well. When I was young, everyone knew everyone else's business - their joys and sorrows, their comings and goings. Now there are new faces regularly, people coming from other counties to work in the mills and factories. It's exciting in some ways, but I do miss the closeness we once had. Still, I suppose change is the way of the world, and at least our little church remains the same - the same stones, the same bells calling us to worship, the same God watching over us all.
8. What was the most joyful day of your life?
Her eyes light up with warmth
You know, people might expect me to say my wedding day, or the birth of my first child, but the truth is, my most joyful day was that February morning in 1837 when I stood in St. Michael's Church and watched the rector baptize Hannah, William, and Samuel all together. They were thirteen, seven, and four years old, and they looked like little angels in their best clothes, holding hands as the holy water touched their foreheads.
By then, I had already lost two precious babies, and I had learned not to take anything for granted. Standing there, watching three of my surviving children make their promises to God, I felt such overwhelming gratitude that my knees nearly buckled. Your grandfather squeezed my hand, and I knew he felt it too - that sense that despite all our losses and struggles, we were tremendously blessed. It was a moment of pure joy, surrounded by my family and my faith, and I carry that feeling with me still.
9. What advice would you give to young mothers today?
Leans forward with earnest eyes
Listen to me carefully, dear ones, for this comes from a heart that has known both great joy and deep sorrow. Love your children fiercely every single day, because we never know how long we have with them. Don't spend your time worrying about having the finest clothes or the biggest house - what matters is the warmth of your embrace, the sound of your voice reading stories, and the security of knowing Mother will always be there when they need her.
And don't try to do everything perfectly, because you'll drive yourself to distraction! I made plenty of mistakes raising my eleven - sometimes I was too strict, sometimes too lenient, sometimes too worried, sometimes not worried enough. But love covers a multitude of sins, as the Good Book says. Your children won't remember if their clothes were perfectly mended or if supper was served exactly at six o'clock. They'll remember whether you listened when they had something important to tell you, and whether you made them feel like the most precious things in your world.
10. As you look back on your 72 years, what are you most proud of?
Sits quietly for a moment, then smiles
I'm most proud that I raised children who became good people - people who work hard, love their families, and help their neighbors. James in Cardiff, Ann who made it all the way to Illinois, John and Jesse who stayed close to home, Hannah, William, and Samuel building new lives in America, Elizabeth who married well, Emma who grew into such a kind woman - each one of them turned out to be someone I can be proud to call my child.
But beyond that, I'm proud that I never gave up, not even in the darkest times. When babies died, when money was scarce, when I felt so tired I didn't think I could take another step - I kept going. I kept loving, kept working, kept believing that tomorrow might be better than today. I think that's what the Lord asks of us - not to be perfect, but to be faithful. To keep loving even when love hurts, to keep hoping even when hope seems foolish. If I've done that, then I reckon I've lived a life worth living. And when I see you grandchildren, with your bright eyes and strong bodies and loving hearts, I know that all the struggles were worth it, because you are the future we were building all along.
As the evening light fades, Rebecca pulls her shawl closer and smiles at her grandchildren, her legacy living on in their eager faces and loving hearts.
3) 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.
4) 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.
5) Here is the Video Overview created by Google NotebookLM to explain this blog post:
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