Best of the Genea-Blogs - Week of 25 to 31 May 2025

  Scores of genealogy and family history bloggers write hundreds of posts every week about their research, their families, and their interests. I appreciate each one of them and their efforts.

My criteria for "Best of ..." are pretty simple - I pick posts that advance knowledge about genealogy and family history, address current genealogy issues, provide personal family history, are funny or are poignant. I don't list posts destined for most daily blog prompts or meme submissions (but I do include summaries of them), or my own posts.

Here are my picks for great reads from the genealogy blogs for this past week: 

*  Top 5 Colonial Record Research Tips for Genealogists by Diane Henriks on Know Who Wears the Genes In Your Family.

*  Segment Triangulation Insight by Jim Bartlett on Segment-ology.

*  Which One Are You? by Paul Chiddicks on Paul Chiddicks.

*  Reading and Transcribing Old Handwritten Documents: Transkribus by Wayne Shepheard on Discover Genealogy.

*  ABC Biography with Endnotes; ABC Song and More; and Telling Her Story: Captain Dorothy Swart Tatum by Marcia Crawford Philbrick on Heartland Genealogy.

*   Pirates, poets, and a ghost or two along the way by Jeff Record on The Last Aha.

*  Can We Tell Our Stories? by Barbara Tien on ProjectKin.

*  The Hidden Tool on Ancestry You Should Be Using: Recognize Ancestors by Ellen Thompson-Jennings on Hound On the Hunt.

*  "Is This You?" by Carole McCullough on NextGenGenealogy.

*  Happy I Hired a Pro Genealogist by Marian B. Wood on Climbing My Family Tree.

*  Ancestral Memory – Fact, Fiction, or Something In Between? by Paul Chiddicks on Paul Chiddicks.

*  Shared DNA at a glance: the new DNA matrix tool by Jonny Perl on DNA Painter Blog.

*  The End of an Era: Uploads at MyHeritage by Leah Larkin on The DNA Geek.

*  Even in the Face of Injustice: What My Ancestors' Darkest Hour Taught Me About Resilience by  Crista Cowan on Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist.

Here are pick posts by other geneabloggers this week:

*  Friday’s Family History Finds by Linda Stufflebean on Empty Branches on the Family Tree.

*  This week’s crème de la crème — May 31, 2025 by Gail Dever on Genealogy a la Carte.

*  GenStack [31 May 2025] by Robin Stewart on Genealogy Matters.

*  The Chiddicks Observer 14th Edition [26 May 2025] by Paul Chiddicks on Paul Chiddicks.

Readers are encouraged to go to the blogs listed above and read their articles, and add the blogs to your Favorites, Feedly, another RSS feed, or email if you like what you read. Please make a comment to them also - all bloggers appreciate feedback on what they write.

Did I miss a great genealogy blog post? Tell me! I currently am reading posts from over 900 genealogy bloggers using Feedly, but I still miss quite a few it seems.

Read past Best of the Genea-Blogs posts here.

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Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/06/best-of-genea-blogs-week-of-25-to-31.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on X, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Please note that all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.

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ABC Biography of #22 Henry Arnold White (1824-1885) of Rhode Island and Connecticut

 The Claude (now Sonnet 4) artificial intelligence tool can be used to write family-friendly biographies of my ancestors that might be suitable for my relatives and descendants to help them learn about and understand their ancestry.  Using the ABC method described in Using Artificial Intelligence In the Ancestor Biography Creation (ABC) Process, here is one ancestor biography.

1)  I have written genealogical sketches for almost every known ancestor back 9 generations in blog posts based on 35 years of genealogical research in my 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies series. The genealogical sketch for my 2nd great-grandfather, Henry Arnold White (1824-1885), #22 on my Ahnentafel List), including record abstracts and sources, is 52 Ancestors Week 15: #22 Henry Arnold White (1824-1885) of Killingly, Conn.

2)  For the Claude AI biography, I attached the PDF of the genealogical sketch for the specific ancestor using the plus (+) sign, and then prompted the AI tool with:  "You are an expert genealogist. Please create a draft biography from the attached file, including parents, siblings, spouses and children (with birth and death dates and places), summarize life events, and add historical facts as appropriate, but do not add or embellish any extra genealogical details. Use section headings. Expand the information in each section to add more details. The tone should be casual and suitable for family members."

(AI ChatGPT4 image of New England house and family in 1860)

3)  The expanded biography of Henry Arnold White (1824-1885) created by the AI tool Claude Sonnet 4, lightly edited, is:

Henry Arnold White: A Family Biography (1824-1885)

Early Life and Family Origins

Henry Arnold White was born around 1824 in the rural town of Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island. He was the eldest son of Jonathan and Miranda (Wade) White, growing up in a time when New England was transforming from an agricultural society to an industrial one. Henry had two siblings who would remain important throughout his life: his younger brother Albert Henry White (1827-1910) and his much younger sister Harriet A. White (born 1836).

The White family was part of the great migration patterns of the early 19th century. When Henry was about 15 years old, around 1839, his father Jonathan made the decision to purchase land in Killingly, Connecticut, and the family relocated there. This move would prove significant for Henry's future, as Connecticut was becoming a center of textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution.

Marriage and Family Life

First Marriage: Amy Frances Oatley

On June 30, 1844, at age 20, Henry married Amy Frances Oatley in nearby Thompson, Windham County, Connecticut. Amy, born in 1826, was the daughter of Jonathan and Amy (Champlin) Oatley of Killingly. The ceremony was performed by Reverend L. George Leonard, and both bride and groom were listed as residents of Killingly, showing how the families had become part of their new Connecticut community.

Henry and Amy's marriage was blessed with six children over the course of 20 years:

Ellen Frances White (April 6, 1845 - March 12, 1916) - Their eldest daughter would go on to marry William Henry Buck on January 12, 1867, and lived to see the dawn of the 20th century, dying in Oxford, Massachusetts.

Julia E. "Juliett" White (September 8, 1848 - October 1, 1913) - Known by the nickname Juliett, she married Thomas Richmond on June 20, 1868, and spent her life in the Putnam, Connecticut area.

Emily Elizabeth White (October 15, 1849 - November 26, 1936) - Emily married Marcus Barstow in 1867 and had a remarkably long life, living to age 87 and witnessing enormous changes in American society.

Henry J. White (April 12, 1853 - October 12, 1919) - The first son, Henry J. married Ida E. Fogg on February 15, 1878, in Foster, Rhode Island, carrying on the family name.

Unnamed daughter (November 1, 1858) - Tragically, this baby girl lived only briefly, dying in infancy.

Frederick J. White (April 1860 - ?) - The youngest son, Frederick was just an infant when the 1860 census was taken, was recorded in the 1870 census, and then disappeared from the records.

Tragedy and Resilience

Henry's world was shattered on November 12, 1864, when Amy died in Norwich, Connecticut, at just 38 years old from a strangulated hernia - a medical condition that was often fatal in that era before modern surgical techniques. This left Henry, at age 40, as a widower with five surviving children ranging from 4-year-old Frederick to 19-year-old Ellen Frances. The challenges of raising children alone while maintaining his work would have been enormous.

Second Marriage: A New Beginning

Showing remarkable resilience, Henry found love again and married Almira Elizabeth (Taft) Winslow on June 29, 1866, in Glocester, Rhode Island - returning to his birthplace for this important ceremony. Almira, born May 18, 1842, in East Killingly, was the widow of George A. Winslow and brought her own son, George W. Winslow, into the blended family. She was the daughter of Warren Taft and Almira O. Oatley, making her connection to the Oatley family particularly interesting given Henry's first wife's surname.

Henry and Almira had two children together:

Unnamed son (October 17, 1873) - Like Henry's earlier loss, this baby boy died in infancy.

Effie C. White (December 24, 1874 - April 25, 1900) - Born on Christmas Eve, Effie brought joy to the household but died tragically young at age 25. She was buried in Bartlett Cemetery #1 in Killingly.

Working Life and the Industrial Revolution

Henry's working life reflected the dramatic economic changes happening in 19th century New England. In the 1850 census, he was listed as a weaver, one of the skilled textile workers who were the backbone of New England's growing industrial economy. By 1860, his occupation had evolved to "manufacturer," suggesting he had gained more responsibility in a textile mill or perhaps started his own small business. The census recorded that he owned $1,000 in real property - a substantial sum for the time.

By 1870, Henry was working in a cotton mill, part of the massive textile industry that had made Connecticut and Rhode Island industrial powerhouses. His real estate value had grown to $1,400, with an additional $500 in personal property, indicating modest but steady prosperity.

In his later years, Henry transitioned to carpentry, a skilled trade that would have provided steady work as communities continued to grow and expand. This career change might have been due to the physical demands of mill work or simply an opportunity to use different skills.

Community and Family Legacy

The White family was deeply rooted in the Killingly community. Henry inherited land from his father Jonathan, who died in 1850. Jonathan's will demonstrated the family's growing prosperity, leaving Rhode Island lands to both Henry and his brother Albert, while the Connecticut properties were also to be shared between the brothers after their mother Miranda's death.

The family lived on the land that Jonathan had purchased in East Killingly, specifically on the north side of what is now Hartford Pike, between Chestnut Hill Road and North Road. This location placed them in the heart of a growing agricultural and industrial community.

Later Years and Death

Henry's final years were marked by the continuing challenges and joys of family life. The 1880 census shows him at age 54, still working as a carpenter, living with his wife Almira, their young daughter Effie, and his stepson George Winslow, who had grown up to work in the cotton mills.

Henry Arnold White died on August 1, 1885, in Killingly, Connecticut, at the age of 60. The cause of death was listed as locomotor ataxia, a neurological condition that affects coordination and movement. Dr. E.A. Hill attended to him in his final illness.

Final Rest and Remembrance

Henry was laid to rest in Bartlett Cemetery #1 in East Killingly, where his headstone simply reads "Henry A. White, 1824-1885." The stone faces west and serves as a family memorial, also commemorating George A. Winslow (Almira's first husband), Almira herself (who lived until 1927), and their daughter Effie.

Interestingly, no probate records were found for Henry, suggesting that his estate may have been modest or that property transferred directly to family members without formal court proceedings.

Historical Context

Henry Arnold White's life spanned one of the most transformative periods in American history. Born in the era of Andrew Jackson, he witnessed the Industrial Revolution transform New England, lived through the Civil War (though there's no record of military service), and died as America was entering the Gilded Age. His transition from weaver to manufacturer to mill worker to carpenter reflects the economic opportunities and challenges that many New Englanders faced during this period of rapid change.

His story is one of resilience, family devotion, and adaptation - qualities that helped build the communities and industries that shaped modern New England. Through his children and their descendants, Henry's legacy continued well into the 20th century, with some family members living to see two world wars and the dawn of the modern age.

4)  A poem and song lyrics to commemorate the life of Henry Arnold White (1824-1885) can be found in "Henry White's Story" -- An Ancestor's Story In Poem and Song Created by Artificial Intelligence. The song created from the song lyrics can be heard in that blog post and here.

5)  An audio overview (essentially a podcast created by the Google ContentLM AI tool) discussing the life of Henry Arnold White (1824-1885) can be heard at   https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/9a372c5d-1964-42ed-836a-f7c62c96e38a/audio.

6)  I lightly edited the Claude biography text to add more family detail and correct minor errors.  Every large language model (LLM) AI tool writes descriptive text much better than I can write.  I was an aerospace engineer in my former life, and my research reports and genealogical sketches reflect "just the facts gleaned from my research."  The AI tools are very perceptive, insightful and create readable text in seconds, including local and national historical events and social history detail.   

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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

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/06/abc-biography-of-22-henry-arnold-white.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Please note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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"John Rich's Legacy" -- A Family History Poem, Song and Podcast Created by Artificial Intelligence

 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 and podcast about my third great-grandfather, John Rich (1790-1868) of Wiltshire, England.

I requested ChatGPT4, Grok, Gemini, and Claude (all FREE AI LLM tools) to create a poem and song lyrics, and a podcast, about John Rich (1790-1868). 

I uploaded to the AI tools a PDF of my genealogical sketch which has all of the information I have about the life of John Rich (1790-1868) - see 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 35: #42 John Rich (1791-1868).

(AI-created image by OpenAI ChatGPT4)

1)  The prompt I used was: "Please write a poem and song lyrics to celebrate the life of John Rch (1790-1868) using the attached document."

2)  I chose the poem created by Google Gemini 2.5 Flash today:

JOHN RICH'S LEGACY 

In Wiltshire's heart, where green fields lay, 

John Rich was born, one November day, 

In seventeen ninety, a new life unfurled, 

Eldest of six in a changing world. 

William and Betty, his parents true, 

Saw Martha leave, at nine, anew 

The sorrow of an age, so harsh and grim, 

Before his mother faded, light grew dim.

Then Valentine's Day, in eighteen fifteen, 

Rebecca Hill became his queen. 

At Hilperton's church, with an "X" they signed, 

A working-class bond, lovingly entwined. 

Eleven children, a bustling, hopeful brood, 

Though life's cruel hand, some understood 

Too soon, like little John, and William's brief stay, 

Yet new life bloomed, chasing shadows away.

From James in Cardiff, a long life he'd see, 

To Ann in America, brave and free. 

Another John, and Jesse, born as twins, 

Hannah and William, new journeys begin. 

Elizabeth, Emma, and Samuel, the last, 

Across the wide ocean, their anchors cast. 

From Hilperton's loom, to a distant shore, 

His children's footsteps, forevermore.

A hand loom weaver, by trade and by hand, 

In Hilperton Marsh, he made his stand. 

Through Industrial change, he wove his fate, 

A house and garden, beyond the gate. 

The census whispers, through the years it flows, 

Of a family growing, as life's current goes. 

From bustling home to a quieter nest, 

With Rebecca, his partner, truly blessed.

Through kings and empires, a witness he'd been, 

Of Waterloo's echoes, and progress unseen. 

The steam and the spindle, a new era dawned, 

But John Rich stood firm, his spirit unawed. 

His children's migration, a testament bold, 

Of dreams interwoven, a story to be told.

At seventy-eight, his long life's end, 

In Hilperton's earth, a faithful friend 

Was laid to rest, where his journey began, 

A humble weaver, a remarkable man. 

From Wiltshire's green beauty, his legacy spread, 

Through kin in new lands, his spirit led.

3) Here are the AI song lyrics created by Anthropic Claude 3.7 Sonnet (used as custom lyrics on Suno.com), using a traditional English folk ballad style in an upbeat tempo - the link to the song is here: "John Rich's Legacy."

JOHN RICH'S LEGACY 

Verse 1

Born in Trowbridge when the leaves turned gold,

 November seventeen-ninety, a story to be told 

William and Betty Rich welcomed their son 

In a world where the Industrial Age had just begun 

John learned to weave with steady hands so true 

Making cloth from wool the way his fathers knew

Verse 2

Valentine's Day in eighteen-fifteen 

He married sweet Rebecca, the finest ever seen 

In Hilperton Parish Church they said their vows 

To share their joys and weather life's sorrows 

Eleven children blessed their humble home 

Though some sweet souls were called too soon to roam

Chorus

John Rich, John Rich, weaver of Hilperton 

Your threads of love are never quite undone 

From English fields to shores across the sea 

Your family tree grows wild and grows free 

John Rich, John Rich, your legacy lives on 

In every heart where hope and love are strong

Verse 3

The loom would sing from dawn to setting sun 

While children played and household work was done 

In Hilperton Marsh their cottage stood with pride 

Rebecca cooking meals with John by her side 

Through Georgian days and into Victoria's reign 

They weathered every joy and every pain

Verse 4

James went to Cardiff, Ann to Illinois 

Samuel and William sought the New World's joys 

Hannah crossed the ocean with courage in her heart 

While Jesse stayed close, never to depart 

From one small village to the world so wide 

His children carried Rich family pride

Bridge

Seventy-seven years upon this earth 

Building something greater than silver's worth 

When machines replaced the weaver's song 

His family's story carried on 

From hand loom threads to railroad steel 

His love made broken hearts to heal

Chorus

John Rich, John Rich, weaver of Hilperton 

Your threads of love are never quite undone 

From English fields to shores across the sea 

Your family tree grows wild and grows free 

John Rich, John Rich, your legacy lives on 

In every heart where hope and love are strong

Outro

So raise a glass to the weaver's name 

John Rich of Wiltshire, forever our flame 

In Connecticut hills and Welsh valleys green 

His spirit lives in places he's never seen 

The loom is silent but the love plays on 

John Rich, dear John Rich, your song lives on 

(Your song lives on... your song lives on...)

4)  Here is the Audio Overview "podcast" file for John Rich (1790-1868) from Google NotebookLM (based on the referenced genealogical sketch):

https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/f2d27bc9-a811-4b9e-aabe-0227ea8cc776/audio

5)  The AI tools do this so much better than I could, and weaves 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!

6)  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 and to my YouTube channel and 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

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/06/john-richs-legacy-family-history-poem.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Please note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County (GSSCC) Program on Tuesday, 3 June 2025 Features Thomas MacEntee

 I received this information from my friend and society colleague Gail Burk:

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Genealogical Society of Santa Cruz County (GSSCC) Lecture Series 

 Co-hosted Online by GSSCC and the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (SCPL) 

View meeting on Zoom or View In-person at Downtown Library (224 Church Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060)

 

 To register for the Zoom meeting, please type in or click  

https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/14680398

Tuesday, 3 June 2025 1:00 PM PDT 

Guest Speaker:  Thomas MacEntee

"CREATING AN ANCESTOR PROFILE"

Most genealogists never get around to publishing that family history book based on their genealogy research. How about a different approach: producing short 3-5 page sketches about an ancestor? During this program, you’ll learn how to include a cover, photos, facts, family stories, source citations and more! And once you get a few of these ancestor sketches done, you can compile them to-gether for one big book!

Thomas MacEntee is a Baby Boomer guy with a love of punk rock music but also art history who somehow “fell” into the technology industry almost 40 years ago, and then left a lucrative IT career to pursue his love of family history and genealogy. Technology and historical research are opposites, but “tech people” like Thomas are needed to guide today’s genealogists through the maze of options so they can deploy the best apps and devices to break down research brick walls. Thomas MacEntee: author, educator, advocate, entrepreneur, and that “genealogy guy” who helps you accomplish your family history goals.

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/06/genealogical-society-of-santa-cruz.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  All comments are moderated, and may not be posted immediately.

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Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Who Are Your 32 Third-great-grandparents?

 Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:

1)  Who are your 32 3rd-great-grandparents?  List them (with birth names).  Tell us when and where they were born, married and died.  [NOTE:  This is easily done in your genealogy software program or online family tree by making an Ahnentafel or Ancestors report from yourself as #1, then copy and paste.]

2)  Share your list of your third great-grands on your own blog post or in a Facebook, SubStack or BlueSky post.  Leave a link on this blog post to  help us find your post.

Here's mine (listed by Ahnentafel number):

 32. Benjamin Seaver: born 15 November 1791 in Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; married 2 March 1817 in Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; died 25 May 1825 in Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.

33. Abigail Gates: born 24 February 1797 in Gardner, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; died 4 January 1867 in Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.

34. Alpheus B. Smith: born 19 May 1802 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States; married 30 November 1826 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States; died 13 January 1840 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States.

35. Elizabeth Horton Dill: born 9 May 1791 in Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States; died 28 November 1869 in Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.

36. Zachariah Hildreth: born 10 April 1783 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; married 21 October 1810 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; died 22 January 1857 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.

37. Hannah Sawtell: born 6 November 1789 in Brookline, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States; died 13 January 1857 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.

38. Lambert Brigham: born 7 June 1794 in Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; married 12 February 1817 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; died 5 May 1834 in Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.

39. Sophia Buck: born 3 May 1797 in Holden, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; died 6 January 1882 in Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.

40. John Richman: born before 27 September 1789 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England; married 28 February 1811 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England; died before 26 April 1867 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England.

41. Ann Marshman: born about 1784 in Devizes, Wiltshire, England; died 31 July 1856 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England.

42. John Rich: born before 14 November 1790 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England; married 14 February 1815 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England; died before 6 June 1868 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England.

43. Rebecca Hill: born before 25 April 1790 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England; died before 7 March 1862 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England.

44. Jonathan White: born about 1803 in Glocester, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; married about 1823 in Foster, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; died 19 April 1850 in Killingly, Windham, Connecticut, United States.

45. Miranda Wade: born 25 June 1804 in Foster, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; died 27 August 1850 in Killingly, Windham, Connecticut, United States.

46. Rev. Jonathan Oatley: born 7 July 1790 in South Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, United States; married 29 May 1813 in Exeter, Washington, Rhode Island, United States; died 10 August 1872 in East Killingly, Windham, Connecticut, United States.

47. Amy Champlin: born 9 March 1798 in South Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, United States; died 8 February 1865 in East Killingly, Windham, Connecticut, United States.

48. Henry Carringer: born 6 June 1800 in Sandy Creek Township, Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States; married before 1825 in Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States; died 20 April 1879 in Columbus City, Louisa, Iowa, United States.

49. Sarah Feather: born 7 June 1804 in Warren, Trumbull, Ohio, United States; died 9 April 1848 in Perry Township, Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States.

50. Daniel Spangler: born 9 October 1781 in York, York, Pennsylvania, United States; married 12 March 1815 in York, York, Pennsylvania, United States; died 19 July 1851 in Georgetown, Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States.

51. Elizabeth King: born 5 March 1796 in York, York, Pennsylvania, United States; died 18 March 1863 in Conneautville, Crawford, Pennsylvania, United States.

52. . : born about 1820 in Jefferson, New York, United States; married.

53. Lanfear: born about 1821 in Lorraine, Jefferson, New York, United States.

54. Samuel Vaux: born 14 January 1816 in South Petherton, Somerset, England; married before 1839 in Aurora, Erie, New York, United States; died 9 October 1880 in Concordia, Cloud, Kansas, United States.

55. Mary Ann Underhill: born 5 March 1815 in Aurora, Erie, New York, United States; died 3 November 1882 in Concordia, Cloud, Kansas, United States.

56. John Auble: born 11 March 1780 in New Germantown, Hunterdon, New Jersey, United States; married 15 July 1804 in New Germantown, Hunterdon, New Jersey, United States; died 16 January 1831 in Byram, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.

57. Anna Row: born about 1787 in New Germantown, Hunterdon, New Jersey, United States; died 12 June 1860 in Stillwater, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.

58. William Knapp: born 1775 in Peekskill, Westchester, New York Colony, British Colonial America; married about 1804 in probably Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States; died 16 June 1856 in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, United States.

59. Sarah Cutter: born 6 November 1785 in Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States; died 6 March 1878 in Hackensack, Bergen, New Jersey, United States.

60. Abraham Kemp: born 4 November 1795 in Fredericksburgh, Lennox and Addington, Ontario, Canada; married 16 April 1818 in probably Prince Edward, Ontario, Canada; died after 1 April 1881 in Norfolk, Ontario, Canada.

61. Sarah Fletcher: born 7 July 1802 in Ontario, Canada; died before 1850 in Prince Edward, Ontario, Canada.

62. Alexander Sovereen: born 22 December 1814 in Middleton, London District, Upper Canada, British North America; married 3 March 1840 in Upper Canada, British Colonial America; died 15 August 1907 in Windham Township, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada.

63. Elizabeth Putman: born 1 January 1820 in Wayne, Steuben, New York, United States; died 17 March 1895 in Delhi, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada.

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/05/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-who-are.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

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Ask AI: "How Did James Richman Travel to Liverpool, and What About the Ship Calhoun in 1855?"

The Artificial Intelligence tools (like ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot, Gemini, Grok, Meta, Grok, and Perplexity) can provide much useful and nearly instant information about subjects in a concise format, especially when they have been pre-trained on a large volume of information about the subjects.

After writing ABC Biography of #20 James Richman/Richmond (1821-1912) of Wiltshire and New England, I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with more information about how James Richman traveled from Wiltshire to Liverpool, and about the ship Calhoun in 1855.  

(from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Calhoun, 1856, in public domain)

The first prompt for Google Gemini 2.5 Flash is:  "How would someone travel between Trowbridge, Wiltshire and Liverpool, England in 1855?"

The Gemini response was:

In 1855, traveling between Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and Liverpool, England, would have primarily involved a combination of train and possibly some coach travel, given the rapid expansion of the railway network in Great Britain during that period.

Here's a breakdown of how someone might have made that journey:

1. Trowbridge to a Major Railway Hub (e.g., London or Bristol):

• Train: By 1855, the Great Western Railway (GWR) would have connected Trowbridge to major centers. Trowbridge itself had a railway station. The GWR was a prominent railway company serving the West Country, including routes to Bristol and London. A traveler from Trowbridge would likely have taken a GWR train from Trowbridge to either Bristol or London.

2. From the Hub to Liverpool:

• Train (most likely): By 1855, the railway network was extensive enough that the vast majority of the journey from a major hub like London or Bristol to Liverpool would have been by train.

From London: If the traveler went via London, they would then connect to a major northern railway line. The London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR), which later became part of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR), connected London (Euston Station) to Birmingham, and from there, the Grand Junction Railway (also part of the LNWR) would have taken them to Liverpool.

From Bristol: While not as direct as London, it's possible a traveler from Bristol could have connected to lines heading north, eventually linking up with the main routes to Liverpool.

• Coach (less likely for the long haul, but possible for local connections): While railways were dominant for long-distance travel by 1855, stagecoaches still existed, particularly for connecting smaller towns to railway stations or for routes not yet served by rail. However, for a journey of this distance, relying solely on coaches would have been significantly slower and more expensive. Mail coaches, though being phased out, might have been an option for certain legs, but their primary purpose was mail, not passenger comfort or speed over long distances compared to trains.

Considerations for the 1855 Traveler:

• Journey Time: A multi-leg train journey like this would still have taken a significant amount of time, likely many hours, if not a full day. Trains in 1855 traveled slower than modern trains, and multiple changes and waiting times would have been common.
• Cost: Train travel was becoming more accessible but still represented a considerable expense for many.
• Comfort: While trains were generally more comfortable than coaches for long distances, conditions were still basic by modern standards. Carriages would vary in class, with third-class often being exposed to the elements.
• Luggage: Managing luggage would have been a factor, especially with multiple changes.
• Schedules: Train schedules existed, but delays and changes would have been more frequent than today.

In summary, the most efficient and common way to travel from Trowbridge to Liverpool in 1855 would have been almost entirely by rail, likely involving a change or two at major railway junctions.

The second prompt was:  "Can you tell me about the ship Calhoun that sailed from Liverpool to New York City arriving in October 1855? How long was the trip, how many passengers, what was life liek aboard ship?"

The Gemini response was:

The ship "Calhoun" that arrived in New York City in October 1855 from Liverpool was a significant vessel with a notable history, particularly regarding its later role in the American Civil War.

The Ship "Calhoun"

• Type: The "Calhoun" was a side-wheel steamship, built in New York City in 1851. While sailing ships were still common for transatlantic voyages in 1855, the "Calhoun" was a steam-powered vessel, which generally offered more reliable and often faster passage than purely sail-powered ships, as they were less dependent on favorable winds. She was originally named "Cuba" but was renamed "Calhoun" before entering service.
• Master: The master (captain) of the "Calhoun" for its October 1855 voyage to New York was Daniel H. Truman.
• Later History: The "Calhoun" gained further prominence during the American Civil War. She served as a Confederate privateer and then a Confederate Navy gunboat (CSS Calhoun). After being captured by Union forces in January 1862, she was commissioned into the Union Navy as USS Calhoun and later served the U.S. Army as the steamer "General Sedgewick." She returned to civilian employment as "Calhoun" after the war and was finally broken up in 1883.

Journey Length (Liverpool to New York, October 1855)

The "Calhoun" arrived in New York on October 22, 1855. To determine the exact length of this specific trip, one would need to find the departure date from Liverpool. However, we can approximate based on general voyage times for 1855:

• In the mid-1850s, the average duration of emigrant voyages from Liverpool to New York by sailing ship was around 40 days.
• However, the "Calhoun" was a steamship. While early steamships weren't as fast as later ones, they significantly reduced travel time. By 1855, with the transition from sail to steam, voyage times were generally decreasing. Some faster sailing ships (clippers) could make the journey in less than 3 weeks, and steamships were aiming for even quicker times.

Given it was a steamship, it's reasonable to estimate the voyage took closer to 2-4 weeks (14-28 days), significantly less than a purely sail-powered vessel. The exact duration would depend on weather conditions encountered during that specific crossing.

Number of Passengers

A passenger list for the "Calhoun" arriving on October 22, 1855, does exist. One specific record indicates that a James Richman (36 years old, laborer from England, intending to reside in the U.S.A.) traveled in steerage along with a "Saml Richman" (likely Samuel Rich, his brother-in-law).

Passenger lists typically detail each individual. To know the total number of passengers, one would need to view the complete manifest for that voyage. These manifests often listed hundreds of passengers, especially for ships carrying emigrants.

Life Aboard Ship in 1855

Life aboard a ship, even a steamship, in 1855 was a challenging experience, especially for those in steerage (the cheapest class).

• Accommodation:

  • Steerage: This was the most common and least comfortable class for emigrants. Passengers were housed in the lowest decks, often below the waterline, in cramped, communal spaces. Berths were typically narrow bunks, and privacy was almost non-existent. Ventilation was poor, leading to stale air and unpleasant odors. Conditions were often dark, and in bad weather, "battening down the hatches" meant confinement without fresh air or light.
  • Cabin Passengers: A small minority of wealthier passengers could afford private cabins, which offered more space, better food, and greater comfort.

• Food and Water:

  • Steerage: Food for steerage passengers was often basic, monotonous, and preserved. Common fare included salted meat, ship's biscuit, flour, oatmeal, and dried potatoes. Passengers were typically divided into "messes" and would either cook their own food in common galleys or have it cooked for them in large pots. Water was also rationed and could deteriorate in quality during the voyage.
  • Cabin: Cabin passengers received better quality food, often including fresh meat (from live animals kept onboard) and milk.

• Hygiene and Sanitation:

  • Poor hygiene was a significant issue. Fresh water for washing was scarce, and salt water was unpleasant. Latrines were basic and often overflowed. Overcrowding, combined with poor sanitation, created ideal conditions for the rapid spread of diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhus, and smallpox. Deaths during voyages were not uncommon.
  • Vermin, such as cockroaches and rats, were pervasive.

• Daily Life and Activities:

  • Days were often regimented, with set times for waking, meals, and returning to berths.
  • There was little in the way of organized activities for steerage passengers. Some might try to fish or snare seabirds. Leisure time was often spent chatting, mending clothes, or writing letters (though mail services at sea were limited).
  • Children, if eligible, might attend some form of informal schooling.
  • The journey could be incredibly boring for many, punctuated by the excitement or terror of storms.

• Dangers:

  • Storms: Bad weather was a constant threat, leading to severe seasickness, discomfort, and even damage to the ship or loss of life.
  • Disease: As mentioned, disease was a major killer on immigrant ships.
  • Fire: The combination of timber, straw mattresses, and restricted light sources meant fire was a constant danger.
  • Shipwreck: While not common, shipwrecks did occur, and with few lifeboats and limited swimming abilities, survival rates were low.

Despite the hardships, thousands of emigrants made these voyages, driven by the hope of a new life and opportunities in America.

In this case, I used the AI tool Gemini as a "search engine" and it provided the answers quickly without me having to click many web links or find books about the query answers.  Gemini provided sources for the Calhoun query (which I  didn't include above).  They are:

• United States Navy.mil (www.history.navy.mil) Calhoun - Naval History and Heritage Command Ship Histories. » Confederate Ships. » Calhoun. Calhoun. (SwStr: t. 509; cpl. 85; a. 1 18-pdr., 2 12-pdr., 2 6-pdr.) CSS Calhoun, built at New York in 1851 as ...
• Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org) USS Calhoun - Wikipedia.  USS Calhoun was a captured Confederate steamer and blockade runner acquired by the Union Navy from the prize court during the American Civil War. USS Calhoun. ...
• Genea-Musings (www.geneamusings.com) Treasure Chest Thursday - Post 200: 1855 Passenger List for James Richman. ... Daniel H. Truman master, which sailed from Liverpool and arrived in New York on 22 October 1855, is: And a snippet of the entry for James Richman: The ...
• CivilWar.com (www.civilwar.com) Calhoun (1862-1864) - Civil War. USS Calhoun, an 508-ton side-wheel gunboat, was built in 1851 at New York City as the civilian steamer Calhoun. She became a Confederate privateer in May 1861 ...
• Ibiblio (www.ibiblio.org) Civilian Ships--Steamship Calhoun (1851-1883) - Ibiblio. She was transferred to the U.S. Army the next month and spent the rest of the Civil War as the Army steamer General Sedgewick. Sold by the Government in 1865, ...
• HowStuffWorks (science.howstuffworks.com) The Origins of the Steamship - Science | HowStuffWorks One of the first successful steamships was the PS Comet. It first set sail in 1812 as a paddle steamer and got an upgrade with new technology by 1819. ...
•  GEOCITIES.ws (www.geocities.ws) Ships' Passenger List Port of New York 1820-1865 -. ... Mary. 40. Laborer. Ireland. Liverpool. Scargo. Oct. 12, 1850. 211. Foy, Mary Ann Michael Kate Thomas. 45 18 16 - -. Widow Servant Laborer Servant Infant. ...

I tried using Google's actual Search engine for the first prompt and received the same results, plus web links to railway information.  A Google Search for the second prompt provided a similar response to the Gemini response, but did not include information about specific passengers.  Google Search told me that the distance from Liverpool to New York City  was over 3,300 miles; and that the travel speed in open water was probably 8 to 14 miles per hour depending on sea conditions.  Also, that the Calhoun was designed for river and coastal travel - it may have been a difficult crossing in 1855!

Note that Gemini "remembered" my James Richman queries in weeks past, and that he was a passenger on the Calhoun.  I checked the passenger list on Ancestry.com and found that there were 164 passengers on the ship, and that James Richman and Samuel Rich (and his wife and infant) were the last-named passengers on the list.  Did they just barely make the boat?

Information like this is very helpful to add historical events and social history content to a person's biography. 

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See all of my Artificial Intelligence-related posts at https://www.geneamusings.com/p/artificial-intelligence-posts.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

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Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.

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