Today, Diana and Nicole discuss how to use AI to add historical context to your genealogy research, focusing on the Boston Union Workhouse and Sarah Jane (Miller) Creer.
Diana begins by introducing the topic, explaining that researching institutions like workhouses can offer significant insights into an ancestor’s experience. She shares that her second great-grandmother, Sarah Jane (Miller) Creer, lived in the Boston Union Workhouse at age 10. Diana used Claude 3.7 Sonnet, an AI tool, to research the workhouse and was very pleased with the accurate and informative report it generated. Nicole then provides a summary of Sarah Jane’s life, which was also created by Claude AI based on a biography Nicole had previously written. The summary details Sarah Jane’s early life in poverty, her time in the workhouse, her emigration to America, and her life as a pioneer in Utah. Diana then explains her process for querying AI, detailing the specific prompt she used to ask Claude to research the Boston Union Workhouse, including the role the AI should assume, her goal, the task, and the desired output. She highlights how the AI’s extended thinking focused on the Victorian era and the plight of children in workhouses, and how it provided direct links to sources.
Diana and Nicole then present the full report generated by the AI about the Boston Union Workhouse, covering its historical background, administration, reasons people were sent there, living conditions, daily routines, food, and education for children. They also discuss specific information about the Boston Workhouse and how people left the institution, such as through family reclamation or apprenticeship. Finally, Diana offers tips for using AI for historical context in genealogy research, emphasizing the importance of detailed prompts, using models with deep research capabilities, fact-checking, and citing AI use. Listeners will learn how AI can be a valuable tool for quickly gathering historical context and details about institutions relevant to their ancestors’ lives, saving time and enhancing their research.
This summary was generated by Google Gemini.
Links
Boston Union Workhouse and Sarah Jane (Miller) Creer (1841-1902): Using AI to Add Historical Context – https://familylocket.com/boston-union-workhouse-and-sarah-jane-miller-creer-1841-1902-using-ai-to-add-historical-context/
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Research Like a Pro Resources
Airtable Universe – Nicole’s Airtable Templates – https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer
Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference – by Nicole Dyer – https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/
Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com – https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d
14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook – digital – https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound – https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/
Research Like a Pro Webinar Series – monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence – https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/
Research Like a Pro eCourse – independent study course – https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/
RLP Study Group – upcoming group and email notification list – https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/
Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources
Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist’s Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin – https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx
Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse – independent study course – https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/
RLP with DNA Study Group – upcoming group and email notification list – https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/
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