52 AI Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 42: Fire

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I’ve combined Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge, and Steve Little’s The 2025 AI Genealogy Do-Over, to create a unique 52 AI ancestors in 52 weeks party!

52 AI Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 42: Fire

Introduction

Most of us hope to find old photos, love letters, or maybe a land deed in our genealogy research. I found a fire.

It came by way of a newsletter from the now-defunct Henry County Genealogical Society. Inside was a reprinted clipping from the Democratic Northwest and Henry County News, and there, under the quiet clatter of the surname “West,” was a fiery surprise. A few page flips later, I had the full story. And sure enough, there was my ancestor, J[ohn] T. West, listed in the aftermath of a town-wide disaster.

Discussion

On Sunday morning, May 26, 1889, a fire broke out at 2 a.m. in the oil room of Viers’ hardware store in Liberty Center, Ohio. It spread fast. In the words of the article:

“Seven buildings with most of their contents were licked up by the fierce flames.”

John T. West owned the stable across the alley from the hardware store, and it didn’t stand a chance. The flames jumped to his property almost immediately. By the end, the fire had consumed:

  • Two stables (including West’s)
  • A residence
  • A barber shop
  • A saloon
  • A meat market
  • A large ice house

The community fought the blaze valiantly, but with no functional fire engine – locked away due to a legal dispute with the town council – there was only so much they could do.

John T. West’s stable was insured for just $100. In today’s dollars? Still not enough.

How AI Can Help

Once I had the article, I was curious about the broader picture. Could AI help me:

  • Understand the historical value of $100 in 1889?
  • Reconstruct what a livery stable might have looked like?
  • Locate other fires in Liberty Center’s past?

It turns out, yes.

I asked ChatGPT to help me estimate the 1889-to-modern equivalent. It also described the typical use of a stable in a rural Ohio town at the time: transportation hub, business asset, sometimes even housing for boarders or deliveries.

The most helpful prompt I used:

“In 1889, if a livery stable was insured for $100, what would that cover, and what might the true loss have been?”

The answer wasn’t exact (and shouldn’t be taken as legal advice), but it painted a richer picture than I could’ve imagined. A stable wasn’t just a building; it was a livelihood. Which means the West family didn’t just lose lumber and nails. They lost income.

Challenge for Readers

Have you ever found your ancestor in a newspaper article – burning barn, flood, blizzard, or scandal?

Try this:

  • Search local newspaper indexes or newsletters for your ancestor’s surname + town.
  • Ask an AI tool: “What disasters happened in [town] between [year] and [year]?”
  • Use AI to recreate a scene: “Describe what a town fire in 1889 would have looked like.”

And if your ancestor lived through a town-wide disaster, try mapping their recovery. Did they move? Rebuild? Disappear from the record?

Sometimes, it’s the smoke that shows us where to dig.

🧭 Summary

Thanks to one local newspaper and a dedicated genealogical newsletter, I discovered my ancestor wasn’t just living in Liberty Center: he was living through literal fire. AI helped me understand the scale of the loss and place the event in context. The past doesn’t always come quietly. Sometimes, it burns.

📚 Want to Learn More?

Next Week’s Topic: “Urban”

AI Disclosure

This post was created by me with the help of AI tools. While AI helps organize research, the storytelling and discoveries are my own.

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