UPDATED 16Aug2025 with the letter!
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 7: Letters and Diaries
Introduction
Every family has a story passed down through generations, and sometimes, a single letter can open a window into the past. In my family, that letter is known as “The Patience Letter.”
Patience P. SPIEGLE (1833-1889), my great-great-grandmother, was born in New Jersey and married John T. WEST (1830-1924) in 1852. They started a family in Philadelphia before moving to Liberty Center, Henry County, Ohio, in 1858. Among their children was my great-grandfather, Adam Grant WEST (1866-1939), a traveling salesman.
Decades ago, I saw a letter that Patience wrote to her son Adam, presumably while he was on the road. Though I haven’t seen it in years, its content and significance have stuck with me.
Figure 1 Adam West, the letter’s recipient
The Letter: A Glimpse Into the Past
While I can’t quote the letter verbatim, I remember key details that made an impression:
- Remarkably Literate – Patience’s handwriting, spelling, and grammar were far better than one might expect for a woman born in the early 19th century. This suggests she had a solid education, likely from American-born parents of German and English descent.
- A Family in Motion – The letter mentions that her husband, John, was considering another move—perhaps to Michigan. Given that I’ve traced at least six moves in John’s lifetime, this letter confirms his “wandering spirit.”
- A Piece of History Lost – Unfortunately, my grandmother, the last known owner of the letter, passed away 28 years ago. I have asked my uncle if he has a copy or remembers more details, but the fate of the letter remains unknown at the moment. UPDATE: he sent me a copy!
How AI is Helping My Research
Losing a treasured family letter is frustrating, but modern technology—especially AI—offers new ways to recover lost history. Here’s how AI can assist:
- Handwriting Recognition & Analysis – If I find even a fragment of the letter, AI-driven Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools can help transcribe difficult-to-read handwriting and reconstruct missing words.
- Historical Context & Language Analysis – AI can analyze old letters and compare them with similar writings from the same period, offering insights into common expressions and historical references.
- Predictive Text Generation – While AI can’t fully recreate Patience’s words, it can generate plausible reconstructions based on similar letters and known details of her life.
By applying these tools, I hope to get closer to understanding what Patience might have written—and what insights she left behind.
Challenge for Readers
Have you ever discovered an old family letter or diary entry? What did it reveal about your ancestors? If you have a historical document but struggle to read it, try using an AI-powered transcription tool to bring it to life.
If a cherished letter is missing, consider reconstructing its contents with family memories and historical research. AI might just help you fill in the gaps!
Summary and Next Steps
Even when original documents disappear, modern genealogy tools—including AI—can help us reconstruct and preserve family history. Whether through transcription, historical context analysis, or predictive modeling, AI is a powerful ally in uncovering the past.
Next week, I’ll explore another AI-enhanced discovery in my family history. Stay tuned!
Disclosure
This post was created with AI assistance and refined with my insights. While AI helps organize research, the storytelling and discoveries are my own.
The Ancestor Whisperer 