writing

52 AI Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 49: Written

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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 49: Written

Introduction

So many interesting tales about writing!

My oldest written family letter is the one written by my great-great grandmother Patience SPIEGEL WEST and documented here.

My grandfather A. Gordon WEST, Patience’s grandson, worked 40 years at a newspaper, and after retirement, wrote the occasional letter to the editor, according to an online newspaper site.

Discussion

But my dad Robert E. ANDERSON was the prolific writer in my family. As a child, I remember him, newly divorced, pouring his angst into writing poetry. I wrote about an audio recording of him reading a poem which moved me.

He became active in the local chapter of the group Parents Without Partners and edited their newsletter for many years.

He wrote new lyrics to existing tunes and had my sister and me sing them.

When I searched my dad’s name and location at an online newspapers site, I found dozens of letters to the editor indexed there, ranging from 2003 to 2008 (the year before he died). So after retirement, I see that he got politically vocal, and maybe if he hadn’t died unexpectedly, he would have become politically – and oratorically – active as well.

Our writing doesn’t stand still; it grows alongside us, shaped by heartbreak, hope, purpose, and even politics. My dad’s words shifted from raw, poetic reflections during a difficult chapter to witty song lyrics and, later, passionate letters to the editor. What we choose to write, and how we write it, often mirrors the seasons of our lives. Whether it’s personal, creative, or civic-minded, each stage leaves its own kind of ink on the page.

How AI Can Help

If you’ve got a family writer (or are the family writer), AI can be a thoughtful writing partner. Tools like ChatGPT can help:

  • Transcribe recordings: Remember that audio clip of my dad reading poetry? AI can turn it into text in seconds, making it easier to save, search, or share.
  • Clean up OCR text: Found a letter or newspaper clipping with poor formatting? AI can help you fix those errors without pulling your hair out. (Check the cleanup. Always double-check the results.)
  • Organize writing samples: Whether it’s letters, poems, or newsletters, AI can help categorize and summarize them so you can spot patterns or track how someone’s writing evolved over time.
  • Generate prompts: Stuck staring at a blank screen? AI can toss out memory-jogging questions or writing starters, perfect for family historians or reluctant memoirists. I, one of the least creative people I know, often use LLM models to give me ideas.

Even if your relatives weren’t published authors, AI makes it easier to find and preserve the words they left behind—and maybe rediscover the writer in yourself.

Challenge for Readers

Find a writing, any sort of writing, that a family member has created. Grab a takeaway from it and share with the family.

If desired, use AI to assist. AI can summarize, share, suggest… there are many points in the process at which AI can be a helpful partner.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re interested in exploring how AI can support your family history writing, check out these resources:

Next Week’s Topic: “Family Heirloom”

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.

A Brutal Editor (with Zero Feelings): Using AI to Tighten Your Genealogy Writing

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Using AI to improve my genealogical writing

I am writing a book for my children about their ancestors. They are not interested in their history now, but perhaps they or their children will be. This book is to hedge against my inability to assist them whenever that happy day comes.

Every year I focus on a new generation to research and improve it. Every month I set myself subtasks within that generation.

For June, I am focusing more on writing a quality biographical sketch.

I tried several AI tools, including ChatGPT and Claude (another writing assistant), but Claude gave me the most actionable feedback.

  1. Create a style sheet. You may choose the format of your choice, of course; perhaps it will be The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, The Register, or The American Genealogist. Whichever you choose, there will probably be guidelines for prospective authors. You can point AI to those guidelines. I asked it:

Create a style sheet for a biographical sketch in genealogy. Lean toward the format discussed in https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/writing-nygb-record

2. Run your sketch through that style sheet. I asked it:

Using this style sheet, suggest improvements for: <insert your sketch>

I will warn you, Claude was brutal. It gave suggestions in these areas, for example:

  • Major Issues to Address
  • Suggested Revision
  • Technical Corrections Needed
  • Missing Elements to Add
  • Critical Changes Needed
  • Research suggestions

Here’s a screenshot:

Each item included detailed explanations and suggestions, not just vague critiques.

And finally, take a look at my improved Malvina Hendell sketch.

Before:

After:

The rewrite read tighter, more professional, and far more historically grounded. Even I was impressed. I have been doing AI for a while now, and this really WOWed me. I made a note to go back and redo earlier generations in my book as well, it was that good.

Try it! It’s like having a no-nonsense editor on call—who never sleeps. Try it and let me know how it works for your writing.

52 AI Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 24 – Artistic

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Prompt: “The theme for Week 24 is “Artistic.” Is there a painter, crafter, quilter, knitter, crocheter, or musician in the family? This is their week.”

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 24: Artistic

Introduction

I was a computer science major in college. This is, in part, because I have no artistic talent whatsoever. My drawings look like modern art—unintentionally. But I grew up knowing that my grandfather’s sister, Lydia Coral West (1888–1944), was an artist – my grandparents had a still life oil painting of hers hanging in their house.

Discussion

I was recently reminiscing with my uncle about our memories of the family, and it turns out he had a charcoal drawing that Aunt Lydia did of my grandfather (his father) when he was small. He offered the drawing to me and of course, I jumped at the opportunity! It’s dated 12/31/1914. I quickly got a custom frame, and I proudly display it in my home—with a detailed note on the back explaining the artist, subject, and provenance, of course.

Figure 1 My grandfather, age 7, as drawn by his sister

Well, I may have no artistic talent, but I can appreciate this century-old portrait of a man I loved well.

How AI can help

Even if you can’t paint like Aunt Lydia, AI tools can help you see your artistic ancestors more clearly:

  • Restoring Images: Try AI tools like MyHeritage Photo Enhancer or Hotpot.ai to sharpen old photos of artworks or portraits.
  • Detecting Watermarks or Signatures: AI-based image analysis tools can help uncover faint or hidden artist marks on old paintings.
  • Identifying Art Styles: Upload artwork to platforms like Google Arts & Culture to see if it resembles specific art movements or periods.
  • Family Storytelling: Use ChatGPT or Sudowrite to help you write a story or caption from the artist’s point of view for creative flair.

Challenge:

  1. Find an artwork, piece of sheet music, or handmade item created by an ancestor. Use AI to enhance a photo of it.
  2. Write a fictional letter or diary entry from your artistic ancestor using AI assistance. What might Aunt Lydia have said about drawing her little brother?

Summary

Even if we aren’t artists ourselves, we can still honor the creatives in our family tree. Lydia Coral West may not have had a gallery opening, but her work hangs proudly in my home—and her legacy lives on through stories, images, and a little digital help.

Further Resources

  • MyHeritage Photo Enhancer: Sharpen and colorize old family photos and artwork for clearer details.
    myheritage.com/photo-enhancer
  • Hotpot AI Tools: Offers image restoration and background removal—useful for isolating and enhancing old sketches or crafts.
    hotpot.ai
  • Google Arts & Culture: Explore art styles and historical context by comparing your ancestor’s work with museum collections.
    artsandculture.google.com
  • Sudowrite: An AI-powered writing tool that helps generate creative writing, fictional letters, and ancestor storytelling ideas.
    sudowrite.com

Next Week’s Topic: “FAN Club” – it’s time to look beyond your ancestor and into their Friends, Associates, and Neighbors.

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.

52 AI Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 19: At the Library

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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 19: At the Library

Check This Out: Libraries, Family, and a Little Help from AI

Introduction

I’ve felt at home in the library for as long as I can remember. It’s a comfortable, non-judgmental environment where I can get transported to a world not my own, or learn how to do something new.

Discussion

Several good memories of mine happened in libraries.

When my divorced dad finally got weekend visitation, one of the activities he took us on was trips to the library. A newspaper photographer caught me searching in the card catalog (oh, boy, I wish I could find that photo!).

My first volunteer job was at my middle school library, putting books away. To this day, if I see a book misfiled in the library, I’ll furtively put it back in the proper spot according to the Dewey Decimal code on its spine.

We had a snail who left the tank’s water to lay eggs, which had us worried. I checked a book about pet care out of the library, and wrote the author with a question about my weird snail. How thrilling it was to hear back! (She didn’t know, but the thrill was hearing back! – and it turned out Mama Snail knew what she was doing.)

When I had children, I hyped them up to get their own library cards. As soon as they could print their names, they were eligible—and you better believe we got them cards when they were each four years old!

I care for my young granddaughter some days, and enjoy bringing her to the library so she can choose a board book which I’ll read to her.

Without really thinking about it, I helped to carry on the tradition of family bonding at the library to at least the fourth generation.

How AI can help

I track my reading on Goodreads, and have done so since I inadvertently started a book I’d already completed. This turned out to be very helpful for recommendations. Here’s what I did:

  • I exported my 5-star reads from Goodreads.
  • I shared them with ChatGPT using this prompt…

Consider the attached list of books that I have read and highly rated. What books would you recommend I read?

  • ChatGPT replied with personalized recommendations…

Summary and challenge

Books are deeply personal. What matters most is that they speak to you. This week, I invite you to pass on a love of the library—or rediscover it yourself—and let AI help you uncover your next great read.

Your Turn:

Determine who you’d like to get to the library – yourself? A family member? Get a library card and use AI’s help for book recommendations.

Little one’s first visit to a library

Next week’s topic: “Wheels.“

Disclosure

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

52 AI Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 14: Language

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52 AI Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 14: Language

Was that an Irish brogue, or just childhood imagination? This week’s post unpacks family memories, a transcribed poem from the past, and how AI helps preserve our ancestors’ voices—literally. Learn how to turn audio into stories with a little tech and a lot of heart.

Introduction

I truly admire my bilingual ancestors for their talents. I took many years of French in school and only barely made myself understandable on a Paris vacation!

I was in awe in Luxembourg, where locals often speak five or six languages. The country officially uses Luxembourgish, German, and French in administration, while many also speak English—and even Portuguese, Latin, Spanish, or Italian. It’s a fascinating example of how multilingualism thrives in daily life—see more on the languages of Luxembourg.

Did you or your ancestors have to learn a new language and new culture?

Discussion

I remember as perhaps a young teenager, interviewing my grandmother about her mother, who was 100% Irish. I knew Nanny when I was a girl, and I mentioned to Grandma that I remembered Nanny’s brogue. Grandma scoffed, saying, “If she had an accent, it was a Jersey accent.”

Cue quick recheck of my research: Nanny was born in Morris County, New Jersey to a line of Irish miners. Her parents were both born there as well. Nanny had no more brogue than I do. My mind was playing tricks on me.

How AI is Helping

I had found a cassette tape of my father reading poetry and had it converted to a .wav file. Doing research for this post, I hit play and got very nostalgic hearing that voice that I hadn’t heard in many, many years. But even better, I can use it to get his work to a wider audience by easily transcribing and sharing it.

Here’s what I did with the audio file:

  • Converted the cassette to a .wav
  • Used Microsoft Clipchamp to cut it into shorter clips
  • Converted to .mp3 with VLC
  • Transcribed with Descript (free version)
  • Prompted ChatGPT to format it like a poem

A Poem, and a Voice Returned

One of the most moving moments came when I pressed play on that old cassette. I hadn’t heard my dad’s voice in so long—it was like he stepped back into the room for a moment.

After transcribing and formatting it with a little AI help, I didn’t just hear his words—I felt them. This poem in particular gave me a glimpse of a man I didn’t fully know, beyond just “Dad.” He lived in New York City all his life, came of age in the 1960s, and would’ve known people like the young woman in his verse.

Here’s the poem. See what you find in it.

Important Things

by Robert E. “Bob” Anderson (1942–2009)

The lake in Central Park,
some twenty-odd stories below,
reflects the rising moon.
Warm summer breezes
blow in from the terrace
as the gathering crowd
clinks crystal stemware,
laughs,
and talks aloud.

I chat with a girl—
long, straight hair,
round tinted glasses—
about interests we share.
She wore a silken blouse,
unbuttoned halfway.
I listened politely
to what she had to say:

“I enjoy good poetry—
but only if it deals
with important issues—
like the slaughter of the seals,
the banning of the bomb,
the saving of the trees,
the horrors of war—
important things like these.”

I nod
and sip my drink.

“These are important,” I agree,
“but I’m afraid
they’re beyond
a simple soul like me.

My favorite topics
tend usually to deal
with more simple things—
like the way folks feel.

The magic touch of love,
the warmth of a loving heart,
and the cold emptiness
when two lovers part.

The despair of loneliness,
trying not to let it show—
and when we find someone new,
the wary joy we know.

What makes a person rise each day
to live
and face
whatever this fickle life
will give to you.

These may seem nothing,
but they matter to my friends.
We’ll have to trust to you
to see how this world ends.”

A cassette tape labeled "NEW POEM READINGS"

Figure 1 The tape which let me hear my dad’s voice again

Summary and Next Steps

Sure, I could’ve transcribed it myself. But a few trial runs, some free tools, and now I can bring my father’s poetry to readers who never met him. AI didn’t replace the story—it helped me tell it better.

What voices from your past might be waiting?
Try a voicemail, interview clip, or old video! Ask AI what it can do with it. Try it out.

🎧 Bonus! Listen to the poem yourself:

The tape which let me hear my dad’s voice again – if the player doesn’t work, use this link

Disclosure

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