Robert & Anna Cook Analysis with a little help from ChatGPT

I've been gathering source documents of Robert Lee Cook, son of Jefferson Gideon Cook.  A few of Gideon's sons moved to the bigger cities of Chicago and Detroit for work. I wanted to look into that. I don't get to do that much with my direct line.  My direct ancestors tend to put down permanent roots in rural locations.

• Typed up a data extraction from each source and crafted my citations
• Opened ChatGPT and discussed what I wanted--a table that would help in comparing and contrasting the information from the documents.
• Copied and pasted my extractions and source citations into ChatGPT
• Instructed it to use that info for the table.

It did a pretty good job.  I had to make several corrections but it did save me some time.

Below is the information from the documents and source citations. 

Robert & Anna's Marriage(1924)

Return of Marriages in the County of Wayne(Michigan) 1924

Record No:  268078

Date of License: April 29, 1924

Bridegroom: Robert L Cook

Bride: Anna C Bailey

Maiden name of Bride, if widow:  Eutsler

Age of each in yrs:  Groom 55 Bride 53

Race: Both White

Residence of Each:  Detroit, Mich.(both)

Birthplace of Each: Tenn(groom) Ohio(bride)

Occupation of Each: Bookkeeper(groom) House wk(bride)

Name of Father of Each:

    Groom's Father: Jefferson

    Bride's Father: Christopher

Maiden name of Mother of Each

    Groom:  Mary S Haymer

    Bride:  Elizabeth A Dunn

Time Previously Married

    Groom:  None

    Bride:  Two

Date of Marriage: April 30 1924

Place of Marriage:  Detroit, Mich.

Name & Official State of Person by Whom Married: C.E. Ferguson-Clergyman

Witness to Marriage:  Edward H Deutsch & Bessie C Deutsch (both reside in Detroit Mich.)

Robert & Anna's US Federal Census(1930)

Michigan, Wayne County, Detroit(City), Ward 10, Block 160, ED 82-298, p 173, Sheet 15A, Dwelling 1, Family 1, 

Robert L Cook age 61 First married at 55, self & Parents born in Tennessee

Robert's occupation is Sweeper at Auto Factory

Annie C Cook age 58 First married at 18, self & Parents born in Florida

Anna's Death Certificate(1935)

Michigan Department of Health

Division of Vital StatisticsCertificate of Death
State Office No. 200655
Register No. 10(3?)84
Place of Death:  Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Full Name:  Anna Charlotte Cook
Residence:  4280 15th St., Detroit, Michigan
Sex:  Female
Color or Race:  White
Marital Status:  Married
Spouse:  Robert Cook
Date of Birth:  April 12, 1867
Age:  68 years, 4 months, 24 days
Occupation:  At home
Birthplace:  Ohio
Father's Name:  Christopher Eusler
Father's Birthplace:  Unknown
Mother's Maiden Name:  Elizabeth Dunn
Mother's Birthplace:  Unknown
Informant:  Robert Cook (4280 15th St., Detroit, MI)
Date of Death:  September 6, 1935
Last Seen Alive:  September 6, 1935
Cause of Death:  Chronic myocarditis
Other Contributing Factors:  Gastritis 3 days
Burial Place:  Forest Lawn, Detroit, Michigan
Burial Date:  September 9, 1935
Undertaker:  Harvey A. Neely
Address of Undertaker:  Detroit, Michigan
Physician's Name:  Dr. James E. Clark
Physician's Address:  4292 14th Ave

Robert Lee Cook's Death Notice (1954)

Robert Lee Cook

Funeral services for Robert Lee

Cook. 86. of 301 Wimpole Drive, will 

be at Ellis and Kidd Funeral Home.

2627 Nolensville road. at 2:30 p.m. 

today. 

The Rev. Grady' Randolph and 

the Rev. E. W. Barnett will offi-

ciate, Burial will be in Triune cem

eterv, near Nolensville. 

Mr. Cook died Friday at David

son County hospital after A long 

illness. 

Born in Rutherford County, he 

was the son of Dr. J.G. and Mary 

Hamer Cook. For many years he 

lived in Detroit where he was em-

ployed by an automobile firm. Aft-

er his retirement five years ago. 

he returned to Nashville 

In 1923, he married the former

Miss Anna Bailey of Detroit. who 

died 20 years ago. 

Survivors include two brothers, 

J.R. Cook. Chicago. And C.B.

Cook. Robards, Ky: And a sister. 

Mrs. Dave Cook of Nashville,

Sources:

Michigan, Marriages Records, 1867-1952, Michigan Dept. of Community Health, Division of Vital Records & Health Statistics: imaged at Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9093/images/41326_342244-00502 : accessed 15 February 2025), Registers, 1887-1925 > 1921-1925 > 1924 Wayne, Image 384 of 1457, Record No 268078, Marriage of Robert L Cook and Anna C Bailey.

1930 US Federal Census, Michigan, Wayne County, Detroit City, Ward 10, Block 160, ED 82-298, p 173, Sheet 15A, Dwelling 1, Family 1, Robert L Cook household; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X79D-H8B : accessed 16 February 2025), IGN 4951281, image 350 of 1114, Entry for Robert L Cook and Annie C Cook.

"Michigan, Death Certificates, 1921-1952", Michigan Dept of Health; imaged at Michiganology.org (https://michigan.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_8d994f14-e0f6-4983-85d1-8f43600cf6cc : accessed 15 February 2025), Entry for Anna Charlotte Cook, Date of Death 06 Sep 1935.

"Robert Lee Cook," The Tennessean(Nashville) 13 June 1954, p 78, col 3, death notice of Robert Lee Cook; Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-obituary-for-robert-lee-c/42294702 : accessed 16 February 2025)

Additional Analysis

I built on the chat by typing in my analysis as I read and compared the info from the chart. ChatGPT can also help draft a report, but I found the introduction and conclusion to be of poor quality but no problem. In my opinion, those are the easiest parts to write. It did a good job with the contents of the report.  I will add the report to my Ancestry tree under Robert L. Cook's profile. This will be a great help to see what I have completed so far when I come back to this research.

Conclusion

I've heard that some folks have had success creating tables from image files.  I'm not sure that would save too much time for me.  I learn as I type so I'd miss out on the info "soaking in." I still have to double-check any output--my own or ChatGPT.  I find it helpful to "chat"  my analysis. It helps me to identify holes in logic and sometimes gives me a new perspective. When using AI the key is knowing what is time-saving, and what is a time suck.  Choose wisely.

Disclosure:

I used Free ChatGPT to make the table.  It helped organize the data and analysis I typed into a report.  I had to replace certain parts(intro and conclusion) as they were not what I would have used.  I didn't include the report in this article. 

Sarah Louise Cook Kester(1910-1981)

 

Sarah is a descendant of William Clifford & Elizabeth Putman Cook thru their son Jefferson Gideon Cook and his wife Martha Ann Hale.  There was an incredible amount of information contained in her obituaries.  

• Age: 70
• Died: 30 Mar 1981
• Funeral: Wed 1 Apr 1981 Foglesong Funeral Home at 2p.m.
• Memorial: Tues 31 Mar 1981 By Eastern Star at Funeral Home 7:30 p.m.
• Cremated interment in Oak Lawn Cemetery
• Born 15 Aug 1910 in Chicago
• Resident of Sturgis MI since 1972
• Former Resident of Riverdale IL
• Married 10 March 1934

Survivors:

• Husband: Clarence M Kester
• Daughters:

Ms Doris Ann Fortier of Berwyn, Illinois

Mrs James (Ellen L) Grummell of Lakeville, Indiana

• Son:

James Allen Kester of Sturgis

• Six Grandchildren
• Niece

Preceded in death by

• Parents:   Jefferson G & Sarah L Seat Cook,
• Two brothers

• Retired in 1971
• Employed with Brunswick Corp as Ins. agent for 10 yrs

Memberships:  

• First United Methodist Church where she was also involved with the Prayer Fellowship Group & Afternoon Friendship Circle
• Olive Branch Chapter 2 Order of the Eastern Star
• Past Matron of Olive Branch Chapter of Eastern Star in Chicago

Sources:

“Mrs Sarah Louise Kester,” The South Bend Tribune, 31 March 1981, p. 10, col. 2; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 12 March 2024).

“Kester,” Chicago Tribune, 2 April 1981, p. 47, col. 6; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 12 March 2024).

People in the Pictures Continued.

The discoveries from the photos sent to me by the Clawson Historical Museum's curator have really got me trying to come to conclusions as to which families are in the pictures which we have from my husband's family which are unidentified. The majority of the pictures don't have photographer's studio marks and those that do were Canadian which is where virtually all of Hubby's lines were prior to settling in Michigan. One photograph of a large family had a marking that said "Wheel City Studio Cheboygan, Michigan" so I looked at my FTM file for Jim's lines that were in that area. There were two families there in the 1900s--Ellen Lincoln Buchanan Stoner(she was widow of John Buchanan and mother of 3 sons) she had remarried and by 1910 is in Pierce Co. WA. The other family that was in that area was that of the elusive Thomas H. Leonard. Going by Census & Death records I've been able to place him in the area around 1901-1910. He and his wife Jane McHugh had a rather large family with 7 children--3 sons & 4 daughters. The picture with the Wheel City Studio shows what looks to be parents with their seven children. I got out the census entry for this family to compare the children listed with the ones in the picture. I grouped the children in the picture from oldest to youngest and the pattern of son, daughter, daughter, daughter, son, daughter, son fits perfectly with the known children of Thomas & Jane. I immediately looked at the daughter who would if my guess was correct be Margaret Leonard (my husband's great grandmother). A comparison of the face with a known picture of an older Margaret Leonard really makes me believe even more that this is the Leonard family. I'd been working with another Leonard researcher who believes that her lines may connect with that of my husbands so I sent her a quick explanation and copy of the pic via email. She thinks she may have a similiar picture but we will have to wait until she can get to her box of family pictures.

The People in the Pictures

Last week I wrote an email to the Clawson(MI) Historical Museum inquiring about Alice Shallow Buchanan. Alice was the wife of William Buchanan(b. 1873) and was listed as a widow in the 1930 census(see below) living in Clawson MI. I wanted to know if Alice worked in Clawson at the town hall as a Stenographer or did she merely work IN Clawson.

1930 Oakland Co. MI Clawson Village Enum Dist 63-113 Sup. Dist 14 Sheet 11 A pg 249
Alice M. Buchanan Head F W 47 Wd marr 1st at 18 MI NY NY Stenographer Village
Keith N. Buchanan Son M W 21 S WA MI NY
Oliver L. Buchanan Son M W 17 S WA MI NY
Frances J. Mitchell Boarder F W 24 S MI IL MI Stenographer Village

I heard back from Melodie Nichols, the curator of the Clawson(MI) Historical Museum later that day, She responded that she would see if she could find anything and get back to me in the coming week. Today I received an email from her which included

• A note on the Buchanan's listed in the 1924 Polk Directory
  
  
  
  • Buchanan, Alice, cook at Burke's confectionery. Residence on Renshaw, 1 blk south of Clawson Road (14 Mile)
  
  
  • Buchanan, Frank (Julia A, B&B bus), residence on Madison
  
  
  • Buchanan, Willard (B&B bus), boards with Frank Buchanan
  
  
  
  

• A picture of the buses from B&B bus line of the buses.

• Two pictures of Burke's confectionery when it was known as Buchanan's Confectionery and owned by Frank & Family taken in 1921.

• A picture of Main street and the Burke's confectionery taken in 1924.

The picture of Frank & Julia helped me to identify them in some old family photos that weren't labeled. I'm so glad that I wrote and inquired about this history. Things like these bring the people in the pictures to life.

Chasing Leonards

I'd sent off for the death record from the Cheboygan Co. MI library of a John Leonard in hopes that this would be THE John Leonard who was an Uncle of Thomas H. Leonard(Jim's Direct line) & living in Thomas H.'s household in the 1900 census. You can read my earlier post here. I don't want to go down the wrong road in this research but the age and location is certainly right on the money for it to be his Uncle. From the Death Info I learned that this John Leonard was a widowed farmer and was the son of Hugh Leonard & Dorothy Downey. This doesn't tell me for certain that this John Leonard is the one I'm looking for as I don't know for certain who Thomas H. Leonards parents were. It is progress though in that I can see if there is a trail from the Hugh Leonard & Dorothy Downey that might lead to Thomas H. Leonard's Dad.

Have been working on locating my husband's lines in the census records. I'm going to have a real challenge working on his lines as they aren't based in the South. His family are Canadians and Scots who arrived in Michigan most coming down from Canada. This will give me a chance to try research in that state as well as to get familiar with researching Catholic church records as most of them were of that faith.