Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Did Your Ancestor Have a "Different" Occupation? Try "Sam the Digital Archivist" on ChatGPT

  From Randy (my cousin) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

        1) Did one (or more) of your ancestors have a "different" occupation? If so, try to find out more about that occupation in Steve Little's "Sam the Digital Archivist" custom prompt using the free ChatGPT4 artificial intelligence tool.  Click on the "Exploring unique ancestral occupations?" button and tell "Sam" in the "Ask anything" box to define and/or describe the occupation.

       2)  Tell us about your ancestor's "different" occupation, and what "Sam" had to say about it in your own blog post, in a comment on this post, or in a Facebook post. Please leave a link on this post if you write your own post.

Here's mine:

I have been trying to avoid ChatGPT.  I don't know exactly why.  Perhaps it gives me a foreshadowing of machines taking over the world.  But now Randy has dragged me right to it, and you know what? I liked it!  

I didn't really have any drastically "different" occupations in my family tree.  Of course, another deficit has been highlighted in my research - I have not been collecting occupations from the census.  (Don't come for me; I will do better!) So I didn't have a huge pot to pull from, but I ran a few through "Sam" and the answers made me laugh out loud at times, but also learn some things.  

My prompt for "Sam the Digital Archivist" was "John Mullis Fields was a constable in Vidalia Georgia between 1917-1918.  What was he doing?"

"Sam" provided this information:

    Ah, so John Mullis Fields was a constable in Vidalia, Georgia, between 1917-1918? Well, that means     he was basically the small-town law—think "Old West sheriff" but with less horse-chasing and             more paperwork.

What Would a Constable Be Doing in 1917-1918?

1. Keeping the Peace – As a constable, Fields would have been responsible for handling local disturbances, breaking up bar fights, and making sure folks weren’t causing too much trouble. Small-town life didn’t mean small-town crime—especially during World War I, when tensions ran high.
2. Serving Warrants & Summons – He’d be the guy knocking on doors with legal documents, telling people they needed to show up in court. In some cases, he might have had to escort them there himself.
3. Prohibition-Related Enforcement – Georgia had already enacted statewide Prohibition in 1908 (a full decade before national Prohibition in 1920). That means Fields might have been dealing with illegal moonshine operations—because let’s be real, folks in rural Georgia weren’t just drinking sweet tea.
4. War-Time Duties – With the U.S. entering WWI in 1917, local law enforcement had additional responsibilities, including enforcing draft registration laws. If a young man in town tried dodging the draft, Fields might have had to go have a stern chat with him.
5. Enforcing Racial & Segregation Laws – Unfortunately, being a lawman in the Jim Crow South also meant upholding deeply discriminatory policies. If there were any racial tensions in Vidalia (which, given the era, was likely), Fields’ role would have been complicated and, in some cases, troubling.
6. Handling Livestock Problems – In rural Georgia, “law enforcement” often included rounding up escaped pigs, dealing with disputes over cattle, and stopping farmers from letting their livestock trample their neighbors’ crops. Less “crime-fighting,” more “animal control.”
7. Assisting the Sheriff – If Toombs County’s sheriff needed backup, Fields would have been one of the first on the scene, whether that meant pursuing criminals, transporting prisoners, or guarding the courthouse.
8. Tax Collection – Some constables had duties related to collecting unpaid taxes, which probably made them very unpopular around town.

 I really liked the way "Sam" gave specifics for Georgia and the era I was referencing.  Makes it so much more interesting to read!

I chose this occupation because I haven't heard the South or even the United States reference a constable.  To me a constable was in Canada.  We have police officers, police chiefs, sheriffs, and deputies.  So I was curious if there was a difference.  After searching Google, I found out that the difference is that constables enforced both criminal and civil laws whereas police officers enforce criminal and traffic laws.  

John Mullis Fields (1883-1957) was the husband of my 3rd cousin, 2x removed, Mayme Lorena Dukes (1886-1938).  She and I are related on the Tapley branch of my tree.  

After getting this information about a constable, I asked "Sam" to create a description of an image that would show John Mullis Fields as a successful constable.  Here is what "Sam" created:

   The scene is a bustling Main Street in Vidalia, Georgia, circa 1917, lined with brick storefronts, wooden sidewalks, and a few early automobiles parked alongside horse-drawn wagons. At the center of the image stands John Mullis Fields, a commanding yet approachable figure in his well-pressed dark uniform with a brass star-shaped badge pinned to his chest. His neatly combed hair and serious expression give off an air of quiet authority, though there’s a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth—suggesting he’s well-respected, not feared.

To his right, a group of townspeople—shopkeepers, farmers, and a few young boys in suspenders—watch as he speaks to a man, possibly settling a minor dispute. His leather belt carries a revolver and a baton, but his hands remain at ease, showing that his presence alone is enough to maintain order. Behind him, a wanted poster for a local moonshiner flutters on a wall, a reminder of Georgia’s prohibition era, a law he was sworn to enforce.

In the background, a 1910s-era courthouse stands proudly, symbolizing justice, while a telegram office and a general store hint at the town’s daily rhythms. Perhaps a newspaper headline in a storefront reads, "Constable Fields Thwarts Local Disturbance," further cementing his reputation.

This image captures John Mullis Fields in his prime—a steadfast, fair-handed constable who kept the peace in a growing Southern town, ensuring law and order with both wisdom and strength. 

Now I don't know if that describes John Fields at all, but it sure paints a flattering picture!