The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast

RLP 359: Belle Carpenter and 1875 Divorce

May 26, 2025
Dive into the tumultuous 1875 divorce case of Belle Carpenter, revealing her struggles with abandonment and societal stigma. Discover how AI tools are revolutionizing genealogical research, from transcribing court documents to generating insightful timelines. Unpack the intricacies of women's legal rights in post-Civil War Texas, alongside Belle's emotional and financial battles against her husband. The journey also highlights the challenges of researching common names and the power of newspaper archives in uncovering vital historical records.
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ANECDOTE

Serendipitous Divorce Case Discovery

  • Diana Elder discovered Belle Carpenter's divorce case from a newspaper article referencing a specific docket number in Dallas County, 1875.
  • This clue led her to easily locate and browse the original court records on FamilySearch's digitized microfilm collection.
ADVICE

Use AI for Transcription

  • Use AI tools like Claude to transcribe handwritten and mixed-format genealogical documents accurately.
  • Fact-check transcriptions but expect significant time savings and improved legibility with modern AI.
INSIGHT

AI Reveals Correct Marriage Date

  • Careful AI transcription helped resolve a marriage date discrepancy between documents.
  • Such details can clarify critical genealogical timelines and correct historical inaccuracies.
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