Family Finds Using Facebook

It's not the funny memes. It's not the click-bait Reels. It's not even all the beautiful photos from all the park, gardening, and nature pages I follow, which I subsequently nerd out over. So, what IS one of the primary reasons I use Facebook?

For genealogy. That's right—genealogy! Did you know there are over 16,700 Facebook pages or groups devoted to all things genealogy? Who knew that such a tremendous resource was out there, waiting patiently for us to notice it and get on the bandwagon!¹

Over time, after "liking" or "following" dozens of genealogy groups and pages sponsored by archives, societies, libraries, repositories, etc., I would estimate that more than 50% of my Facebook feed is filled with their informative posts, resource announcements, historical tidbits, fascinating photos, and more. By following these pages, I have a ready resource to stay informed as well as a place to ask questions. 

Here's one example.

A Facebook Success Story 

I recently needed advice on finding burial records for Victoria Lawn Cemetery a St. Catharines, Ontario. I hoped to find the burial of Mary Jane (Darah) Cassidy, a great-great-grandmother, who died in 1903. She was buried at Victoria Lawn Cemetery, but I could not find a burial for her on Find a Grave or BillionGraves (It's never guaranteed that a burial will be found on one of those websites, to be fair.). 

I turned to Facebook and asked the members of the Ontario Ancestors page if they knew where the Victorial Lawn burial records were kept. The helpful members suggested that I could call the cemetery office. While it now seems obvious, for some reason, I hadn't thought the cemetery would still be active or there would be an open office there - presentism at work!

My original post on the Ontario Ancestors Facebook page. I later edited it to say thanks once I had several suggestions.

I called Victoria Lawn Cemetery the next business day and gave the staff member all the info I had on Mary Jane. Though not in their main database, the staff offered to check their older records. If he found one, he also offered to photography any existing headstone.

Bright and early the next day, I received an email with a bonus. The staff had found Mary Jane's burial site and the record noted that Phillip Cassidy—Mary Jane's father-in-law—owned the plot. Phillip died in 1871, and is my 3x great-grandfather. I found two burials for the price of one!

Mary Jane's burial record stated the following:

Name: Mary Jane Cassidy
Age: 53
Province: Ontario
City: St. Catharines
Date of Death: October 23, 1903
Date Interred: October 26, 1903
Cause of Death: Acute Mania
Section: C
Division: 38
Lot: East ½ - Lot 3
Ground property of: Philip Cassidy
Attending Physician: Dr. Theahau
Religious Official: Father Burch

Funeral Home: McIntyre and Son

The grave site was marked by a headstone, which revealed Phillip's death info, but unfortunately, not Mary Jane's. From the date of death on the stone, I located Phillip's death record. I previously had only a range for his death date based on other documents. 

And while Mary Jane's information was not inscribed on the headstone, the mystery of where she is buried has been solved—in part thanks to Facebook.

After this success, I returned to the Ontario Ancestors Facebook page to offer my thanks to those who gave me suggestions, and inform them of my success in finding not one, but two ancestral burial places.

Thank you post on the Ontario Ancestors page after my success.

Tips for Using Facebook for Genealogy

• Find relevant pages and groups to join. Refer to the list created by Katherine R. Willson back in 2021 with over 16,700 pages listed!! You can also refer to Cyndi's List which took the list over from Willson and continues to work on it. Easiest of all is just to enter a locality and "genealogy" in the Search Facebook box, and you're likely to get several hits to choose from.
  
• Read the "About" section on the page or rules for the group. In this instance, the Ontario Ancestors page includes tips on how to write a query to get the best results. This section will also give you the best idea if the page is right for what you need.
• Write as specific a query as possible. Avoid broad questions with no details: "Can someone tell me everything about my Smith family." Includes names, dates, localities, and specify what you are looking for.
  
• Don't expect others to do your research for you, but expect them to offer resources that you can access yourself for the next steps.
• Say Thank You! There is nothing better than a success story posted back on the page where you have gotten help to encourage page members.
• Give back when you can. Join groups or pages in your research localities and offer assistance with queries. It's good to give back. 

This is just one of many successes I have had using Facebook for genealogy. What can you use it for?

Until next time...

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© Nancy Gilbride Casey, 2024. All rights reserved.

 

NOTES

¹ Katherine R. Willson (https://socialmediagenealogy.com/genealogy-on-facebook-list/ : accessed 6 November 2024), "Genealogy on Facebook List." As of 2021, this list is being maintained by Cyndi's List.