It seems like there's not a month that goes by without Facebook making changes to "improve" users' experience. I've lost count of how many times I've had to change settings back to maintain my privacy after Facebook unilaterally decided to make changes to users' accounts under the guise of "site improvements." Honestly, there has been a few times when I've considered kicking it to the curb and starting over with a different social networking site. So you're probably wondering why I stick around even though I am constantly frustrated by it.
It's the connections.
Earlier this year, my mom signed up for Facebook. In the process of adding friends, she began looking for family members. After adding one of her first cousins, she called to let me know that he was putting up old family pictures on his profile. I promptly added him so I could see the photographs and keep an eagle eye out for him adding more, which he does from time to time.
This morning when I checked Facebook, I had a message from my aunt. Another cousin, my first cousin twice removed, was on the site as well and had lots of family pictures on her profile. Not only did she have pictures, but she had also been sharing family stories. I couldn't add this new cousin fast enough.
When my mom pointed me to her cousin's profile earlier this year, I thought I'd hit the jackpot. This new cousin's profile, however, makes finding the first one seem like winning a small raffle in comparison to hitting the lottery. I'm still going through all her albums (she has a lot), but in one album alone she has 155 old family pictures. All told, I would say she probably has around 300 old pictures and at least that many pictures of her descendants.
For most of the pictures, she has identified the people in them not only by name, but also relationship. As various family members have commented on the photographs, they've shared memories of the individuals pictured, which makes it even more of a find.
So even though I'm annoyed by the constant changes at Facebook and hate having to redo settings time and time again to maintain my privacy, I can't give it up. If I do, I may miss out on the next cousin that comes along sharing family pictures and memories.
Showing posts with label social networking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social networking. Show all posts
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Why Facebook Rocks for Genealogy
In the past, I've used Facebook to search for living people in my family tree, especially younger generations. Checking the person's friends list or looking at their relationships if they are displayed can sometimes yield information on people I wasn't aware of. Occasionally, I will search one of my surname interests through the last area they lived in as well to see if I can find more family.
Recently my mom signed up for Facebook. After adding the people she knew on my friend's list, she started looking for other people she knew, including some of her many cousins. She struck pay dirt when she found her first cousin's profile and called to give me a head's up.
On Friday, he had uploaded a new photo album he titled old pics. At the moment, there are only five pictures in it. I hope he will be uploading more.
The first photo in the collection is of my 2nd great grandmother Addie Mae Deen Sweat, little Granny as she was called by family. I'm guessing she was probably in her 60s or 70s in the picture.
The second photo is my great grandparents Clifford Eugene Sweat and Alice Isabel Hayes Sweat. They were probably in their 50s at the time. Clifford was one of Addie's sons.
The third photo has another of Addie's sons, Osbourne Touchton (OT) Sweat. He looks to be around his 40s. I know he couldn't be too much older than this because he passed away at 55.
The fourth photo has two men, one of which is wearing some sort of uniform. The photo isn't labeled (at least not in the album) and I'm not sure who they are. I'm hoping a little research will shed some light on their identities.
The last photo is a group photo of three men and two women. It is labeled as having my great grandfather Clifford and his brothers and sisters. Apparently, this is only part of his siblings, though, because I know there were more. Clifford and OT are recognizable from their earlier photos in the album. The third man appears to be older than they are so this is probably Ernest Loren Sweat.
One of the women looked familiar so I checked the family photos my mom had given me and determined that she is Gladys Sweat Brunson. I would guess she's probably in her 40s in the picture. The other woman looks older than she is, but there were four girls before Gladys and I'm not sure which one is the one in the photo.
There are two cars in the background of this photo. I'm not much of a car aficionado so I checked with someone who is, my husband. He thought the cars were from the 1960s. I know the cars can't be older than 1972 because one of the men in the picture passed away that year.
These five photographs were amazing finds. I will be waiting (im)patiently to see if my cousin adds more photos to the album. My mom and I have a genealogy road trip planned for the end of April and I'm hoping to talk her into adding this cousin to our itinerary. With the FlipPal I won a while back, I can scan all his photos so I have copies.
Recently my mom signed up for Facebook. After adding the people she knew on my friend's list, she started looking for other people she knew, including some of her many cousins. She struck pay dirt when she found her first cousin's profile and called to give me a head's up.
On Friday, he had uploaded a new photo album he titled old pics. At the moment, there are only five pictures in it. I hope he will be uploading more.
The first photo in the collection is of my 2nd great grandmother Addie Mae Deen Sweat, little Granny as she was called by family. I'm guessing she was probably in her 60s or 70s in the picture.
The second photo is my great grandparents Clifford Eugene Sweat and Alice Isabel Hayes Sweat. They were probably in their 50s at the time. Clifford was one of Addie's sons.
The third photo has another of Addie's sons, Osbourne Touchton (OT) Sweat. He looks to be around his 40s. I know he couldn't be too much older than this because he passed away at 55.
The fourth photo has two men, one of which is wearing some sort of uniform. The photo isn't labeled (at least not in the album) and I'm not sure who they are. I'm hoping a little research will shed some light on their identities.
The last photo is a group photo of three men and two women. It is labeled as having my great grandfather Clifford and his brothers and sisters. Apparently, this is only part of his siblings, though, because I know there were more. Clifford and OT are recognizable from their earlier photos in the album. The third man appears to be older than they are so this is probably Ernest Loren Sweat.
One of the women looked familiar so I checked the family photos my mom had given me and determined that she is Gladys Sweat Brunson. I would guess she's probably in her 40s in the picture. The other woman looks older than she is, but there were four girls before Gladys and I'm not sure which one is the one in the photo.
There are two cars in the background of this photo. I'm not much of a car aficionado so I checked with someone who is, my husband. He thought the cars were from the 1960s. I know the cars can't be older than 1972 because one of the men in the picture passed away that year.
These five photographs were amazing finds. I will be waiting (im)patiently to see if my cousin adds more photos to the album. My mom and I have a genealogy road trip planned for the end of April and I'm hoping to talk her into adding this cousin to our itinerary. With the FlipPal I won a while back, I can scan all his photos so I have copies.
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