WEEK 6 – Social Media - Facebook Groups for Genealogical Research

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

This year, I’ve decided to participate in “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” Genealogical Challenge (#52Ancestors). This is a way of chronicling my ancestors and getting the information out of my filing cabinet and out to friends and family.

If you can add to the information or have your own stories, please feel free to add them in the comments. Who knows, perhaps you’ll help me break through a few of my brick walls.

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#52Ancestors in 52 Weeks

WEEK 6 – Social Media - Facebook Groups for Genealogical Research

Nowadays social media has become ingrained into our daily lives.  From a Genealogical viewpoint it's a cornucopia of information to be discovered and shared among peers.  It's not too surprising to learn that Genealogy has emerged as one of the world’s most popular hobbies and in terms of internet searches, it is ranked second behind (sadly enough) pornography.

Like other researchers, I rely on numerous genealogical sites (Ancestry, Family Search, My Heritage, Find my Past, etc.) to help me track down all kinds of information on my ever elusive ancestors.  Surprisingly one of my favourite site that I have come rely on for the best group interactions is the Facebook Groups, both private and public. They have proven to become a very popular way of bringing people with similar interests together to share their discoveries.

Let me share my experience with you.

My Grandmother, Marguerite Cockburn, Age 17 in 1917 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Growing up my grandmother, Marguerite Robertson (nee Cockburn) owned a huge dried-out starfish shell.  It had to be about 18 inches in diameter and at least 8 inches thick.  I remember as a child asking her what it was and why she kept it.  She told me that it had belonged to her G-Grandfather (John Elias Hammond) who was a lighthouse keeper, unfortunately that was all she knew of it.

“Descendants de Jean Elie Hamon (Hammond)” Facebook Group Banner

Years later as my passion for genealogy grew, I remembered my grannies’ words and started my hunt for “the lighthouse keeper”.  It was during this hunt that I discovered a private Facebook Group called “Descendantsde Jean Elie Hamon (Hammond)”.  They accepted my admission for membership and over the years they have regularly added to their data and information by gathering and sharing photos, media, articles and books all related to our Hamon (Hammond) ancestors.  On many occasions they have even been able to answer a few questions that I hadn’t even thought to ask.

 

The remains of the Southwest Point Lighthouse, Anticosti Island, Built in 1831, it is one
of Canada's oldest light stations built from materials found on site.

Île Bicquette Lightstation in 1895
Photograph courtesy Library and Archives Canada

As for John Elias Hammond, he had a very colourful life.  His father Jean Elié Hamon, emigrated from the Isle of Jersey in the Channel Island in the early 19th century to the Gaspé area of the Canadian Maritimes.  John would become the lighthouse keeper for the Southwest Point Lighthouse of Anticosti Island in 1831 and then eventually the keeper of Île Bicquette Lighthouse in 1847.  On December 15, 1850 John and his assistant keeper named Michell drowned in the line of duty.  Their bodies were never found...

...but that's a story for a future blog.