The Power of Crowdsourcing!

A couple of months back, I’d met a distant cousin. She had shared several interesting photos from our shared Merritt family back in eastern Ohio. One of the photos intrigued me. It was a large group gathering. I could pick out several familiar faces in the crowd. There was a stamp on the back with the photographer and location.

I took the photo and uploaded it to the “History and Genealogy for Belmont County Ohio Area” facebook group. In a matter of minutes, I had a number of suggestions about the location and type of gathering. Several Merritt cousins chimed in. As a result, I learned about the church that the family had attended and met several cousins.

One of those cousins has continued to share photos, clippings and stories. Oh the treasures! I’ve been able to learn more about the lives of these ancestors and have photos to go along with the stories.

Taking a few minutes to upload a mystery photo or ask about a family line that you know little about can open doors and build relationships with cousins you didn’t know. It makes the genealogy journey a trip to remember!