Author: Amanda

Do you have Estonian roots? On this day in 1826, Estonian painter Johann Köler was born. A leader of the Estonian national awakening, Köler is considered to be the first professional painter of Estonia. Image: Johann Köler / Järvamaa Muuseum, Wikimedia Commons Köler was born March 8, 1826 in Lubjassaare farmstead in Ivaski, Vijandi County to a peasant family. Although the family had little money, Köler managed to attend school and eventually study painting at… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 176th birthday of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the first practical telephone. Image: Alexander Graham Bell / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution Bell was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland to Alexander Melville Bell ad Eliza Grace Symonds. His family life profoundly influenced his research on hearing and speech; his father and grandfather were elocutionists and both his mother and his wife were deaf. This research lead to… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! Today marks the 119th birthday of the beloved children’s book author. Image: Theodore Seuss Geisel / Library of Congress Theodore Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts to Theodor Robert Geisel and Henrietta Seuss. His father was a successful brewmaster before the family brewery was closed when Prohibition took effect. He was later appointed as superintendent of Springfield’s public parks system by the mayor. Geisel published his first… Read the full story

On this day in 1810, Polish pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin was born. Image: Frédéric Chopin / Library of Congress Frédéric François Chopin was born in Żelazowa Wola in what was then the Duchy of Warsaw, a Polish state established by Napoleon I. Although his baptism record states his birthday as February 22, 1810, Chopin and his family used the birthdate March 1, which today is generally accepted as the correct date. A child prodigy, Chopin… Read the full story

Today we remember acting legend Elizabeth Taylor on what would have been her 91st birthday. Image: Elizabeth Taylor / Wikimedia Commons Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born on February 27, 1932 in London, England to American parents, Francis Lenn Taylor, an art dealer, and Sara Sothern, a retired actress. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, the family returned to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, California. Soon after, Taylor began auditioning for films…. Read the full story

Today we remember pioneering NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who passed away on this day at the age of 101. Johnson broke racial and gender barriers by becoming one of the first African American women to work as a NASA scientist. Image: Katherine Johnson / NASA Johnson was born on August 26, 1918 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia to Joshua Coleman, a handyman and farmer, and Joylette Roberta Lowe, a teacher. Johnson showed a gift… Read the full story

RootsTech 2023 is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited to see everyone in person once again. For those who can’t make it to the Salt Palace Convention Center between March 2-4 in Salt Lake City, Utah, you will also have the opportunity to attend the conference virtually for free from the comfort of your own home! That’s right – RootsTech will be both virtual and in-person. For the last two years,… Read the full story

On this day in 1732, George Washington, the first President of the United States, was born. Image: George Washington / Wikimedia Commons Washington was born on February 22, 1732 on his family’s plantation, the Pope’s Creek Estate, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the first son of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball. His great grandfather, John Washington, emigrated to Virginia from England in 1656. A Founding Fathers of the United States, Washington led… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actor Sidney Poitier on what would have been his 96th birthday. Image: Sidney Poitier / Wikimedia Commons Poitier was born on February 20, 1927 in Miami, Florida to Bahamian parents Evelyn Outen and Reginald James Poitier. He was born two months premature while his parents were vacationing in the U.S. Until the age of 10, Poitier lived on his family’s farm on Cat Island in the Bahamas. At the age of 15,… Read the full story

On this day in 1781, French doctor René Laennec was born in Quimper, France. Considered one of the greatest physicians in history, Laennec made many significant contributions to the world of medicine, most notably his invention of the stethoscope. Image: René Laennec / Wikimedia Commons As a boy, René Theophile Hyacinthe Laennec was sent to live with his uncle, Guillaume-François Laennec, after the death of his mother. His uncle was the dean of medicine at… Read the full story

Happy birthday to LeVar Burton! Today the actor turns 66. Image: LeVar Burton / Mike Muegel, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Burton was born Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, West Germany. His mother, Erma Gene Christian, was a social worker and educator. His father, Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, was a photographer for the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was stationed at Landstuhl at the time of his birth. As… Read the full story

Today we celebrate suffragist and social reformer Susan B. Anthony, who was born on this day in 1820. Image: Susan B. Anthony / Library of Congress Anthony was born in Adams, Massachusetts to Daniel Anthony and Lucy Read. Her father was an abolitionist and an advocate of the temperance movement. She grew up in a politically active household, which instilled in her a strong passion for social reform. Anthony first met Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1851. They… Read the full story

It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. While reading through old newspapers, it’s fun to find announcements celebrating 50, 60, 70 year wedding anniversaries. Some offer secrets to their lasting relationship and pictures of the happy couple, while others contain an abundance of genealogical information as families came together to celebrate these long-lasting unions. This Valentine’s Day, we take a look at a few of them below: After 72 years of marriage, Joseph… Read the full story

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” Today we remember abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery sometime around February 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland. Although the exact date of his birth is unknown, Douglass chose to celebrate his birthday on February 14. Image: Frederick Douglass / Library of Congress While he was young, the wife of his master, Sophia Auld, began teaching Douglass the alphabet, despite laws that prohibited teaching… Read the full story

On this day in 1756, Aaron Burr was born in Newark, New Jersey. Although he served as the third Vice President of the United States, Burr is perhaps best remembered for killing his political rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. Image: Aaron Burr / New York Public Library Burr was the second child of Esther Edwards and the Reverend Aaron Burr, Sr., who was the second president of the College of New Jersey (now known as… Read the full story

On this day in 1894, American illustrator Norman Rockwell was born in New York City, New York. Image: Norman Rockwell / Library of Congress Norman Perceval Rockwell was born on February 3, 1894 to Jarvis Waring Rockwell and Anne Mary “Nancy” Hill. Rockwell’s 7th great grandfather, John Rockwell, was one of the first settlers in Connecticut. For over four decades, Rockwell’s illustrations of everyday life in America graced the covers of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. Although disliked… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Farrah Fawcett on what would have been her 76th birthday. Image: Farrah Fawcett / Wikimedia Commons She was born Ferrah Leni Fawcett on February 2, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was the second daughter born to Pauline Alice Evans and James William Fawcett, an oil field contractor. Fawcett first discovered her love for acting while in high school and in 1968, she decided to try her luck in Hollywood. She soon… Read the full story

On this day in 1902, poet and author Langston Hughes was born. A leader of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes was known as one of the earliest innovators of jazz poetry. His writings reflected the life and experiences of African Americans and addressed racial issues in society. Image: Langston Hughes / Library of Congress Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902. His parents separated shortly after his birth and he was primarily raised by his maternal grandmother until her death in 1915…. Read the full story

On this day in 1882, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, was born in Hyde Park, New York. As the only U.S. President to serve four terms in office, Roosevelt led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II until his death in 1945. Image: Franklin D. Roosevelt / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Roosevelt was born into one of the oldest and wealthiest families in New York. In… Read the full story

Remember the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? On this day in 1832, author Lewis Carroll was born. Image: Lewis Carroll / Wikimedia Commons The eldest son in a family of 11 children, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson spent much of his childhood reading books. He enjoyed entertaining the children of his close friend, Henry George Liddell, and spent much time delighting them with stories of fantastic adventures. Liddell’s daughter, Alice, became the inspiration for Carroll’s most famous… Read the full story

Ninety-eight years ago today, legendary actor Paul Newman was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Image: Paul Newman / Wikimedia Commons A versatile actor and entrepreneur, Newman showed an early interest in theater. He made his Broadway debut in 1953 and eventually segued into television and film. Some of his most memorable films include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke, and The Sting. In 1958, Newman married actress Joanne Woodward. They remained married for 50 years… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 141st birthday of British author Virginia Woolf. A pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device, Woolf is remembered as a central figure of the modernist movement in literature. Image: Virginia Woolf / Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University Woolf was born Adeline Virginia Stephen on January 25, 1882 in London England to Sir Leslie Stephen, a prominent author and mountaineer, and Julia Jackson, a noted philanthropist. She was… Read the full story

On this day in 1862, American author Edith Wharton was born. Known for her stories about America’s upper-class, Wharton became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1921. Image: Edith Wharton / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 She was born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862 to a prominent and wealthy New York family. In 1885, she married Edward Wharton, a wealthy banker. The couple eventually divorced in 1913 after 28 years… Read the full story

It’s National Handwriting Day! Established in 1977, National Handwriting Day is celebrated on the birthday of John Hancock. The American Founding Father is best remembered for his iconic signature on the Declaration of Independence. Image: John Hancock / Library of Congress John Hancock was born on January 23, 1737 in Braintree, Massachusetts. A major figure of the American Revolution, Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. His large and stylish signature has become so… Read the full story

On this day in 1904, star Cary Grant was born in Bristol, England. Image: Cary Grant / Wikimedia Commons He was born Archibald Alexander Leach on January 18, 1904 to Elias James Leach, a tailor’s presser, and Elsie Maria Leach, a factory seamstress. Grant had an unhappy childhood. When he was 9 years old, his father placed his mother in a mental institution and told a young Grant that she had gone away on a… Read the full story

On this day in 1942, boxing legend Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. An Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Heavyweight Champion, Ali is remembered as one of the greatest athletes in history. Image: Muhammad Ali / Nationaal Archief, Wikimedia Commons CCO He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. to Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., a painter, and Odessa O’Grady, a domestic helper. He became interested in boxing at the age of 12 after his bike… Read the full story

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Today the U.S. observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in honor of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Library of Congress He was born on January 15, 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia to Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. A leader of the American Civil Rights movement, King sought to bring an end to… Read the full story

Founding Father Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 or 1757 (the exact day is unknown). Image: Alexander Hamilton / Wikimedia Commons Born on the island of Nevis, British West Indies, Hamilton and his older brother James were born out of wedlock to James A. Hamilton and Rachel Faucette, who was still married to another man. While he was still a child, his father left the family, leaving them impoverished. Then in 1768, Hamilton’s mother… Read the full story

Are you a fan of Rod Stewart? Today the music legend turns 78. Image: Rod Stewart / Helge Øverås, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Born on January 10, 1945 in London, England, Stewart was the youngest of five children. He excelled at soccer in his youth, however, when his ambitions to become a professional soccer player were thwarted in the summer of 1960, Stewart decided to pursue a career in music. His distinctive voice set… Read the full story

Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? On this day in 1745, French inventor Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier was born. Image: Library of Congress Montgolfier was born on January 6, 1745 in Annonay, France into a family of paper manufacturers. His brother, Joseph-Michael, developed an interest in aeronautics and enlisted Jacques-Étienne to help construct a balloon in the 1770s. As they worked together, the brothers discovered that heated air directed into a paper or fabric bag made… Read the full story

On this day in 1855, American inventor King C. Gillette was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. As the inventor of the best selling version of the safety razor, Gillette’s name is still synonymous with razor blades to this day. Image: King C. Gillette / Library of Congress Raised in Chicago, Illinois, Gillette and his family had survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but lost most of their possessions. To help his family, Gillette… Read the full story

On this day in 1643, Isaac Newton was born. Considered one of the most significant scientific figures in history, Newton revolutionized our understanding of the world. Image: Isaac Newton / Wikimedia Commons Newton was born prematurely three months after the death of his father, also named Isaac Newton. When he was three, his mother remarried and Newton was sent to be raised by his maternal grandmother. A gifted student, Newton especially excelled at mathematics. He would go… Read the full story

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at 2022. We introduced some great, long-awaited features and we finally had the chance to see people in person once again! This year our team worked hard on some big projects. We were thrilled to announce the return of Family Tree Charts to Geni! The previous version had been unavailable for some time as we worked on moving the charts off of Flash…. Read the full story

On this day in 1856, Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, was born in Staunton, Virginia. Image: Woodrow Wilson / Library of Congress Wilson was the third of four children born to Joseph Ruggles Wilson and Jessie Janet Woodrow. His paternal grandparents had immigrated to the United States from Ireland, while his maternal grandparents had come from Scotland. As President, Wilson led the country through World War I and helped craft the Treaty… Read the full story

On December 27, 1822, French scientist Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. Image: Louis Pasteur / Library of Congress Known for his scientific breakthroughs in the prevention of diseases, Pasteur made remarkable strides in the study of germs and was the first to encourage doctors to sanitize their hands and equipment before surgery. Perhaps his most famous scientific contribution was his development of pasteurization, which bears his name. In 1887, the Pasteur Institute was… Read the full story

We’re excited to announce a new feature for Geni Pro users – Inbox Search.  Over the years, we have often been asked to add the ability to search your Geni inbox to quickly locate specific messages. Today we’re delighted to deliver this long awaited feature!  As your tree grows and you begin communicating with other members on Geni, you’ll soon find yourself with a full inbox. Now you no longer need to waste time scrolling… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jane Fonda! Today the actress turns 85. Image: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) She was born on December 21, 1937 to legendary actor Henry Fonda and Frances Ford Seymour in New York City. At the age of 12, her mother committed suicide while receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital. After working as a model, Fonda decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and pursue an acting career. She rose to… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Dick Van Dyke! Today the lovable actor turns 97. Image: Dick Van Dyke / Wikimedia Commons He was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke on December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri. During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he became a radio announcer, and later, transferred to the Special Services to entertain the troops. Over the course of his long and impressive career, Van Dyke has starred in… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Frank Sinatra! Today marks what would have been the legendary crooner’s 107th birthday. Image: Frank Sinatra / Library of Congress Francis Albert Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915 in an upstairs tenement in Hoboken, New Jersey. At 13.5 pounds, Sinatra’s birth was not an easy one. He was delivered with the aid of forceps, which left him with severe scars on this left cheek, neck, and ear, and a perforated eardrum. After getting… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Judi Dench! Today the actress turns 88. A legend on the stage and screen, Dench has won accolades for her work in theater, film, and television. Image: Thore Siebrands / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Dench was born on December 9, 1934 in Heworth, York, England to Eleanora Olive Jones and Reginald Arthur Dench. Her father was a doctor for the Theatre Royal in York and so Dench was often in presence… Read the full story

On this day in 1873, American author Willa Cather was born in Back Creek Valley, Virginia. She was best known for her novels O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Ántonia, which vividly depicted frontier life on the Great Plains. Image: Willa Cather / Library of Congress She was born Wilella Sibert Cather on December 7, 1873 on her maternal grandmother’s farm in the Back Creek Valley near Winchester, Virginia. For six generations, her family had… Read the full story

Have you found connection to royalty? Today we remember William II of the Netherlands, who was born on this day in 1792. Image: William II of the Netherlands / Amsterdam Museum, Wikimedia Commons William II was the eldest son of William I of the Netherlands and Wihelmine of Prussia, who was the daughter of King Frederick William of Prussia and William I’s first cousin. In 1795, his entire family went into exile in Britain. At the age… Read the full story

On this day in 1825, Pedro II of Brazil was born. The second and last monarch of the Empire of Brazil, Pedro II was nicknamed “the Magnanimous” and reigned for over 58 years. Image: Pedro II of Brazil / Library of Congress Pedro II was born on December 2, 1825 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was the seventh child of Pedro I of Brazil and Maria Leopoldina of Austria. His mother’s sister, Marie Louise,… Read the full story

Today Bette Midler celebrates her 77th birthday! Image: Bette Midler / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) The celebrated singer and actress was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ruth Schindel and Fred Midler, who worked at a Navy base in Hawaii as a painter. She was named after actress Bette Davis, although she pronounces her name as one syllable. Her sisters, Susan and Judy, were also named after Hollywood stars, Susan Hayward and… Read the full story

Today we remember Winston Churchill, who was born on this day in 1874. Image: Winston Churchill / Library of Congress Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough, a branch of the prominent Spencer family. His father was a politician and his mother was an American socialite. Churchill was born two months premature in Blenheim Palace, a monumental country house that was rewarded to his ancestor, John Churchill, 1st… Read the full story

Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving? If you’re still looking for some interesting dish ideas, old newspapers are filled with recipe suggestions, with many submitted by their readers. We had some fun finding recipes that may give your Thanksgiving table a nice taste of the past. Several articles also offered a variety of menu suggestions for your Thanksgiving dinner. It’s interesting to see what was included in the holiday meal throughout time. In addition to… Read the full story

On this day in 1888, comedian Harpo Marx was born in New York City, New York. Image: Harpo Marx / Wikimedia Commons He was born Adolph Arthur Marx to Samuel “Frenchie” Marx and Minnie Schoenberg on November 23, 1888. The second oldest of five boys, Harpo and his brothers took on a variety of odd jobs to help support the family. In 1910, Harpo and his brothers, Leonard (“Chico”), Julius (“Groucho”) and Milton (“Gummo”) formed… Read the full story

Today we remember President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on this day 59 years ago in Dallas, Texas. Image: John F. Kennedy / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was fatally shot by a sniper while traveling in an open motorcade with his wife, Jacqueline. Celebrated as one of the most beloved Presidents of the United States, Kennedy’s sudden death shocked the entire nation. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on… Read the full story

On November 21, 1694, French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire was born in Paris, France. Image: Voltaire / Wikimedia Commons He was born François-Marie Arouet and was the youngest of five children. He later adopted the name “Voltaire,” which is an anagram of “Arovet Li,” the Latinized spelling of his surname Arouet and the initial letters of “le jenue” (“the young”). As an outspoken advocate of freedom of religion, freedom of expression and separation of church and state,… Read the full story

Astronaut Alan Shepard was born on November 18, 1923. Shepard made history in 1961 when he became the first American to travel into space. Image: Alan Shepard / NASA Shepard was born in East Derry, New Hampshire to Alan Shepard, Sr.and Pauline Renza Emerson. Shepard was fascinated with flying from an early age. He graduated from the U.S. Navel Academy and served onboard the destroyer Cogswell during World War II. After the war, he became a test pilot for the Navy…. Read the full story