June 2011

Do you have an ancestor who served in an early American war? Your ancestor or their heirs may have been given free land, also known as bounty land, as a compensation for their services. Similar to pension records, bounty land warrants can offer genealogists valuable information to add to their family trees. Let’s take a look at what you might find. What are bounty land warrants? Issued by the federal government from 1776 to 1858,… Read the full story

Todight’s Webinar: Creating and working with Projects on Geni.com Tonight at 8:00 PM ET, we’ll will be hosting a free webinar that will show you how to successfully participate in and create Projects. Space is limited, so register for your spot now. Don’t wait! Don’t forget that we post every webinar we do at GeniWebinars.com for you to watch at your leisure.

On June 30, 1917 American Jazz singer and actress Lena Horne was born in Brooklyn, New York.

On June 29, 1900, French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born. He is perhaps best known for his novella, The Little Prince. Published in 1943, The Little Prince has been translated into more than 180 languages and has sold more than 80 million copies, making it one of the best selling books in history. During World War II, Saint-Exupéry joined the Free French Forces to fight the Axis powers. On July 31, 1944, Saint-Exupéry disappeared… Read the full story

Aldous Huxley was a prominent English writer best known for his dystopian novel, Brave New World. Well regarded within academic circles, many viewed him as a leader in modern thought. Huxley was born into a highly educated and prominent English family. Members of the Huxley Family found success in various fields, ranging from medicine and science to arts and literature. Huxley was born in Surrey, England to Leonard Huxley, a writer and schoolteacher, and Julia Arnold. His paternal… Read the full story

Geni Pro users can now edit public profiles!  (Read more on the blog…)  For more info on Pro accounts, click here.

Profile of the Day: Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist.

Profile of the Day Profile of the Day: Sonia Sotomayor Profile of the Day: George Clooney Profile of the Day: Erich Maria Remarque Profile of the Day: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Profile of the Day: Errol Flynn Interesting Geni Blog Posts Featured Project: Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court Special Census Records Public Editing for Pros Geni Podcast: Securing Your Genealogy Family Tree Tuesday – The Wright Brothers From the Genealogy Community EOGN Podcast:… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: Peter Falk http://www.geni.com/people/Peter-Falk/6000000013082121565

Today we highlighted U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer, the first Hispanic justice. In addition to that, we thought it’d be interesting to highlight the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court project.  Established by the U.S. Constitution, the court convened for the first time in 1790. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Each associate justice is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. There are currently 27 profiles… Read the full story

Tomorrow, June 25, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates her 57th birthday.  Sotomayor’s nomination was confirmed in August 2009, making her the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. Check out her family tree! View Sonia Sotomayor’s Geni Profile

Every genealogist can attest to how valuable population census records are to genealogical research. But did you know that there are other types of census schedules out there? While these “special” schedules may not hold as much information as population schedules, they can often help supplement other sources and point you into new directions. Let’s take a brief look at a few of the other types of U.S. census schedules: Agriculture Schedules Agriculture schedules can… Read the full story

  (Update 6/30/2011:  There is some confusion about the scope of this feature.  Only public, unclaimed profiles can be edited by Pro users).   Geni’s goal is to build a single family tree of the world. We believe that millions of users working together is the best way to create an accurate and complete world family tree. Of course, working with other users mean that you get some bad information, along with the good. This… Read the full story

George Clooney Oscar winning actor and director George Clooney has found great success both on screen and off. He is best known for his roles on the television show ER and movies such as Ocean’s Eleven, Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck which he co-wrote and directed. Clooney has also devoted much of his time to his humanitarian work, raising awareness for the conflict in Darfur and raising funds for several recent natural disasters throughout the world. Check out George… Read the full story

[Download This Episode] [Subscribe in iTunes] [Subscribe in Your Favorite Podcatcher] Geni Podcast: Securing Your Genealogy by Geni, Inc. In this episode, Thomas MacEntee and Grant Brunner discuss making sure that your genealogy is secure. We don’t want to lose any of our hard work, so listen to some of these great tips about security. Show Notes: How should I preserve original documents and photos for future generations? Preserving documents and photos is getting more… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: Erich Maria Remarque http://www.geni.com/people/Erich-Maria-Remarque/6000000010764509598

Orville and Wilbur Wright were two American aviation pioneers, who are credited with inventing the worlds first successful airplane. On December 17, 1903 the brothers succeeded in making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight.  In 1906, Orville and Wilbur were granted a patent for their “Flying Machine.” The brothers grew up in a close household, which fostered their creativity.  Their success was widely influenced by the support they received from their family. Their… Read the full story

On June 21, 1982, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. He is the first heir to the British throne to be born in a hospital. Check out his family tree and see how you’re related! View Prince William, Duke of Cambridge’s Geni Profile

Profile of the Day Profile of the Day: Edward I, King of England Profile of the Day: Henry Ford Profile of the Day: Courteney Cox Profile of the Day: Betsy Ross Profile of the Day: Roy Orbison Interesting Geni Blog Posts Happy Father’s Day Featured Project: The War of 1812 Do You Have a Criminal in Your Family Tree? Colorado Family History Expo June 24th-25th Geni Podcast: Interview with Noah Tutak and Charles Edmonds Jamboree… Read the full story

On June 20, 1909, actor Errol Flynn was born. On screen, he was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles. While off screen, Flynn was known for his flamboyant lifestyle in Hollywood. In 1960, he received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to film and television. View Errol Flynn’s Geni Profile

Tomorrow, June 18, marks the anniversary of the beginning of the War of 1812. Just 29 years after the American Revolutionary War, the United States declared war on the British Empire in reaction to the Empire’s economic blockade of France and the forceful induction of American sailors into the British Royal Navy. Do you have any ancestors who fought in the War of 1812? Add them to this project and see how you can connect… Read the full story

On June 17, 1239 Edward I was born at the Palace of Westminster. He was known as Edward the Longshanks for his tall physique. During his reign, he strengthened the authority of the crown and established parliament as a permanent institution. How are you related? View Edward I, King of England’s Geni Profile

Discovered that your ancestor has disappeared from public records for a period of time? Wonder why your family doesn’t want to talk about a certain ancestor’s past? If you’ve heard stories or rumors in your family about an ancestor’s criminal activities, you may want to investigate those claims further by finding documentation. Criminal records make a fascinating resource for genealogical information. What types of criminal records are there? Police report/arrest records Court records Probation records Execution records… Read the full story

Heading into Father’s Day in the United States, we thought it would be fun to pull some interesting facts about fatherhood from the World Family Tree and share them with you in this infographic. Here’s to dads everywhere!

On June 16, 1903 the Ford Motor Company was incorporated. Founded by Henry Ford, the company is now one of the largest auto makers in the world. By implementing the assembly line technique of mass production, Henry Ford revolutionized the automobile industry and became one of the richest men in the world. How are you related? View Henry Ford’s Geni Profile

On June 15, 1964 actress Courteney Cox was born. She is perhaps best known for her role as Monica Gellar in the hugely successful sitcom Friends. Today, Cox can be found starring in the comedy, Cougar Town, for which she received her first Golden Globe nomination. Check out her family tree and see how you’re related! View Courteney Cox’s Geni Profile

The Colorado Family History Expo is being held June 24th-25th in Loveland, CO. Geni will be there in full force, so we want to see you there. If you’ll be attending this show, please stop by the Geni booth for some great free swag, Geni demos, and special offers. If you won’t be able to make it to the Colorado FHE show, stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter accounts for all the details from… Read the full story

Betsy Ross was an American seamstress and upholsterer who has been widely credited with making the first American flag. Because of this, she is one of the most notable women related to the American Revolutionary War. Take a look at her tree to see if you’re related to her. View Betsy Ross’s Geni Profile

[Download This Episode] [Subscribe in iTunes] [Subscribe in Your Favorite Podcatcher] Show Notes: In this episode, Grant sits down with two members of the Geni team: Noah Tutak and Charles Edmonds. Noah, the CEO of Geni, Inc. lets us in on how he got introduced to Geni, and some of his favorite features. Charles, the Customer Service Manager, lets users know how to go about getting help and information. This episode is jam-packed with information,… Read the full story

From Friday the 10th until Sunday the 12th, we were out in full effect at SCGS’s Jamboree 2011. We had a great booth filled with free swag and conference specials. Also, we were proud to sponsor an incredibly fun Ice Cream Social for GeneaBloggers. Don’t forget that we’ll be at the Loveland, Colorado Family History Expo. If you’ll be in the area, you’ll be able to meet the Geni team as well as get some… Read the full story

Profile of the Day Profile of the Day: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Profile of the Day: Diane Lane Profile of the Day: Frank Lloyd Wright Profile of the Day: Louis XIV Profile of the Day: Dwight D. Eisenhower Interesting Geni Blog Posts Geni Podcast: AncestorSync Naturalization Records Babies in Geni Onesies Family Tree Tuesday – Elvis Presley From the Genealogy Community Amy Coffin’s four-part Jamboree recap: 1, 2, 3, 4 Randy Seaver’s four-part Jamboree… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: Roy Orbison http://www.geni.com/people/Roy-Orbison/6000000012909541570

[Download This Episode] [Subscribe in iTunes] [Subscribe in Your Favorite Podcatcher] Show Notes: In this episode, Grant sits down with Dovy and Earl of Real-Time Collaboration to discuss their brand new product: AncestorSync. If you’re interested in learning about how to sync your data between your desktop client and Geni.com, listen on. These folks have a lot to offer in this episode. You’ll learn a lot.

Profile of the Day: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh http://www.geni.com/people/Prince-Philip-Duke-of-Edinburgh/6000000003075171096

Naturalization records are an important resource for genealogists. These records hold valuable information not only about their names and ages, but also where they came from. They provide important clues that may lead you to new paths and discoveries. Let’s take a brief look at what information naturalization records hold. Declaration of Intentions In the first steps toward naturalization, your ancestor would need to file a declaration of intentions, also known as “First Papers.” These… Read the full story

At genealogy shows, we love to give out Geni onesies to parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts. All we ask in return is that those family members send us a picture of their little one in the onesie. Today, we’re showcasing the first picture we received. As more come in, we’re happy to show them off to all of you. If you have pictures of your baby in a Geni onsie, don’t hesitate to e-mail it… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: Diane Lane http://www.geni.com/people/Diane-Lane/6000000008914885639

Profile of the Day: Frank Lloyd Wright http://www.geni.com/people/Frank-Lloyd-Wright/359887443050007456

On June 7, 1982, Graceland, the former home of legendary musician Elvis Presley, was opened to the public. Referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll,” Presley revolutionized the music industry and is perhaps one of the most important cultural icons of the 20th century. He has been inducted to four music halls of fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1935, Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi to Vernon… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: Louis XIV http://www.geni.com/people/Louis-XIV-Roi-de-France-et-Navarre/6000000000842131607

Profile of the Day Angelina Jolie George Orwell Helen Keller Audie Murphy Interesting Geni Blog Posts Geni Podcast: Helping Others with Genealogy Featured Project: Salem Witch Trials Tamura Jones Previews AncestorSync School Records as a Genealogy Resource Family Tree Tuesday – Emily Dickinson From the Genealogy Community Better Than Soundex This Is The Face of Genealogy DNA Day at the Clayton Genealogy Library They Did Not Photoshop Their Birth Record Ask an Archivist Day on… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: Dwight D. Eisenhower http://www.geni.com/people/Dwight-D-Eisenhower-34th-President-of-the-USA/6000000003055068438

[Download This Episode] [Subscribe in iTunes] [Subscribe in Your Favorite Podcatcher] Show Notes: Why should I help others with their genealogy? For me the question is more “why not help others with their genealogy?” Most of us had some sort of mentor or person who welcomed us into the world of genealogy whether it was a relative, a librarian, or a staff member at a Family History Center. I can’t say why it seems that… Read the full story

Do you have an ancestor who was involved in the Salem witch trials? This week we highlight the Salem Witch Trials: Colonial America in 1692 project. The goal of this project is to discover our ancestors involved in the notorious “Salem Witch Trials,” validate their family trees and our own connections to them, and create quality, genealogically valid mini biographies for the Profiles. If you’re interested in helping out, join the project’s collaborators! Perhaps you may… Read the full story

If you’re interested in learning more about the very exciting product from Real-Time Collaboration called AncestorSync, you’ll want to read the in-depth AncestorSync Preview by Tamura Jones. This long-form preview really shows off how impressive the technology is. If you’re a user of desktop software, Geni, or both, you should be very excited about the possibilities of AncestorSync. Also of note, Dovy (of Real-Time Collaboration fame) and I recently did a webinar showing off some… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: Angelina Jolie http://www.geni.com/people/Angelina-Jolie/6000000002742902340

When researching your genealogy, school records may not be one of the first resources that come to mind. However, you may be surprised to realize how information found in school records can help supplement your research with other documented sources. They can even provide clues to other areas to search. Let’s take a look at how school records can help you. Record of attendance Teachers often wrote notes recording why a student was absent for… Read the full story

Profile of the Day: George Orwell http://www.geni.com/people/Eric-Arthur-Blair-George-Orwell/6000000001510467133

Profile of the Day: Helen Keller http://www.geni.com/people/Helen-Keller/6000000006811385682