October 2012

Happy Halloween! Today, we highlight legendary silent film actor Lon Chaney. Dubbed “The Man of a Thousand Faces,” Chaney was renowned for his ability to transform himself using groundbreaking makeup techniques he developed. He captivated audiences for years in such silent horror films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera. Lon Chaney is connected to over 65 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View Lon Chaney’s… Read the full story

Cecil B. DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. His best-known films are Cleopatra; Samson and Delilah; The Greatest Show on Earth, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture; and The Ten Commandments, which was his last and most successful film. Cecil Blount DeMille was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts on August 12, 1881 to Henry Churchill and Matilda Beatrice de Mille. DeMille, but grew… Read the full story

On October 30, 1885, American expatriate poet Ezra Pound was born in Hailey, Idaho Territory. A major figure of the early modernist movement, Pound helped discover the work of T.S. Eliot, James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway. Together, along with other literary greats, were a part of the “Lost Generation,” a term used for those who came of age during World War I. Ezra Pound is connected to over 65 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How… Read the full story

Are you ready for Halloween? Check out some fun genealogy articles for some early treats! The Genealogy Sphere 10 Reasons to Join a Genealogy Society (Finding Our Ancestors blog) – The top ten reasons you should join a genealogy society Family Tradition: Did Lizzie Borden’s Ancestor Kill His Mother Too? (History.com) – An interesting article that looks into Lizzie Borden’s ancestor, Thomas Cornell, who was hanged in Rhode Island for the murder of his mother…. Read the full story

On October 29, 1618, English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh was executed to appease Spain after he and his men ransacked a Spanish outpost while on an expedition in search of El Dorado. Once considered one of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, Raleigh was instrumental in the English colonization of North America. He was granted a royal patent to explore Virignia and attempted to establish a colony at Roanoke Island. Although the colony was… Read the full story

Do you have ancestors who became naturalized citizens? A great place to hunt for information are in the pages of your ancestor’s naturalization records. Information such as birth date, birth place, physical description, race, residence, relative’s names and birth dates, port of entry and even a picture can be found all in one place. Below is Albert Einstein‘s declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States, submitted January 15, 1936. Read on… Read the full story

On October 26, 1947, Hillary Clinton was born in Chicago, Illinois. In 2009, Clinton became the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Obama‘s administration. Prior to her own Democratic presidential bid in 2008, Clinton served as a United States Senator for New York from 2001 – 2009 and First Lady of the United States from 1993 – 2001. Did you know Barack Obama is Hillary Clinton’s 8th cousin twice removed? Hillary Clinton is connected… Read the full story

On October 25, 1881, painter Pablo Picasso was born. Considered one of the greatest and most influential artist of the 20th century, Picasso co-founded the Cubist movement. He experimented with different techniques and ideas that revolutionized the arts and made him one of the most renowned artists in history. Pablo Picasso not connected to the world family tree. Perhaps you can help connect him to over 65 million people on Geni! View Pablo Picasso’s Geni Profile… Read the full story

On October 24, 1601, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe died at the age of 54. Born in Scania, then a part of Denmark, Brahe was well known during his lifetime as an astronomer and alchemist. He was one of the last major astronomers to work without using a telescope for his observations and his work was remarkably accurate for his time. His assistant, Johannes Kepler, would later use the data to derive the laws of planetary… Read the full story

James Spader is an America actor best known for his roles in films such as Pretty in Pink; Less Than Zero; Sex, Lies, and Videotape; Crash; Stargate; and Secretary. His best known television roles are in The Practice as Alan Shore and its spin-off Boston Legal, for which he won three Emmy Awards, and in The Office as Robert California. He was born on February 7, 1960 in Boston, Massachusetts to Stoddard Greenwood “Todd” and Jean (Fraser) Spader, both… Read the full story

Here’s Johnny! Today we remember talk show host Johnny Carson, who was born October 23, 1925 in Corning, Iowa. For 30 years, Carson hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and helped launch the careers of many of today’s comedians. His reign as the King of Late Night made him a beloved cultural icon in the U.S. Johnny Carson is connected to over 65 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?… Read the full story

Did you have a great genealogy-filled weekend? Take care of those Monday blues with some great genealogy articles below! The Genealogy Sphere Will Humans Eventually All Look Like Brazilians? (Livescience.com) – Evolutionary biologists say humans will eventually homogenize and approach the appearance of mixed-race Brazilians New England’s Famous Witch-Hanging Judge (Radio Boston) – New England Historic Genealogy Society’s Jeremy Sewall talks about his ancestor, Judge Samuel Sewall, who presided over the Salem witch trials Study… Read the full story

On October 22, 1811, Hungarian composer Franz Liszt was born. Considered on of the greatest pianists of his age, Liszt was one of the principle figures of the “New German School.”  His diverse body of work is said to have anticipated some 20th century ideas and trends. Franz Liszt is connected to over 65 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View Franz Liszt’s Geni Profile  

On October 19, 1810, abolitionist Cassius Clay was born in Madison County, Kentucky. Although his family was one of the wealthiest landowners and slaveholders in the south, Clay was a prominent anti-slavery crusader. He worked toward emancipation during his three terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives and published the anti-slavery newspaper True American. Did you know Henry Clay is his second cousin? Cassius Clay is connected to over 65 million people in Geni’s World… Read the full story

Throughout history, people have been on the move. Now we can actually “see” our ancestors cross the ocean blue to North America or make the long voyage to Australia. A new video created by Whitehead Institute in collaboration with the genealogical website Geni.com shows the births of millions people, from the Middle Ages through the early 20th Century, as single dots on a black background. As time advances, those births define the coastlines and countries… Read the full story

On October 18, 1831, Frederick III, German Emperor and King of Prussia, was born. Although raised in his family’s tradition of military service, Frederick III was known for his hatred of warfare and his liberal ideology. In 1888, he ascended to the throne after the death of his father, Wilhelm I and reigned for 99 days until his death. In what became known as the Year of the Three Emperors, Germany saw the rapid succession… Read the full story

Geni user Paul Hart recently shared a wonderful story with the Geni community. For years, he has been in possession of old photographs belonging to his grandmother’s foster family. After years of searching for the family’s descendants, he finally tracked them down to return these long lost family items. And along the way, he solved a mystery about his own grandmother’s whereabouts. Read the full story below: My grandmother (Fern) went into a foster home… Read the full story

On October 17, 1920, actor Montgomery Clift was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was known for starring in From Here to Eternity and Alfred Hitcock’s I Confess. Considered one of Hollywood’s first Method actors, Clift would earn four Academy Award nominations during his career. Montgomery Clift is connected to over 65 million profiles on Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View Montgomery Clift’s Geni Profile  

Cokie Roberts is an American journalist and author. She is a contributing senior news analyst for National Public Radio as well as a regular round table analyst for the current This Week With George Stephanopoulos. She also works as a political commentator for ABC News, serving as an on-air analyst for the network. Roberts serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations such as the Kaiser Family Foundation. She is the author of the national… Read the full story

On October 16, 1929, Brazilian actress Fernanda Montenegro was born in Rio de  Janeiro, Brazil. Revered as one of Brazil’s finest acresses, Montenegro is often referred to as “The First Lady of Brazilian Theater.” In 1999, Montenegro earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role in Central Station. She became the first Brazilian actor to be nominated for an Academy Award. Fernanda Montenegro does not yet have a direct path to the world family… Read the full story

Check out some great genealogy articles from the past week! The Genealogy Sphere Finding the Birthplace of Your Immigrant Ancestor (About.com) – Kimberly Powell provides some great steps on where to get started on finding where your immigrant ancestors were born Others may claim stake in historic cemetery (Reporter Newspapers) – Locals fight a land owner’s plan to build a house on land containing a small historic cemetery 1940 census and Social Security (Examiner.com) – A… Read the full story

On October 15, 1785, Chilean general José Miguel Carrera was born in Santiago, Chile. Known as one of Chile’s founding fathers, Carrera was considered to be the most important leaders of the Chilean War of Independence. José Miguel Carrera is connected to over 65 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View José Miguel Carrera’s Geni Profile  

There’s been a lot of news lately surrounding Justin Bieber‘s ancestry. Well, it turns out Justin Bieber has even more celebrity relatives in his musically-gifted family tree. Thanks to Geni’s World Family Tree, you can easily find out  how he’s related to other celebrities, historical figures or even you! Check out a few of his famous relatives below. And the best part, you can actually see how they are related! We’ve posted many of Beyoncé Knowles celebrity… Read the full story

Today, Ben Affleck‘s latest directorial effort, Argo, opens in theaters nationwide. Loosely based on the true story of the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, Affleck stars as Tony Mendez, the mastermind behind the rescue. Will you be watching Affleck’s newest thriller? Ben Affleck is connected to over 64 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related? View Ben Affleck’s Geni Profile  

On October 11, 1884, Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City, New York. During her husband’s presidency, Roosevelt changed the role of the first lady by becoming an active participant in American politics. She became an outspoken advocate of civil rights and continued her work with the UN for civil rights and women’s issues after Franklin Roosevelt‘s death. Eleanor Roosevelt is connected to over 64 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Christopher Reeve, who passed away October 10, 2004. Although Reeve played a variety of different roles throughout his career, he is best remembered for his iconic portrayal of the Man of Steel in four Superman films. Reeve spent much of the later part of his life as an advocate of stem cell research after a horse-riding accident left him a quadriplegic. He founded the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to… Read the full story

General Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army who was Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930’s and played a prominent role in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. He was raised in a military family, when he entered West Point in 1899, his mother had also moved there to a suite at Craney’s Hotel, overlooking the grounds of the Academy. Hazing… Read the full story

Today we remember John Lennon, who was born 72 years ago today. In 1957, Lennon met Paul McCartney and together they formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century. Did you know John Lennon’s son with Yoko Ono shares the same birthday as his father? Sean Lennon was born October 9, 1975. What’s your favorite John Lennon song? John Lennon is not yet connected to the world family tree. Perhaps you can… Read the full story

Check out some great articles from the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Did My Ancestors Vote? (About.com) – Kimberly Powell provides some great tips on how to use voter registration records in your genealogy research Has Anyone Ever Used These ‘Farm Work’ Records from Portland? (GenealogyBank) – Have you ever heard of farm work records? Former chief, genealogist continue trying to identify body (Bedford Journal) – How a forensic genealogists is trying to help… Read the full story

On October 8, 1943, comedian Chevy Chase was born in New York City, New York. Born Cornelius Crane Chase to a prominent New York family, Chase quickly rose to fame as an original cast member of Saturday Night Live. He found further success starring in the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies and comedy hits, such as Caddyshack. You can still catch the 69 year-old comedian on the small screen. His latest TV comedy, Community, is set to begin its… Read the full story

Today marks the 50th anniversary since the world was first introduced to The Beatles. On October 5, 1962, the iconic band released their first single, “Love Me Do,” and ushered in a new era of rock-and-roll. In honor of the 50th anniversary, we’re highlighting The Beatles genealogy project on Geni! For all the Beatles fans out there, the purpose of this project is to explore the ancestry of John Lennon, Paul McCarthy, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and their close associates. Are you… Read the full story

Today is Kate Winslet‘s birthday! The British actress turns 37. Did you know Winslet is the youngest actress to accrue six Academy Award nominations? In 2009, she finally won her first Oscar for Best Actress for her role in The Reader. Kate Winslet is not yet connected to the World Family Tree. Perhaps you can help connect her to over 64 million people on Geni!     View Kate Winslet’s Geni Profile  

In tonight’s episode of The Office, Ed Helms‘ office manager Andy Bernard learns he is related to Michelle Obama. Will you be watching the hilarity as Andy brags to his co-workers about his newly discovered relative? In honor of “Andy’s Ancestry,” we thought it would be fun to see how the Office star was really related to the First Lady. As it turns out, Michelle Obama is Ed Helms’ 18th cousin once removed! Just like his… Read the full story

On October 4, 1861, painter and sculptor Frederic Remington was born. Remington’s artwork specialized in depictions in the Old American West, specifically concentrating on images of cowboys, Native Americans and the U.S. cavalry. He immortalized the Western experience as one of independence, individualism, and stoic heroism. Frederic Remington is connected to over 64 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View Frederic Remington’s Geni Profile  

Happy Birthday, Gwen Stefani! Today, the Orange County rocker turns 43. Since launching to stardom as the lead vocalist for the rock band No Doubt, Stefanie pursued a successful solo career and a hit fashion line. Recently, she reunited with No Doubt and just last week, the group dropped their first album in more than a decade. Gwen Stefani is connected to over 64 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?… Read the full story

October is Family History Month! Celebrate the occasion with Geni by signing up for a Geni Pro membership. From now until October 31, when you sign up for a Pro membership, you can give any relative an exclusive invitation to upgrade to a 1-year Pro subscription at 50% OFF! With Geni Pro, you can add unlimited relatives to your family tree, access tree matches and merge duplicate profiles to connect instantly with new branches of your… Read the full story

T. S. Eliot was a publisher, playwright, literary and social critic and English-language poet of the 20th century. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (published in Chicago in 1915) was the poem that made his name and is seen as a masterpiece of the Modernist movement, and was followed by some of the best-known poems in the English language, including Gerontion (1920), The Waste Land (1922), The Hollow Men (1925), Ash Wednesday (1930), and Four Quartets (1945). He… Read the full story

On October 2, 1890, comedian Groucho Marx was born in New York. A master of quick wit, Marx is widely considered one of the greatest comedians of the modern era. Marx made 26 movies throughout his career, 13 of them with his brothers Chico and Harpo. His signature glasses, bushy eyebrows, mustache and cigar made him immediately recognizable and an iconic fixture in popular culture. Groucho Marx is connected to over 64 million people in Geni’s World Family… Read the full story

Happy Family History Month! To celebrate, check out some interesting articles from the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Genealogical Serendipity (Branch by Branch) – Have you ever benefited from genealogical serendipity? Another Instance of Bogus “Family Coats of Arms (Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter) – Dick Eastman posted a great article about the myth of family coats of arms College Yearbooks for Non-Graduates (Genealogy Tip of the Day) – Great tip on checking yearbooks for… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Julie Andrews! Today the beloved British star turns 77. Andrews made her film debut in Marry Poppins for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Since then, Andrews has taken on many other iconic roles, including the leads in The Sound of Music and Victor/Victoria, both earning her two more Academy Award nominations. What’s your favorite Julie Andrews film? Julie Andrews is not yet connected to the world family tree. Perhaps you can… Read the full story