April 2013

Lydia Field Emmet was best known for her work as a portraitist. Her paintings can be found hanging in the White House, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many other prestigious art galleries. In 1883, at the age of sixteen, she was commissioned to illustrate Henrietta Christian Wright’s children’s book Little Folk in Green. Emmet was an illustrator for Harper’s Bazaar magazine and was commissioned to paint an official portrait of the First Lady, Lou Henry… Read the full story

Today the Netherlands celebrate as Willem-Alexander was sworn in as king after his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated the throne, ending her rule of 33 years. The queen announced her intention to step down earlier in the year, stating it was time for the country to be led by a new generation. Willem-Alexander is the first Dutch King in more than 120 years. King Willem-Alexander is connected to over 69 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree…. Read the full story

Just last week we launched Record Matches and Smart Matches™ on Geni and already it’s made a huge impact on the quality of the World Family Tree. Many users are finding new and exciting information and relatives that they never knew before. Check out what some Geni users are saying about their latest discoveries: Wendi Newman: “The new matches between Geni and MH are not just Smart, but extremely intelligent and very easy to use. I’m adding… Read the full story

Having fun finding your new Matches? Why not take a short break to check out some of the latest genealogy articles on the web? The Genealogy Sphere Geni.com adds Historical Records to Advance Family Tree Collaboration (Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter) – Dick Eastman shares the good news with the genealogy community Geni.com adds Record Matches and Smart Matches (Geneamusings.com) – Randy Seaver checks out his latest Record Matches on Geni Patricia Ward Kelly on her… Read the full story

On April 29, 1863, American newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst was born in San Francisco, California. As the leading newspaper publisher of the late 19th century and early 20th century, Hearst exercised enormous political influence over the American public. Today his mansion, Hearst Castle, is now a California State Monument and widely popular tourist attraction. William Randolph Hearst is connected to over 69 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?    … Read the full story

Happy birthday, Carol Burnett! Today, the comedy icon turns 80. She was born in San Antonio, Texas to Jodie and Louise Burnett. After her parents divorced, she moved to Hollywood with her grandmother. Best known for her long-running TV variety show, The Carol Burnett Show, Burnett has enjoyed a long and successful career in Hollywood. Today, her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located in front of the Hollywood Pacific Theater, where she… Read the full story

On April 25, 1908, American broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow was born in North Carolina. Murrow first gained prominence during World War II. Millions of Americans followed his radio broadcasts for the latest news on the war. Considered one of journalism’s greatest figures, Murrow was known for his honesty and integrity in delivering the news. Edward R. Murrow is connected to over 69 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?  … Read the full story

On April 24, 1907 Milton S. Hershey opened Hersheypark which is a family theme park founded by Hershey originally for the exclusive use of his employees. He was the founder of The Hershey Chocolate Company and Hershey, Pennsylvania.  Did you know that Hershey and his wife Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney were to travel on the Titanic? Kitty Hershey was ill at the time so they cancelled their reservations. A copy of the check Hershey wrote to the… Read the full story

When Geni joined the MyHeritage family in November 2012, our combined teams started working together to bring the best features of MyHeritage to Geni. Today we’re very excited to announce the first fruits of this work – perhaps the most important new feature on Geni since we launched the site in 2007 – MyHeritage’s powerful Record Matching and Smart Matching™ technologies are now available on Geni! Two new technologies for Geni Record Matching automatically finds… Read the full story

The Genealogy Sphere Oldest child doesn’t always ‘know it all’ about family history (Bangor Daily News) – Keep in mind younger siblings may know some stories older siblings may not have heard Long-lost brother reunited for the first time in 80 years after being fostered apart as babies (Daily Mail UK) – Two long lost brothers find each other 80 years after they were separated Fraternal Orders and Your Family History Research (4yourfamilystory.com) – Carline Pointer shares… Read the full story

It’s Earth Day! In honor of the day we’re highlighting Vice President Al Gore, who is perhaps one of the most notable environmental figures today. Credited with re-energizing the environmental movement, Gore’s highly popular and award-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, brought global awareness to the Earth’s changing climate.  In 2007, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless environmental activism. Al Gore is connected to over 69 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How… Read the full story

Are you planning a family reunion in the near future? Here are some fun activities to get your entire family involved in learning about your family history. 1. Fill in the family tree Here’s a fun game to get some of the younger members of your family interested in their genealogy: make copies of blank family trees for each youngster and have them ask relatives to help them fill out the tree. This is a… Read the full story

On April 19, 1882, Charles Darwin died at his home, the Down House.  In his groundbreaking publication, On the Origin of Species, Darwin introduced his theory of evolution to the world. The book and his future publications would prove to form the foundation of our current understanding of how man evolved through the process of natural selection. Considered on of the most influential figures in history, Darwin is buried in Westminister Abby, near other influential scientists Isaac… Read the full story

Today we remember renowned physicist Albert Einstein, who died April 18, 1955 at the age of 76. Born in Ulm, Germany, Einstein chose to remain in the United States when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany during his visit to the U.S. in 1933. In 1940, Einstein became an American citizen. One of the most brilliant minds in history, Einstein’s scientific breakthroughs profoundly influenced our understanding of the world today. Albert Einstein is connected… Read the full story

On April 17, 1820, Alexander Cartwright, a volunteer firefighter, was born in New York City. Referred to as a “father of baseball,” it is believed Cartwright is the first person to develop a new set of rules that would form the basis for modern baseball, including the use of a diamond-shaped field. For decades, controversy surrounded the origins of America’s national pastime; its invention wrongly attributed to Civil War hero Abner Doubleday. On June 3,… Read the full story

Francis Preston Blair, Sr. was an American journalist and politician. He was made editor of the Washington Globe in 1830 which was the recognized organ of the Andrew Jackson party. Blair was a member of Jackson’s “Kitchen Cabinet” that gave him a powerful influence. The Globe was the administration organ until 1841 and the chief Democratic organ until 1845. In 1849, Blair ceased to be its editor.  He was convinced after the Mexican War that slavery should not… Read the full story

On April 16, 1889, film icon Charlie Chaplin was born in London, England. One of the biggest stars of the Silent Era, Chaplin is considered a pioneer and one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. In 1919, he founded United Artist film studio with D.W. Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mary Pickford. Help build Charlie Chaplin’s family tree to see how you’re related!       View Charlie Chaplin’s Geni Profile  

Check out some interesting genealogy related articles from the past week! The Genealogy Sphere Warning! Don’t do THIS (Nutfield Genealogy blog) – A good warning to all genealogists – keep your old paper journals Medial records useful in genealogical research (Examiner.com) – Great explanation on how medical records can be helpful in genealogical research Auschwitz survivor’s social media search for long-lost twin (CNN) – Auschwitz survivor Menachem Bodner looks to Facebook to find his long… Read the full story

On April 15, 1980, French existentialist philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre died in Paris, France. Considered one of the key leading figures of 20th century French philosophy, much of Sartre’s work profoundly influenced a variety of disciplines. In 1964, Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, however he turned it down, stating “that a writer’s accepting such an honor would be to associate his personal commitments with the awarding institution, and that, above all,… Read the full story

We recently shared an article on Facebook about how two Norwegian relatives who found each other at a Miami CVS. By chance, these two women struck up a conversation while shopping. Soon they discovered that their families both came from a remote village in Norway and that they were cousins! It’s always interesting to hear these type of stories and several of you had a few to share of your own on Facebook. Here are… Read the full story

On April 12, 1861, the American Civil War began when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter. For four years, the war divided the nation. Under the command of Ulysses S. Grant, the Union armies defeated the Confederate armies of the South and brought an end to the war. After the Civil War, Grant would serve two consecutive terms as the 18th President of the United States. Ulysses S. Grant is connected to over 68 million… Read the full story

On April 11, 1869, Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland was born in Mandal, Norway. Considered one of the most important artists in Norwegian history, many of Vigeland’s lifeworks can be found in Norway’s Vigeland Park, the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist. Did you know Vigeland was also the designer of the Nobel Peace Prize medal? Check out Gustav Vigeland’s family tree and help connect him to over 68 million people on Geni!… Read the full story

On April 10, 1925, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published. Widely regarded as a “Great American Novel,” the literary classic perfectly captured the essence of the Roaring Twenties. Today, the novel is considered Fitzgerald’s best work. F. Scott Fitzgerald is connected to over 68 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Geni Profile  

John Huston was a film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote screenplays and directed films which are considered classics such as The Maltese Falcon (1941),  The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), Key Largo (1948), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The African Queen (1951), The Misfits (1961), and The Man Who Would Be King (1975). Most of Huston’s films were adaptions of novels that often depicted a “heroic quest” as in Moby Dick or The Red Badge of Courage. John Huston was born… Read the full story

Yesterday, beloved Mouseketeer Annette Funicello died at the age of 70 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. As a member of the original Mickey Mouse Club, Funicello quickly gained fame for her versatile talents. Funicello was just 13 when she was personally selected by Walt Disney himself to join the cast of the popular 1950s variety show. Did you remember watching Annette Funicello on The Mickey Mouse Club?     View Annette Funicello’s Geni Profile  

Happy Monday! Here are some interesting genealogy finds from this past week: The Genealogy Sphere Genealogy Today: Knowing family history cuts kids’ stress (Green Valley News and Sun) – A recent study shows children who know about their family history are better at handling stress Asheville Genealogy Column: Avoiding research errors (Citizen-Times.com) – A list of some of the most common mistakes made by researchers. Are you guilty of a few of these? Genealogy in palm… Read the full story

Today we remember Margaret Thatcher, who passed away today at the age of 87. Nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” Thatcher was known for her uncompromising, conservative politics and hard-driving leadership style. She was the longest serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the only woman to have held the post. RIP Margaret Thatcher.     View Margaret Thatcher’s Geni Profile  

Today we remember legendary film critic Roger Ebert, who passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer. The first film critic to ever with a Pulitzer Prize, Ebert gained national fame with his trademark “thumbs-up and thumbs-down” film reviews on his long-running syndicated televisions series At the Movies with his partner-in-crime, the late Gene Siskel. Just days before his passing, it was announced that Ebert’s cancer had returned. He left a final blog post titled, “Leave… Read the full story

On April 4, 1932, actor Anthony Perkins was born in New York City. The son of film actor Osgood Perkins and Janet Esslestyn, Perkins is a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger John Howland, his 7th great grandfather. He is best remembered for playing Norman Bates in the Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. Have you caught the newest television re-imagining of Hitchock’s Psycho with British actor Freddie Highmore in Perkins’ iconic role of Norman Bates? Anthony Perkins is connected to… Read the full story

Today is the anniversary of the first successful Pony Express run. On April 3, 1860, the very first Pony Express mail delivery service ran from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California by horseback, using a series of relay stations. During its short lifespan, the Pony Express was the West’s most direct means of east-west communication. Perhaps the most notable rider was Buffalo Bill, whose adventures as a young Pony Express rider have come to epitomizes… Read the full story

Samuel Morse was an inventor, contributing to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs and he was a co-inventor of the Morse code. He was also an accomplished painter. Morse had gone to England for three years to perfect his painting techniques and by the end of 1811 he gained admittance to the Royal Academy. After observing and practicing life drawing and absorbing its anatomical demands at the academy he produced his masterpiece, Dying… Read the full story

On April 2, 1805, beloved fairytales author Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark. During his lifetime, Andersen won critical appraise worldwide for his innovated stories, which often presented lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity.  Each year, his birthday is celebrated as International Children’s Book Day around the world. What’s your favorite childhood story? Hans Christian Andersen’s family tree on Geni is still very small. Perhaps you can help expand… Read the full story

Check out some interesting articles from the past week. The Genealogy Sphere A Land Patent is Just the Beginning (Genealogy Tip of the Day) – Don’t stop at the land patent. Check out this tip on where land patents can lead. Social media breaking down family history barriers (Standard-Examiner) – Thomas MacEntee talks about how social media has made genealogy more accessible Family Tree Talk: Researcher shares her genealogy adventure (Sentinel-Standard.com) – A genealogist follows… Read the full story

Happy April Fools’ Day! What better way to celebrate this funny day than with the family tree of iconic sitcom star Lucille Ball. Ball’s Lucy Ricardo could always be counted on to come up with some crazy plan to get what she wanted. While her antics always ended up causing trouble for her and everyone around her, no one could help but love Lucy. Lucille Ball is connected to over 68 million people on Geni’s… Read the full story