July 2015

Do you have ancestors that fought in World War I? On this day in 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire invaded Serbia, beginning a war unlike any other. World War I, also known as the Great War, would last 4 years and see the death of over 9 million soldiers. It wasn’t until April 1917 that the United States would enter the war. Six weeks after the U.S. declared war on Germany, the Selective Service Act was passed,… Read the full story

Does this sound familiar? “Help! I accidentally added my grandfather’s brother as his son! How do I fix this?” Many people in similar situations have found themselves puzzled at how to correct such a simple mistake. What they don’t realize is that correcting these mistakes is really easy on Geni. Below we’ll walk you through step-by-step to show you how to fix these incorrect parent relationships in your family tree. Let’s take a look at this example below – The focus… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Daniel Radcliffe! Today the Harry Potter star turns 26. Born in London, England, Radcliffe got his start at the age of 10 in the BBC television film David Copperfield. It was this performance that caught the eye of director Chris Columbus, who was searching for a young unknown actor to cast as the lead in the film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter book series. At just 11 years old, Radcliffe joined fellow unknown actors Rupert Grint and… Read the full story

Do you watch Jeopardy? Today the longtime game show host Alex Trebek turns 75! George Alexander Trebek was born on July 22, 1940 in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. His father, George Edward Trebek, had emigrated from Ukraine as a child. His mother, Lucille Lagacé, was French-Canadian. Although he studied philosophy at the University of Ottawa, upon graduation, Trebek decided to pursue a career in journalism. His calm on-screen demeanor soon caught people’s attention and Trebek transitioned his career… Read the full story

Today we remember comedian and actor Robin Williams, who was born on July 21, 1951. Although the beloved actor passed away nearly a year ago on August 11, the world continues to miss his enthusiasm and warm, infectious spirit. Image: Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons In honor of his memory, here are some things you may not know about his family tree: 1. Robin’s second great grandfather, Anselm J. McLaurin, was a prominent politician in Mississippi. One of… Read the full story

Today, we celebrate the 46th anniversary of Apollo 11’s successful landing on the Moon. Do you remember watching Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the Moon? The momentous occasion was broadcasted on live television to a world-wide audience. Over half a billion people watched as Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the Moon’s surface and say his now-famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Buzz Aldrin would join him later as the second… Read the full story

As anyone delving into their family history will tell you, genealogy can be addictive! Check out the list below to see if you show signs of a genealogy addiction. You might be addicted to genealogy if… You’re more interested in what happened in 1815 than 2015 Your calendar includes the birthdays of your ancestors You talk more to dead relatives than you do the living ones You spend your vacations visiting cemeteries, courthouses and archives You’ve called in… Read the full story

Do you have French ancestry in your family tree? Today France celebrates Bastille Day to commemorate the storming of the notorious prison fortress. Here are some interesting facts about the French holiday: On July 14, 1789, French revolutionaries stormed the medieval fortress that served as a symbol of the Bourbon monarchy’s tyranny. A few years later, King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, would be executed by guillotine. The event sparked the beginning of the French Revolution…. Read the full story

History was made this morning as NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft made its closest approach to Pluto, a feat that was nine years and billions of miles in the making. Passing within 7,800 miles of the planet, New Horizons is the closest any spacecraft has come to the icy dwarf planet. Along for the ride are the ashes of astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930. Growing up on a farm in Kansas, Tombaugh made his own telescopes… Read the full story

News broke today that celebrated actor Omar Sharif passed away July 10, 2015 at the age of 83. Known for his roles in Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia, Sharif was a Hollywood legend. In honor of his memory, here are some things you may not have known about the international star: 1. He was born Michel Demetri Chalhoub in Alexandria, Egypt on April 10, 1932. In 1955, he changed his name after marring his co-star Faten… Read the full story

Do you fancy a Coke? On this day in 1831, Coca-Cola inventor John Pemberton was born in Knoxville, Georgia. Pemberton was the son of James Clifford Pemberton, who was the brother of Confederate General John Clifford Pemberton. Like his uncle, Pemberton served in the Confederate Army. During the America Civil War, he was wounded in the Battle of Columbus when he was slashed in the chest by a saber. Like many wounded soldiers of the time,… Read the full story

On this day in 1930, construction began on the Hoover Dam. For five years, over 21,000 men worked to produce what would be the largest dam of its time and one of the largest manmade structures in the world. The idea of the dam had been around for many decades. While serving as Secretary of Commerce in 1921, Herbert Hoover devoted much of his time to the creation of a dam in Boulder Canyon, Colorado…. Read the full story

On July 4, the United States celebrates Independence Day! On this day, the entire country celebrates the adoption of one of the most important documents the history of the nation, the Declaration of Independence. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the document declared the 13 American colonies freedom and independence from the British Empire. As we prepare to celebrate with fireworks, parades and barbecues, check out these fun facts about the holiday: 1. John Hancock, the President of… Read the full story

Today we remember Holocaust hero Nicholas Winton, who passed away yesterday at the age of 106. Nicholas George Wertheim was born on May 19, 1909 in Hampstead, London. Often called the “British Schindler,” Winton was a young stockbroker when he organized the transport of 669 Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia to Britain in 1939. His actions saved the lives of hundreds Jewish children who would have been destined for Nazi concentration camps. Shortly before Christmas in 1938, Winton had… Read the full story