2015

October is Family History Month! What better time to introduce your children to your family’s heritage than the month dedicated to it? Take some time to spark your children’s interest in your family’s history and they will love it and appreciate it as they get older. Here are some fun activities to get your budding genealogists active in learning about your family’s roots: Become a Family Detective Image: Anna, Wikimedia Commons Have a little Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew on your hands?… Read the full story

Happy 125th birthday, Groucho Marx! The master comedian was born Julius Henry Marx on October 2, 1890 in New York City, New York. He was the third of five sons born to Samuel “Frenchie” and Minnie Marx. As the family struggled financially, Groucho’s mother sought to guide her sons’ talents into a prosperous career in show business. By the 1920s, the Marx Brothers became one of the biggest comedic acts in the country. Groucho’s signature glasses, bushy… Read the full story

When it comes to family resemblances, we often talk about the physical similarities between ourselves and our relatives and ancestors. From a cousin who shares the same eyes of a grandparent to a baby nephew who is the spitting image of his second great grandfather, these similarities are frequently a popular topic of any family get-together. Image: Florida Memory, Flickr But what about personality traits? Has a relative ever commented that you share your grandfather’s sense of adventure? Or perhaps your… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actor James Dean, who passed away on this day 60 years ago. James Byron Dean was born on February 8, 1931 in Marion, Indiana to Winton Dean and Mildred Marie Wilson. After his family moved to California, Dean’s mother died of uterine cancer. His father, unable to care for him, sent Dean back to Indiana to live with family. He later returned to California and enrolled in UCLA to study theater. Once he… Read the full story

Happy 80th birthday to Jerry Lee Lewis! The rock and roll legend was born on September 29, 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana. Lewis taught himself the play the piano at an early age and at 14, he made his first public performance. He eventually headed to Memphis, Tennessee and found work with Sun Records. While working as a studio musician, Lewis had the opportunity to play his piano alongside Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley…. Read the full story

While researching your family history, you may come across many old handwritten records that are hard to read. Although genealogists would love to see clear, easy-to-read penmanship, you’ll find that that is not always the case. From the census enumerator with the sloppy cursive to your ancestors’ flourished writings in old journals, handwritten documents can sometimes feel impossible to decipher. Image: 1912 Catholic Church marriage record from Mexico Time and patience are key to understanding exactly what is written on the page. Check… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Partridge Family? Today, we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the hit sitcom starring Shirley Jones and David Cassidy. The show premiered on September 25, 1970 and ran for four seasons. Jones played the widowed mother of five musically talented children with Cassidy portraying her eldest son. In real life, Jones was married to David Cassidy’s father, Jack. The show was loosely based on The Cowsills, a popular family music group in the 1960s. The… Read the full story

Choosing a name for your baby can be one of the hardest tasks for soon-to-be parents. Picking out the perfect name can be a lot of pressure. Many parents may look back into their family tree in search for inspiration. Image: Nationaal Archief / Flickr Here’s a look back at the top 5 most popular girl and boy names from 100 years ago according to the U.S. Social Security Administration: Top 5 Female Names of 1915 Mary Helen… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Bruce Springsteen! Today The Boss turns 66. Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey to Doug and Adele Springsteen. He was first inspired to pursue music after watching Elvis Presley’s performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. He skyrocketed to fame in 1975 after releasing his third album, Born to Run. The record sold millions of copies and is often considered to be one of the best rock and roll albums… Read the full story

On this day in 1849, Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in the South. She would go on to lead many others to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Araminta Harriet Ross was one of nine children born to Harriet “Rit” and Ben Ross. She was born into slavery around 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland. On September 17, 1849, Harriet escaped to Philadelphia. She would soon return to Maryland to lead her family and many others to… Read the full story

Did you know you can customize the view of your family tree to your own preferences? Geni’s easy to use family tree interface is customizable so you can choose the family tree view that works best for you. Here are a few tips on what you can see: Starting with the view most are familiar with, the Standard tree view will show each profile’s node, picture (if available) and years of birth and death. Click… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Prince Harry! Today the British royal turns 31. The youngest son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Harry was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in London of September 15, 1984. He is currently fifth in line to the throne, after his nephew, Prince George, and his niece, Princess Charlotte. After graduating from school, Harry pursued a career in the military and did two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Harry is also involved in numerous charities… Read the full story

Half-sisters Diana Lee and Yevan Chernoff-Christian were separated for decades until a family friend made a discovery that would bring them together. Image: Yevan Chernoff-Christian and Diana Lee / GlendaleNewsPress A recent article in the Glendale News Press revealed that the sisters were reunited after a friend made a remarkable discovery on Geni. Two years ago, Melanie Kunisch, Yevan’s friend and an avid genealogists, spent some time helping Yevan research her ancestry. After tracing her parents’… Read the full story

Today Queen Elizabeth II achieves a new milestone – not only is she the United Kingdom’s longest lived monarch, but she now holds the distinction of being the longest reigning monarch in British history. She surpasses Queen Victoria’s record of 63 years, seven months and two days on the throne. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, June 1953 / Library and Archives Canada Just like her second great grandmother, Queen Victoria, Elizabeth II was never… Read the full story

This Monday, the United States celebrates Labor Day in honor of the contributions and achievements that workers have made. Celebrated on the first Monday of each September, Labor Day was created as a result of the Labor Movement of the late 19th century. Today, the holiday also symbolizes the end of summer and is celebrated with parties, parades and community events. Working in bottling factory / Library of Congress The origins of Labor Day can… Read the full story

Have you read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings? On this day in 1973, author J.R.R. Tolkien died at the age of 81. John Ronald Reuel Tolkein was born on January 3, 1892 in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa. When he was 4, Tolkien’s father died of rheumatic fever, leaving the family without an income. His mother took Tolkien and his brother to live with her parents in England. She died in 1904. During World War… Read the full story

We love hearing from Geni users about their experiences in genealogy. Today we want to share the story of Virginia Lee Oldham (Hopper)’s journey uncovering her family history. She was born in Princeton, Kentucky at the family home on Baldwin Avenue. In 1967, Virginia married Billy Joe Oldham and together, had two daughters, Sara Lee and Heather Jo. Between 1979-1989, Virginia was the owner and instructor of a downtown craft supply store. She was the… Read the full story

Remember the story of Tarzan? On this day in 1875, author Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago, Illinois. Burroughs was the fourth son of George Tyler Burroughs and Mary Evaline Zieger. His father was a businessman and Civil War veteran. He worked a number of different jobs throughout his lifetime, from a pencil sharpener wholesaler to war correspondent during World War II. In 1912, Burroughs published the first of his Tarzan series, Tarzan of the Apes. The… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Richard Gere! Today the actor and activist turns 66. Gere was born on August 31, 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Homer George Gere and Doris Ann Tiffany. Did you know he is a Mayflower descendant? His ancestors include Francis Eaton, George Soule, Richard Warren, Degory Priest and Francis Cooke. He rose to fame in the 1980s as the star of the hit films American Gigolo and An Officer and a Gentleman. After a box office slump, Gere bounced back… Read the full story

This year marks the 100th birthday of legendary actress Ingrid Bergman. From humble beginnings, Bergman would go on to become one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood history. In honor of the 100th anniversary of her birth, we take a look back on the life of the Hollywood legend. The only surviving child of Justus Bergman and Frieda Adler, Bergman was born on August 29, 1915 in Stockholm, Sweden. She was named “Ingrid” after Princess… Read the full story

Happy 50th birthday to Shania Twain! The hit country singer was born on this day in 1965. She was born Eilleen Regina Edwards in Windsor, Ontario, Canada to Sharon and Clarence Edwards. Her parents divorced when she was two and soon after, her mother remarried. Her new stepfather legally adopted Shania and her sisters and changed their last names to Twain. Starting at the age of 8, Twain began singing at bars to help support her… Read the full story

Are you related to a U.S. President? On this day in 1908, President Lyndon B. Johnson was born. Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908 in a small farmhouse in Stonewall, Texas. He was the oldest of five children born to Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines. Perhaps it was inevitable that Johnson would enter the world of politics. His father had served five terms in the Texas House of Representatives. Hours after the… Read the full story

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton may be on opposing sides of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, but perhaps a new familial connection may help bring them a little closer. Yep, that’s right – the current leading GOP candidate, Donald Trump, is related to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton! As revealed today on Extra TV, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are 19th cousins! The unexpected relationship was found through Geni’s World Family Tree, the definitive family tree of… Read the full story

Happy 85th birthday to Sean Connery! Best known as the original James Bond, Connery has starred in a wide variety of roles on the stage and screen. Connery portrayed the iconic British secret agent in a total of seven films, cementing his place in pop culture history. After taking a short break, Connery returned to film in a series of highly acclaimed roles, even winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables…. Read the full story

If you are lucky, you may have an entire treasure trove of old family photographs tucked away somewhere. Do you know who is the oldest person born to be photographed in your family? Two of the earliest people born known to be photographed are Hannah Gorby (Stilley) and Conrad Heyer. Hannah Gorby (Stilley) The exact date of Hannah Gorby (Stilley) is not known, but it is believed she was born around 1746. The photograph is believed… Read the full story

Iconic Civil Rights activist Julian Bond passed away on August 15 this year at the age of 75. One of the most prominent leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1960’s, Bond remained a champion of equal rights throughout his life. He was born Horace Julian Bond on January 14, 1940 in Nashville, Tennessee to Julia Agnes Washington and Horace Mann Bond. While a student at Morehouse College during the early 1960’s, Bond helped… Read the full story

Are you a horror fan? On this day in 1890, author H.P. Lovecraft was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Howard Philips Lovecraft was born on August 20, 1890 in his family home. He was the only child of Winfield Scott Lovecraft, a traveling salesman, and Sarah Susan Phillips. When he was three, his father was placed in the Providence psychiatric institution, Butler Hospital, where he remained until his death. Lovecraft was raised by his mother, his two… Read the full story

Happy 69th birthday, Bill Clinton! William Jefferson Blythe III was born on August 19, 1946 in Hope, Arkansas. His father, William Jefferson Blyth, Jr., was a traveling salesman and died in a car accident three months before his birth. His mother, Virginia Dell, later married Roger Clinton, Sr. At the age of 16, Clinton met President John F. Kennedy while visiting the White House as a Boys Nation senator. His visit is said to have inspired… Read the full story

On this day in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote in the United States. The Lowell Sun, August 18, 1920 The long struggle for women’s equal right to vote began with the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lurcretia Mott, the event was the first women’s rights convention of its kind to be held in the U.S. It was here that Stanton first met Susan B. Anthony, who would play… Read the full story

When researching your family history, one of the greatest resources at your disposal are your living relatives. Your grandparents and other older relatives may just be your closest connection to earlier generations of your family. When your grandparents pass, their knowledge and memories of your family’s history disappear forever. Interviewing your elderly relatives now is not only great for capturing and preserving their stories for future generations, but also a wonderful way to get to know… Read the full story

Has your family history research helped you prove any rumors in your family tree? It was recently announced that DNA tests have proven the long standing allegation that the 29th President of the United States, Warren G. Harding, fathered a child with his mistress, Nan Britton. Harding was born on November 2, 1865 in Blooming Grove, Ohio. In 1920, he became the first sitting Senator to be elected President. During his campaign, he vowed a “return… Read the full story

Are you related to the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley? On this day in 1860, the Wild West star was born. She was born Phoebe Ann Mosey in a cabin near Woodland, Ohio. Oakley honed her remarkable sharpshooting skills as a teen hunting game to support her mother and siblings. She met her husband Frank Butler, a marksman and performer, after beating him in a shooting competition. In 1885, she and her husband joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild… Read the full story

On this day in 1851, American inventor Isaac Merrit Singer was granted a patent for his iconic sewing machine. Although not the first to invent the sewing machine, Singer made important improvements to make the machine more practical and efficient than ever before. Sewing with a Singer sewing machine / State Library of Queensland Thanks to increasing affordability and practicality, the Singer sewing machines would find their way into almost every household. Isaac Merrit Singer / Wikimedia Commons Isaac Merrit… Read the full story

On this day in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was created. Founding donor James Smithson, an English chemist and mineralogist, had bequeath his estate to the United States government to create an “establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” Smithson was born Jacques-Louis Macie in Paris, France circa 1765. The illegitimate child of Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Norhthumberland and Elizabeth Hungerford Keate Macie, Smithson later changed his surname after the death of his parents to his biological… Read the full story

Do you still keep a handwritten address book? In today’s world, many people have forgone the old paper and pen for digital preservation of contacts either on the computer or a smartphone. But if you take a closer look at an old address book, you’ll find that they may hold the key to unlocking your family history. Before we carried all our contacts on our phones, we kept the names, addresses and phone numbers of our family, friends and… Read the full story

Today actress Charlize Theron celebrates her 40th birthday! She was born in Benoni, Transvaal Province, South Africa on August 7, 1975 to Charles and Greda Theron. She grew up in an Afrikaans-speaking household on a farm in Benoni. As a child, Charlize studied ballet and was eventually sent to a boarding school in Johannesburg to further her study in dance. After winning a modeling contest at 16, she traveled to the U.S. to begin a career… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Sir Alec Guinness, who passed away on this day 15 years ago. He was born Alec Guinness de Cuffe on April 2, 1914 in England to Ann Cuff. Although the name of his father was left blank on his birth certificate, some believe his father was Andrew Geddes, a Scottish banker who paid for Guinness’s schooling. During World War II, Guinness served with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. He operated a British Royal… Read the full story

Have you heard this popular rhyme? Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. Memorialized in this children’s nursery rhyme is Lizzie Borden, who stood trial for the infamous murder of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. It was 123 years ago today on August 4, 1892 that Andrew and Abby Borden were found in their home. Since… Read the full story

Happy birthday, President Obama! Today the 44th President of the United States turns 54. Barack Hussein Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ann Dunham, a white woman from Wichita, Kansas, and Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a member of the Luo ethnicity in Nyanza Province, Kenya. While he was still young, his parents separated and his mother remarried an Indonesian man named Lolo Soetoro. Obama moved with is family to Indonesia before he… Read the full story

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