July 2016

On this day in 1588, English forces led by Lord Charles Howard and Sir Frances Drake defeated the Spanish Armada. Once referred to as the “Invincible Armada,” the defeat of the once-unbeatable Spanish force made England a dominating power in the world. During the late 1580s, tensions between Spain and England had greatly escalated. Queen Elizabeth I dispatched Drake to raid major Spanish ports to great success, which prompted Philip II of Spain to invade England. As… Read the full story

Today marks the birthday of author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. Many people grow up reading her beloved stories featuring the mischievous Peter Rabbit. Helen Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866 in Kensington, London, England. She first published The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902 and found instant success. Since the book’s initial publication, it has become one of the best selling books of all time. Today readers around the world continue to enjoy her story and iconic… Read the full story

On this day in 1603, James VI of Scotland was crowned king of England, bringing the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into a personal union. James VI was born on June 19, 1577 in Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. He was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a second great grandson of Henry VII. At just 13 months, he succeeded to the Scottish throne after his mother was compelled to abdicate in favor… Read the full story

For her 86th birthday, Marie Frey got an extra special gift – her 86th great-grandchild! Recently, the Today Show shared Marie’s amazing celebration. The family welcomed Blakely Grace Frey on June 23. Blakely is the fifth child born to Marie’s grandson, Kenny. Being one of seven children, Marie had lots of experience growing up in a large family. She and her husband Gerald were married for nearly 60 years before he passed at the age of 83…. Read the full story

Today we remember inspirational figure Nelson Mandela on what would have been his 98th birthday. Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtata, South Africa. He was given the name Rolihlahla, a Xhosa term meaning “troublemaker.” In his 20s, Mandela became actively involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He spent 27 years of his life in prison after he was convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state…. Read the full story

Do you have Swedish ancestry? On this day in 1918, Swedish director Ingmar Bergman was born in Uppsala, Sweden. A powerful and creative filmmaker, Bergman is often considered one of the most accomplished and influential directors of all time. Bergman was born Ernst Ingmar Bergman on July 14, 1918 to Erik Bergman and Karin Åkerblom. His father was a Lutheran minister and chaplain to the King of Sweden. He grew up in a strict household under… Read the full story

If you have tried to navigate around a very large tree, chances are you may have encountered some fatigue while dragging your cursor across the screen. It’s possible you may have even gotten a bit lost as you followed a line from one branch to another. Did you know there are other ways to move around the family tree without having to drag it across the screen? Queen Elizabeth II’s family tree Here are a few options you may have overlooked to help you make your… Read the full story

Whether you’re just getting started researching your family history or have been doing genealogy for years, everybody makes mistakes. But if you have them in mind, you can take steps to make sure you don’t make some of the common mistakes that befall genealogists at some time or another. Here are five common genealogy mistakes for you to avoid: 1. Making assumptions One of the easiest and most common mistake to make is to make assumptions about… Read the full story

On this day in 1483, Richard III was crowned the King of England. Born on October 2, 1452, Richard was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. When his elder brother, Edward IV, died in 1483, Edward’s 12-year-old son, Edward V, was to succeed to the throne and Richard named Lord Protector of the realm. However, before Edward’s coronation could take place, his father’s marriage to his mother… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Olivia de Havilland! Today the actress turns 100. She was born on July 1, 1916 in Tokyo, Japan to English parents, Walter Augustus de Havilland and Lilian Augusta Ruse. De Havilland moved to California as a child with her mother and sister, Joan Fontaine, after her parents’ divorced. The sisters never got a long as children and as adults, their rivalry became one of the most famous and long-lasting feuds in Hollywood. De… Read the full story