September 2016

When getting started on your family history research, one of the best places to begin is your family. Your living relatives are an incredible resource for your family’s genealogy. While it’s important to make sure ask basic questions about names, birth dates and locations for the person you are interviewing and for other relatives, it’s also just as imperative to get them to open up with stories about their lives or your family history. Image: Powerhouse Museum, Flickr Some of… Read the full story

Genealogy can often bring about a good chuckle. Funny names, amusing newspaper articles, unusual census entries can often lead to some amusing discoveries. We’ve previously shared some funny and unusual names found in Geni’s World Family Tree. Now here are a few more funny names to add to the collection of names. Check out the funny names below: 1. Captain Preserved Fish 2. Cookie Baker 3. Happy Card 4. Houston Texas Whitecotton 5. Olive Pitt 6. Ima Hogg 7…. Read the full story

On this day in 1761, George III was crowned King of the Kingdom of Great Britain at the age of 22. He succeeded to the throne after the death of his grandfather, George II. Just a couple of weeks before his coronation, he married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, whom he did not meet until their wedding day. Together they were crowned King and Queen at Westminster Abbey on September 22, 1761. In his accession speech, George declared, “Born… Read the full story

Overtime, the information on gravestones may deteriorate and disappear forever. Taking photographs of these markers now is essential to preserving them for future generations. This fun activity is perfect for genealogists and family historians. Here are some tips to keep in mind for your next adventure to the cemetery: 1. Ask for permission Before taking your first snapshot, make sure you have permission to take photographs in the cemetery. A quick search online for the cemetery’s website or a… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Bill Murray! Today the actor turns 66. William James Murray was born on September 21, 1950 in Evanston, Illinois. He is the fifth of nine children born to Lucille Collins, a mail room clerk, and Edward Joseph Murray, II, a lumber salesman. At the age of 20, Murray was arrested at Chicago’s O’Hara Airport for trying to smuggle 10 lbs of cannabis. He was convicted and sentenced to probation. Looking for a new direction, Murray accepted his… Read the full story

On this day in 1519, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Spain to find a better route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia. The voyage would result in the first circumnavigation of world. Magellan was born to a Portuguese noble family around 1480. After the death of his parents, he became a page to Queen Leonor, the wife of John II of Portugal. He studied cartography, astronomy and celestial navigation, which would serve him well… Read the full story

Congratulations to Julia Louis-Dreyfus on her fifth consecutive Emmy win! Last night, the Veep star made Emmy Award history by breaking the record for most lead actress wins. She previously held the record in a three-way tie with Candice Bergen and Mary Tyler Moore. It was her sixth win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy. Five were for her role as Selina Meyer in the HBO comedy Veep. In a hilarious and emotional speech, Julia dedicated her win to her father,… Read the full story

Genealogists love old family photos. It’s great when we can share these photos with loved ones in the family tree. Photographs lets us place a face with the names in the tree. When adding photos, have you ever found yourself a little frustrated when the photograph doesn’t quite appear the way you want? Below we’ll show you how to easily solve this simple problem in the tree. In your family tree, navigate to the person whose photo you… Read the full story

Do you remember reading the adventures of Curious George? On this day in 1898, illustrator and author H.A. Rey was born in Hamburg, Germany. Curious George is perhaps one of the most recognizable characters in children’s literature. Together with his wife Margaret, Rey brought to life the curious little monkey with his illustrations. Born Hans Augusto Reyersbach, Rey was the son of German Jews. He first met his wife in Hamburg at Margaret’s sister’s 16th birthday party. Years later,… Read the full story

Remember receiving the yellow pages on your door step? Now that we have the Internet at our fingertips, we see these books less and less. However, years ago, thick city directories were one of the few ways a person could look up the names and addresses of local businesses and residents. Old city directories provide a snapshot of a time and place, which makes them a perfect resource for genealogy researchers. 1889 Boston, Massachusetts city directory / MyHeritage SuperSearch Directories… Read the full story

Can you believe it’s been 50 years since Star Trek aired its first episode? On September 8, 1966, the iconic show made its debut and introduced audiences to Gene Roddenberry’s vision of future exploration and discovery. Image: Wikipedia Although canceled after just three seasons, the show’s devoted fanbase kept its spirit alive as a cult classic and eventually, a cultural phenomenon. The groundbreaking show tackled significant social issues of the era, including racism, sexism and war. It broke new ground when it became the first… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Bernie Sanders! Today the former Democratic presidential candidate turns 75. Sanders was born on September 8, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish parents, Elias Sanders and Dorothy Glassberg. His father immigrated to the United States at the age of 17 from Słopnice, Poland, while his mother’s parents were immigrants from Poland and Russia. Many members of his family back in Poland perished during the Holocaust. He had an interest in politics at an… Read the full story

In the days just before Labor Day weekend, the Geni team went to Springfield, Illinois for the FGS 2016 National Conference hosted by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. The genealogy conference was held from August 31 – September 3. The home of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois It was amazing to spend some time in the “Land of Lincoln” surrounded by so much history with some of the country’s leading family history researchers and genealogists. A big crowd in the… Read the full story