March 2017

When you interview your relatives about your family history, the goal is often to gather names, dates, and locations. Sometimes you may lose sight of the stories behind those names, dates, and locations. Some of the greatest insights into your family come from the family stories that relatives remember. It is easy to forget what questions to ask during a family interview, so it is always best to be prepared with a list of questions…. Read the full story

On this day in 1519, Henry II of France was born in the royal Château de Saint -Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, France. He was the second son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany, who was the daughter of Louis XII of France. As a child, he and his older brother were captured and held prisoner in Spain. They remained in captivity for over four years. At the age of 14, he married Catherine de’ Medici. However,… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Patty Duke, who passed away on this day one year ago. She was born Anne Marie Duke on December 14, 1946 in Queens, New York. The youngest of three children, Duke experienced a very difficult childhood. Her father was an alcoholic and her mother suffered from clinical depression. At the age of 8, she was placed in the care of talent managers, who added her to their stable of child actors, and forced… Read the full story

On this day in 1969, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, died at the age of 78. Dwight David Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas. He was the third of seven sons born to David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Elizabeth Stover. His parents had a strong religious background and set aside time everyday for a daily family Bible reading. Since he was a child, Eisenhower was known by the… Read the full story

During your genealogy research, you’ll often come across the signatures of your ancestors. Signatures are fascinating because they might be the only traces of handwriting you may find in your ancestors’ own hand. Not only are they fun to find, they can also help supplement your genealogy research. Signatures can be a good way to verify if separate documents belong to the same person. For example, by comparing signatures, you may be able to conclude that a deed signed by James Ford is… Read the full story

Who is your favorite James Bond? On this day in 1946, License to Kill star Timothy Dalton was born in Colwyn Bay, Wales. He was the oldest of five children born to Peter Dalton-Leggett and Dorthy Scholes. His father was a captain in the Special Operations Executive during World War II. When he was young, it seemed Dalton would follow his father’s footsteps into the military. As a teen, he was even a member of the Air… Read the full story

It’s St. Patrick’s Day! To celebrate, here are some interesting facts about the holiday that you may not have known: 1. Saint Patrick was not Irish. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on the anniversary of the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. He was actually born in Britain, probably in Scotland. He was kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16 and spent 6 years as a slave in Ireland. He became… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the birthday of Albert Einstein, one of the most brilliant minds in history. Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, in the Kingdom of Wüttemberg in what was then the German Empire. Considered one of the most influential physicists of the 20th century, Einstein’s scientific breakthroughs dramatically changed our understanding of the universe. Albert Einstein / Library of Congress In honor of his birthday, here are some interesting facts about Albert… Read the full story

On this day in 1781, astronomer William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. Born on November 15, 1738 in the Electorate of Hanover in Germany, then a part of the Holy Roman Empire, Herschel moved to Great Britain at the age of 19. He worked as a musician and composer before discovering an interest in astronomy. As his interests grew stronger, Herschel began building his own telescopes and noting his… Read the full story

Have you tried using flip nodes while working in the family tree? Flip nodes are a great way to see more details about a profile without having to leave the tree. With flip nodes, you can have quick access to a profile’s basic information, DNA markers, a peek at the About section, a brief summary of the profile’s history, and a description of how the profile is related to you. You will also have easy access to additional actions right in the tree…. Read the full story

Today the world celebrates International Women’s Day, recognizing the past and present achievements of women all around the world. In honor of the day, we’re highlighting some of the inspiring women in Geni’s World Family Tree who have made their mark in history: Victoria Woodhull (1838-1927) Image: Wikimedia Commons A leader of the women’s suffrage movement, Victoria Woodhull became the first woman to run for President of the United States in 1872. She was a candidate for the Equal… Read the full story

The following post is written by Jennifer Payen, who embarked on a mission to find her paternal grandfather. Read how DNA testing and a family tree on Geni were instrumental to solving this family mystery and gave Jennifer the opportunity to finally share with her father where he came from. At the age of thirteen, my 85-year old grandfather Frank had a stroke. Little did I realize that as a result, my father would reveal a secret that had been tightly-compacted to… Read the full story