October 2017

Remember watching Little House on the Prairie? On this day in 1936, star Michael Landon was born in Queens, New York. He was born Eugene Maurice Orowitz to Peggy O’Neill, a dancer and comedy actress, and Eli Maurice Orowitz, a theater manager and publicist. Once he started acting school, he changed his name to “Michael Landon” after finding the name in a phone book. In 1959, he landed his first starring role on television on the… Read the full story

Today “The Fonz,” Henry Winkler, celebrates his 72nd birthday! Winkler was born on October 30, 1945 in Manhattan, New York to Ilse Anna Marie Hadra and Harry Irving Winker, who emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1939. From a young age, Winkler had a passion for acting and earned a MFA from Yale School of Drama in 1967. He caught his big break when he was cast as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on the hit television show Happy… Read the full story

On this day in 1881, gunslingers Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp found themselves involved in the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. On October 26, 1881, the long simmering feud between the outlaw Cowboys, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury, and town Marshal Virgil Earp, and lawmen Morgan and Wyatt Earp, erupted in a 30-second shootout in Tombstone, Arizona. Holliday was a good friend of Earp’s and was assisting as a temporary policeman at the… Read the full story

Today we remember music legend Fats Domino, who passed away at the age of 89. One of rock and roll’s earliest pioneers, Domino’s unique music style influenced generations of musicians. He was born Antoine Domino, Jr. on February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The eighth child of Antoine Caliste Domino and Marie-Donatille Gros, he was born in his family’s home with the assistance of his grandmother, who was a midwife. His family was Creole and spoke French Creole… Read the full story

Teacher Annie Edson Taylor had a unique way of celebrating her 63rd birthday on October 24, 1901. On that day, Taylor became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She was born on October 24, 1838 in Auburn, New York and was one of eight children. Taylor grew up comfortably and studied to become a school teacher before marring at the age of 17. However, after her husband died in the Civil War,… Read the full story

Heeere’s Johnny! Today we remember late-night host Johnny Carson on what would have been his 92nd birthday. Do you remember watching the “King of Late Night”? Carson was born on October 23, 1925 in Corning, Iowa to Homer Lloyd Carson and Ruth Elizabeth Hook. He showed a talent for entertainment at a young age and performed public magic shows as “The Great Carsoni.” At the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served… Read the full story

One of the most basic pieces of information a genealogists may search for is an ancestor’s date of death. However, sometimes family history researchers are unable to locate a death certificate for an ancestor. Good thing there are many other options available to locate an ancestor’s death information! If you’re searching for an ancestor’s death information, you may want to consider exploring these valuable resources: 1. Newspapers and obituaries The Harlowton News, October 27, 1911 Search through old newspapers for obituaries and death notices,… Read the full story

On this day in 1469, Isabella I of Castile married Ferdinand II of Aragon. Their marriage brought stability to the kingdoms and paved the way for the unification of Aragon and Castile into the single country of Spain. Isabella was born on April 22, 1451 to John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal. Isabella and Ferdinand were second cousins, both descending from John I of Castile. Since they were both so closely related, their… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Murder, She Wrote? Today star Angela Lansbury celebrates her 92nd birthday! On October 16, 1925, legendary actress Angela Lansbury was born to an upper middle class family in London, England. She was the daughter of English stage actress Moyna Macgill and Edgar Lansbury, a politician and timber merchant. Her paternal grandfather, George Lansbury, was the leader of the Labor Party. At the age of 9, Lansbury lost her father to stomach cancer. She turned to film… Read the full story

If you haven’t yet hopped into Geni’s public discussions, then you’re missing out on a valuable resource – the entire Geni community! Public discussions are the perfect place to ask questions, connect with other Geni users and even reach out for help from other members and volunteer curators. Whether it is a question about a profile or a request for help to fix the tree, public discussions are a great way to interact with others online. There are… Read the full story

It’s World Teachers’ Day! The day commemorates the hard work and dedication of teachers all around the world. In celebration of World Teachers’ Day, we’re highlighting some of history’s most notable educators. Read about them below and check out more in the Notable Educators project on Geni! 1. Anne Sullivan Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan / Library of Congress Perhaps one of the most famous American teachers in history, Anne Sullivan was known as Helen Keller’s devoted instructor… Read the full story

On this day in 1960, the classic sitcom The Andy Griffith Show premiered for the first time on television. The show starred Andy Griffith as a widower and sheriff of the small town of Mayberry and introduced the world to a 6-year-old Ron Howard as his young son, Opie. Rounding out the cast was actor Don Knotts, who played bumbling deputy Barney Fife, and Francis Bavier as the lovable Aunt Bee. Knotts would win five Emmys for his role, three… Read the full story