April 2018

It’s DNA Day! Celebrated each year on April 25, DNA Day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003 and the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick. In honor of the anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project, here are 15 interesting facts about DNA: 1. The discovery of structure of DNA would not have been possible without the work of… Read the full story

Do you remember reading Anne of Green Gables? On this day in 1942, author Lucy Maud Montgomery died at the age of 67. Montgomery was born on November 30, 1874 in Clifton in Prince Edward Island, Canada to Hugh John Montgomery and Clara Woolner Macneill. When she was 21 months old, her mother died of tuberculosis and she was placed in the care of her maternal grandparents. An only child, Montgomery found solace in writing during… Read the full story

Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge! The royal couple welcomed their third child, a healthy baby boy, on April 23, 2018 at 11:01 local time at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, West London. The prince weighed 8 pounds and 7 ounces. Welcome to the family. pic.twitter.com/nKSd5kh5bZ — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 23, 2018 While the public awaits for the official announcement of the prince’s name, here are some interesting facts about the newest addition to… Read the full story

Today we remember playwright William Shakespeare, who died on this day in 1616. Considered one of the greatest writers of the English language, Shakespeare’s vast body of work has been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright in history. While the exact date of his birth is unknown, his baptism record states he was baptized on April 26, 1564 at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. Since a child’s… Read the full story

Some people are lucky to have found old letters during their genealogy research. They may be thoughtful love letters sent home from soldiers at war or general greetings from one cousin to another across the country. But did you know that in the early days of the U.S. parcel service, some parents tried to send their babies by mail? Smithsonian Institution / Flickr After the parcel service was introduced in 1913, a few children were sent via parcel post with… Read the full story

Today we remember former First Lady of the United States Barbara Bush, who passed away yesterday at the age of 92. The matriarch of the Bush family, Barbara was known for her frank and outspoken manner. As First Lady, she worked tirelessly to advance the cause of literacy and founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Barbara Pierce was born on June 8, 1925 in Rye, New York to Pauline Robinson and Marvin Pierce. She first met George H.W. Bush… Read the full story

We’ve made some new enhancements on how to share content from Geni. Now when you want to share a page on Geni, whether it’s a profile, a project or even a discussion, you can simply click on the new Share icon at the top of every page to quickly copy the URL or share it on social media. In the heading of a page, you will now see a new Share icon between your notification count and your profile picture. When… Read the full story

Today we remember pioneering nurse Clara Barton, who died on April 12, 1912 at the age of 90. A battlefield nurse and founder of the American Red Cross, Barton is remembered for her incredible humanitarian work throughout her life. She was born Clarissa Harlow Barton on December 25, 1821 in Oxford, Massachusetts. The youngest of five children, Barton found her calling for helping people at a young age. At the age of 10, she helped nurse her brother back… Read the full story

While researching your ancestors, have you come across a cause of death that you do not recognize? When looking at old records, it’s not uncommon to find a cause of death or illness whose name is no longer in use today. You may find these terms in old historical records such as obituaries, death certificates, probate records, or census mortality schedules. Here’s a quick roundup of a few terms you may encounter: Croup – a swelling of… Read the full story

On this day in 1909, Arctic explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew Henson became the first men to reach the North Pole. Henson is remembered as the first African-American Arctic explorer and assisted Peary for nearly 23 years on his explorations of the Arctic. Henson was born on August 8, 1866 on his parents’ farm near the Potomac River in Charles County, Maryland. His parents were sharecroppers and free people of color before the American… Read the full story

Did your ancestors ever received mail via the Pony Express? The Pony Express was once hailed as the fastest way to send and receive mail across the United States. Although it’s existence was short, its impact and popularity on the American West has continued to endure. Pony Express poster / Wikimedia Commons Check out these interesting facts about the old mail-delivery system of the United States. 1. The Pony Express was founded by William Russell, Alexander Majors,… Read the full story