August 2018

Today we remember Princess Diana, who passed away on this day 21 years ago. She was born on July 1, 1961 in Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk and was the fourth of five children born to John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Roche. Her family had been closely allied with the British Royal Family for several generations. Both of her grandmothers served as ladies in waiting to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Diana grew up on the… Read the full story

Last week we had a great time at the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2018 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The conference took place at the Grand Wayne Convention Center, which was conveniently located across the street from the Allen County Public Library. The library is home to one of the largest collections of genealogical materials in the country. We enjoyed chatting with attendees as they stopped by the Geni booth to learn more about Geni’s World Family Tree…. Read the full story

Today we remember Senator John McCain, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 81. An American war hero and U.S Senator, McCain is remembered for staying true to his principles and his lifetime of service to the country. McCain was born on August 29, 1936 at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone. In 1958, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy, following in the footsteps of his father and… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who has passed away at the age of 76. Dubbed the “Queen of Soul,” Franklin is regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time. Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis Tennessee. Her father, C.L. Franklin, was a Baptist minister, and her mother, Barbara Siggers, was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. Her parents had a troubled marriage and they separated in 1948. Her mother died in 1952,… Read the full story

Next week Geni will be at the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2018 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The conference will take place August 22-25, with the exhibit hall opening for everyone on the 23rd. The theme of this year’s conference is “On the Three Rivers – Past, Present & Future.” The conference is being held at the Grand Wayne Convention Center and is conveniently located right across the street from the Allen County Public Library, which holds one… Read the full story

Today we remember award winning writer V.S. Naipaul, who passed away earlier this week on August 11 at the age of 85. He was born Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul on August 17, 1932 in Trinidad and Tobago to Seepersad Naipaul and Droapatie Capildeo. His father was also a writer and worked as a journalist for the Trinidad Guardian. His paternal grandparents had emigrated from India to work as indentured servants on a sugar plantation. Naipaul’s mother was a member of the Capildeo… Read the full story

What’s your favorite Alfred Hitchcock film? On this day in 1899, the legendary filmmaker was born in London, England. Hitchcock was the youngest of three children born to William Hitchcock and Emma Jane Wheland. At the age of 5, Hitchcock’s father once sent him to the local police station with a note asking the officer to lock him up in a cell for a few minutes for behaving badly. For the rest of his life,… Read the full story

Now that summer is in full swing, you can take advantage of these long days to do more with your genealogy research. There are plenty of outdoor and indoor activities to get your family more involved and interested in your family history. Here are some activities to keep you and your family occupied this summer: Take a genealogy trip Image: Missouri State Archives Ready for a summer vacation out of town? Take a genealogy-themed trip to visit… Read the full story

On this day in 1903, renowned paleoanthropologist and archaeologist Louis Leakey was born. Remembered for his fossil discoveries in Africa, Leakey’s paleoanthropological work would significantly impact our understanding of human evolution. Leakey was born Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey on August 7, 1903 in what is today Kenya. He was the son of British missionaries and grew up among the Kikuyu people. Growing up in Africa, Leakey had a lifelong passion for the study of human evolution…. Read the full story

On this day in 1881, Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming was born. Fleming is best remembered for discovering penicillin. His accidental find would become one of the most important discoveries in the history of science. Fleming was born on August 6, 1881 at Lochfield farm near Darvel, Scotland. He was the third of four children born to Hugh Fleming, a farmer, and his second wife, Grace Stirling Morton. Fleming spent four years working at a shipping office before attending medical… Read the full story

Do you have a connection to Norwegian royalty? On this day in 1872, Haakon VII of Norway was born. Regarded as one of the greatest Norwegians of the 20th century, Haakon VII is one of the few monarchs in history to have been elected to the throne. The Norwegian king was born Christian Frederick Carl Georg Valdemar Axel on August 3, 1872 in Denmark at Charlottenlund Palace near Copenhagen. Before becoming the King of Norway,… Read the full story

Have you found ancestors in the United States census? Census records are one of the most important resources in genealogy. With the information provided in these records, finding a relative in the census will often open doors to additional discoveries. The very first U.S. census was conducted on August 2, 1790. Every household was visited by a census taker to record information for each person who was within the household on the census day. In… Read the full story

On this day in 1876, Wild Bill Hickok, one of the most famous gunfighters of the American Wild West, was killed while playing a game of poker. He was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall. “Wild Bill” was born James Butler Hickok on May 27, 1837 in Homer, Illinois. An outstanding marksman from a young age, Hickok gained notoriety when news spread of his role during the McCanles Massacre in 1861 in Rock… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 200th birthday of pioneering astronomer Maria Mitchell! Mitchell is best remembered for discovering a new comet, which became known as “Miss Mitchell’s Comet.” She is often recognized as the first professional female astronomer in the United States. Mitchell was born on August 1, 1818 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The third of ten children, Mitchell grew up in a family of Quakers. Her father was a school teacher and encouraged Mitchell’s interest in astronomy… Read the full story