August 2019

We’re back from Washington, D.C., where Geni attended the Federation of Genealogical Society 2019 Family History Conference. The conference brought together many local family history groups as well as visitors from all around the country to learn from the many informative class sessions ranging from beginning genealogy topics to advanced sessions to take your genealogy research even further. Geni had a booth in the exhibit hall of the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel where we were happy to… Read the full story

On this day in 1632, English philosopher John Locke was born. Regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment, Locke’s work formed the foundation of modern philosophical empiricism and political liberalism. Image: John Locke / Library of Congress Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in Wrington, Somerset, England to John Locke, a lawyer, and Agnese Keene. His father served as a captain during the English Civil War. After completing his studies… Read the full story

On this day in 1814, Irish horror writer Sheridan Le Fanu was born. Considered to be the leading ghost story writer of the 19th century, Le Fanu’s works played a significant role in shaping the genre during the Victorian era. Image: Sheridan Le Fanu / Wikimedia Commons Le Fanu was born Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu on August 28, 1814 in Dublin, Ireland. He was born into a literary family with many writers and playwrights, including his great… Read the full story

On this day in 1908, Lyndon B. Johnson was born. Elected as Vice President in 1960, Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States upon the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Image: Lyndon B. Johnson / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in a small farmhouse on August 27, 1908 near Johnson City, Texas. He was the first of five children born to Samuel Ealy… Read the full story

On this day in 1819, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, was born in Schloss Rosenau, Germany. Image: Albert, Prince Consort / Library of Congress Born Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the Prince was the second son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and his first wife, Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In 1840, he married his first cousin, Queen Victoria, who had inherited the English throne just a few years earlier at the… Read the full story

Next week Geni is heading to Washington, D.C. for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2019 Family History Conference. The conference will take place August 21-24 at the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel. Fun fact: the hotel was the site of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first Inaugural Ball in 1933. Come visit Geni in the exhibit hall at booth #406 for your chance to talk with members of the Geni team. If you have any questions or simply want to try… Read the full story

On this day in 1860, sharpshooter Annie Oakley was born. Known for her incredible marksmanship, Oakley became an international star as a performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Image: Annie Oakley / Library of Congress Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Mosey on August 13, 1860 in a log cabin in Darke County, Ohio. She was the fifth of seven surviving children born to Jacob Mosey and Susan Wise. Oakley began shooting at the age of 8 and… Read the full story

We’re back from Cleveland, Ohio where we attended the 39th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. It was a blast to meet other Geni users, spend time with our great team of Geni curators, and connect with old friends. The Geni booth was packed with people on the opening day of the exhibit hall and the SHARE Fair. Many people stopped by to learn how to get started on Geni and connect to the World… Read the full story

Today we remember American novelist Toni Morrison, who has passed away at the age of 88. Known for her rich depiction of the black experience in America, Morrison became the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. Image: Toni Morrison / Angela Radulescu, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) She was born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18, 1931 in Lorain, Ohio to George Wofford and Ella Ramah Willis. She was… Read the full story