January 2020

Happy birthday to Gene Hackman! Today the actor celebrates his 90th birthday. Image: Gene Hackman / Christopher Michael Little, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was born Eugene Allen Hackman on January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, California to Lyda Gray and Eugene Hackman. At 16, Hackman left home to join the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as a field radio operator. After his stint in the Marines, Hackman took on a series of jobs before deciding to… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Tom Selleck! Today the popular actor turns 75. Image: Tom Selleck / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Thomas William Selleck was born on January 29, 1945 in Detroit, Michigan. An athlete growing up, Selleck attended the University of Southern California on a basketball scholarship and studied business administration before shifting his focus to acting. One of his first television appearances was on the game show The Dating Game in 1965.  Selleck got his big… Read the full story

On this day in 1884, Swiss physicist, inventor, and explorer Auguste Piccard was born. Piccard is best remembered for his studies of the Earth’s upper atmosphere and his exploration of the ocean’s depths. Image: Auguste Piccard / ETH Library, Wikimedia Commons Piccard and his twin brother, Jean Felix Piccard, were born on January 28, 1884 in Basel, Switzerland. Both brothers showed an interest in science from an early age and would go on to become notable… Read the full story

Have you used the HTML version of the family tree on Geni? GeneaVlogger and Geni curator Jarrett Ross has released a new video on how to navigate the HTML version of the World Family Tree on Geni. In this video, Jarrett gives an introduction to all of the basic features of the HTML tree, including new options that are not available on the Flash version of the tree. From the new side panel and easier navigation tools to a… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant, who died yesterday at the age of 41. Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, along with seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Image: Kobe Bryant / Sgt. Joseph A. Lee, U.S. Marine Corps / Wikimedia Commons Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Joe Bryant, a former NBA player, and Pamela Cox. His parents named him after the famous Japanese… Read the full story

On this day in 1848, carpenter James Wilson Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill near Coloma, California. His discovery would mark the beginning of the California Gold Rush. Image: James Wilson Marshall / California Historical Society Collection, USC Digital Library Marshall was born on October 18, 1810 at his family’s homestead in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. In 1834, he left home and headed west, spending time in Indiana and Illinois before settling in Missouri. After contracting… Read the full story

It’s National Handwriting Day! Established in 1977, the day is celebrated on the birthday of the man with the most iconic signature in history, John Hancock. Image: John Hancock / Library of Congress Born in Braintree, Massachusetts on January 23, 1737, Hancock inherited a profitable mercantile business from his uncle, which made him one of the wealthiest men in the Thirteen Colonies. A major figure during the American Revolution, Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration… Read the full story

Today we remember Queen Victoria, who died on January 22, 1901. Her 63-year reign is frequently referred to as the Victorian era and was a period of great expansion, prosperity, and advancement. At the time of her birth, she was fifth in the line of succession. Her father died in 1820, the same year as her grandfather, King George III. After the death of her father’s three older brothers, who each died with no legitimate heirs, Victoria inherited… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Carole Lombard, who passed away on January 16, 1942 at the age of 33. Image: Carole Lombard / Wikimedia Commons Lombard was born Janice Alice Peters on October 6, 1908 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The third child born to Frederic and Elizabeth Peters, Lombard signed her first studio contract at the age of 16 and began working under the name “Carole Lombard.” Best remembered for her roles in screwball comedies, Lombard became one… Read the full story

Today we remember iconic civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr, who was born on this day in 1929. Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Library of Congress King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams. An inspiring leader, King helped make significant advancements in civil rights through non-violent protest. In 1955, King led the Montgomery bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jason Bateman! Today the actor turns 51. Image: Jason Bateman / Georges Biard (CC BY-SA 3.0) Bateman was born on January 14, 1969 in Rye, New York to Victoria Elizabeth, a flight attendant for Pan Am, and Kent Bateman, a writer and director. His family moved around the country before finally settling in Los Angeles, California. Bateman and his sister, Justine, began acting at an early age and they both found early success on television…. Read the full story

Start your genealogy research off right in the new year by writing down your goals for 2020. Now is the perfect time to think about what you hope to accomplish in the next 12 months. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1. Create research plans Do you have a branch you haven’t been able to tackle? Or a great grandfather you have yet to find out more about? Create a research plan so that you can better organize… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Rod Stewart! Today the music legend turns 75. Image: Rod Stewart / Helge Øverås, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5) Roderick David Stewart was born on January 10, 1945 in Highgate, North London, England to Robert Joseph Stewart and Elsie Rebecca Gilbart. Growing up, Stewart excelled at soccer and had ambitions to become a professional soccer player, but decided to pursue music instead. Before finding success in music, Stewart worked a series of odd jobs, including a… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge! Today the royal turns 38. Image: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge / Tom Soper Photography, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) The eldest of three children, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born on January 9, 1982 in Reading, England to Michael and Carole Middleton. Her father’s family had ties to British aristocracy and had even entertained British royalty in Leeds since the 1920s. She first met Prince William while the two were students… Read the full story

Today marks what would have been the 85th birthday of rock legend Elvis Presley. From very humble beginnings, Presley became one of the most successful and biggest musical icons in history. Image: Elvis Presley / Wikimedia Commons He was born on January 8, 1935 in a two-room shotgun house built by his father. His twin brother, Jesse, was delivered 35 minutes before him stillborn. The Presley’s were a very close family and even after shooting… Read the full story

Today we remember American author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, who was born on this day in 1891. A central figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston wrote four novels and more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays on the African-American experience. Image: Zora Neale Hurston / Library of Congress Hurston was the fifth of eight children born to John Hurston, a Baptist preacher and carpenter, and Lucy Ann Potts, a school teacher. She was born… Read the full story

Today we remember science fiction author Isaac Asimov on what would have been his 100th birthday! Image: Isaac Asimov / Wikimedia Commons Although the exact date of his birth is unknown, Asimov celebrated it on January 2. He was born in Petrovichi, Russia and came to the United States with his family at the age of 3. By the age of 5, he had taught himself how to read and at 19, he sold his first story to a science… Read the full story