2020

Did you know Grover Cleveland is the only U.S. President to serve non-consecutive terms? He served as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. Image: Grover Cleveland / Library of Congress Stephen Grover Cleveland was born on March 18, 1837 in Caldwell, New Jersey. The fifth of nine children, he was named Stephen in honor of the first pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell, where his father was a pastor at the… Read the full story

It’s St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of the holiday, we took a look into the World Family Tree to explore the surprising Irish heritage of a few celebrities. Check them out below and share how you’re connected too! Martin Sheen Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Actor Martin Sheen was born Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez to Francsico Malabe Estévez and Mary Anne Phelan. Both of Sheen’s parents were immigrants to the United Sates…. Read the full story

On this day in 1750, astronomer Caroline Herschel was born. A pioneer in the field of astronomy, Herschel was not only the first woman to discover a comet, but also the first woman astronomer to be recognized professionally for her scientific work. Image: Caroline Herschel / Wikimedia Commons Herschel was born on March 16, 1750 in Hanover, Germany to Isaac Herschel and Anna Ilse Mortizen. One of ten children, Herschel was educated at home by… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Liza Minnelli! Today the legendary icon turns 74. Image: Liza Minnelli / Wikimedia Commons The eldest daughter of legendary actress Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli, Liza was destined to become a star. She was born on March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California and made her film debut at the age of 3 in the musical In the Good Old Summertime, which starred her mother. As a teen, Minnelli left school to pursue… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Chuck Norris! Today the star turns 80. Image: Chuck Norris / Wikimedia Commons Carlos Ray Norris was born in Ryan, Oklahoma to Wilma Scarberry and Ray Norris, who was a World War II Army soldier. In 1958, Norris joined the U.S. Air Force as an Air Policeman. It was while he was based in South Korea that he began training in martial arts. After he was discharged, Norris rose to fame as a martial artist… Read the full story

On this day in 1934, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was born in the village of Klushino in Smolensk, Russia. Gagarin made history in 1961 when he became the first human to travel into outer space. Image: Yuri Gagarin / NASA Gagarin was the third of four children born to Alexey Ivanovich Gagarin, a carpenter and bricklayer, and Anna Timofeyevna Gagarina, a milkmaid. He made his first flight after joining a local flying club. He trained as… Read the full story

We’re back from RootsTech 2020 where we had a fantastic time meeting new people, seeing old friends, and connecting with Geni users. This year thousands of people came together at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah to celebrate the 10th anniversary of RootsTech. Since making its debut 10 years ago, RootsTech has become the largest genealogy gathering in the world. During the first days of the conference, the Geni booth was… Read the full story

Are you a fan of the works by Michelangelo? On this day in 1475, the Italian Renaissance artist was born in Caprese near Arezzo, Tuscany, today known as Caprese Michelangelo. Image: Michelangelo / Library of Congress He was born Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni to a family of bankers. As a child, Michelangelo was sent to live with a nanny and her husband, who was a stonecutter, and it was there that he first developed his love for… Read the full story

On this day in 1637, Dutch painter and inventor Jan van der Heyden was born. Image: Jan van der Heyden / Wikimedia Commons A prolific painter, van der Heyden was one of the first Dutch painters to specialize in townscapes. He became known as one of the leading architectural painters of the Dutch Golden Age. In addition to his paintings, van der Heyden made his mark in history for his contributions to firefighting technology. Along… Read the full story

Do you have Quaker ancestors? On this day in 1681, Charles II of England granted William Penn a charter for a large piece of land in America, which would become Pennsylvania. Image: William Penn / New York Public Library William Penn was the son of Margaret Jasper and English Admiral Sir William Penn. Admiral Penn took part in the restoration of Charles II and was eventually knighted and served in the Royal Navy. In 1861, Charles… Read the full story

Today we remember music legend Johnny Cash on what would have been his 88th birthday. One of the best-selling music artists of all time, Cash’s music transcended multiple genres, affording him the rare honor of multiple inductions in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Image: Johnny Cash / Library of Congress Cash was born J.R. Cash on February 26, 1932 in… Read the full story

Do you have any artists in your family tree? Today we celebrate the life of French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir on his 179th birthday. Image: Pierre-Auguste Renoir / Bibliothèque national de France Renoir was born on February 25, 1841 in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France to a working-class family. As a boy, he worked in a porcelain factory and utilized his talents to paint designs on fine china. Intent on pursuing his craft, Renoir enrolled in art school and… Read the full story

On February 21, 1728, Peter III, Emperor of Russia, was born. Although he didn’t speak much Russian, Peter III was named heir presumptive by his aunt Elizabeth, Empress of Russia, who also arranged for Peter to marry his second cousin, Sophie Friederike Auguste. Sophie would take on the name Catherine after converting to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1762,  Peter succeeded to the throne, but proved to be an unpopular ruler. He served a mere… Read the full story

Next week Geni will be heading to Salt Lake City, Utah for RootsTech 2020! Between February 26-29, thousands of genealogists and family history enthusiasts will come together at the Salt Palace Convention Center to partake in the world’s largest family history event of the year. This year RootsTech celebrates its 10th anniversary with an exciting line up of keynote speakers, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and Leigh Anne Tuohy, whose family served… Read the full story

Do you have any astronomers in your family tree? On February 19, 1473, Renaissance mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland. Image: Nicolaus Copernicus / New York Public Library In one of the most significant astronomical breakthroughs in history, Copernicus formulated a heliocentric model of the universe, which placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at the center. Just before his death, he published his findings in De revolutionbus orbium coelestium (On the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to John Travolta! Today the film star turns 66. Image: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons, (CC BY-SA 3.0) Travolta was born on February 18, 1954 in Englewood, New Jersey. The youngest of six children, Travolta was born into a family of entertainers. His father, Salvatore Travolta, was a semi-professional football player and his mother, Helen Cecilia Burke, was an actress and singer. Intent on pursuing a career in acting, Travolta dropped out of… Read the full story

On this day in 1847, Anna Howard Shaw was born. A leader of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States, Shaw was also a physician and one of the first ordained female Methodist ministers in the country. Image: Anna Howard Shaw / Library of Congress Shaw was born on February 14, 1847 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. At about the age of 4, Shaw and her family immigrated to the United States and settled in Massachusetts…. Read the full story

Will you be at RootsTech 2020 on February 26-29 in Salt Lake City, Utah? Wonder if any new cousins will also be there? The Geni Pathfinder can now send you a notification to let you know if new relatives are also attending the conference. Simply go to the RootsTech 2020 Pathfinder event page or scan the QR code below to register for notifications. On the pathfinder event page, select how you would like to be… Read the full story

On this day in 1728, Scottish surgeon John Hunter was born. Known as the “Father of Scientific Surgery,” Hunter’s pioneering work led to many remarkable insights in medicine. Image: John Hunter / National Library of Wales, Wikimedia Commons Hunter was born on February 13, 1728 in Long Calderwood, East Kilbride, Scotland. The youngest of 10 children, Hunter had little formal education. In 1748, he traveled to London to work as a dissection assistant to his… Read the full story

Today marks the 211th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. Celebrated as Darwin Day throughout the world, the day commemorates Darwin’s enormous contribution to science. Image: Charles Darwin / Library of Congress Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 at his family’s home in Shrewsbury, England. His family was wealthy and well known in English society. His paternal grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, was an abolitionist and a key thinker of the Enlightenment movement. While… Read the full story

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison Image: Thomas Edison / Library of Congress On this day in 1847, Thomas Edison was born on in Milan, Ohio. He was the youngest of seven children born to Samuel Ogden Edison, Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliott. His father was an exiled political activist from Canada and had taken part in… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Laura Dern! Today the actress not only celebrates her 53rd birthday, but also her first Oscar win! Last night, Dern won her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Marriage Story. In her acceptance speech, Dern called it “the best birthday present ever.” Image: Laura Dern / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Dern was born on February 10, 1967 in Los Angeles, California to stars Bruce… Read the full story

On this day in 1812, Victorian writer Charles Dickens was born in Landport, Portsmouth, England. Considered the greatest writer of the Victorian era, Dickens’s work was widely popular during his lifetime. Image: Charles Dickens / Library of Congress Dickens was the second of eight children born to Elizabeth Barrow and John Dickens, a clerk in the Royal Navy Pay Office. The family struggled financially and eventually, his father was sent to Marshalsea Debtor’s Prison for his… Read the full story

Today we remember Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas, who passed away yesterday at the age of 103. Image: Kirk Douglas / Wikimedia Commons Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York. The family had adopted the surname “Demsky” after arriving to the United States. As the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Douglas grew up speaking Yiddish at home. In his youth, Douglas took on a series of odd jobs to help support… Read the full story

On this day in 1810, Norwegian violinist Ole Bull was born. Known as one of Norway’s most notable and gifted violinists, Bull is also remembered for his efforts to start a new Norwegian colony he called New Norway in Pennsylvania. Image: Ole Bull / National Library of Norway, Flickr Bull was born on February 5, 1810 in Bergen, Norway to Johan Storm Bull and Anna Dorotea Borse Geelmuyden. The eldest of ten children, Bull’s father… Read the full story

Today we remember American illustrator Norman Rockwell, who was born on February 3, 1894. Image: Norman Rockwell / Library of Congress Rockwell was born in New York City, New York to Jarvis Waring Rockwell and Anne “Nancy” Hill. From a young age, Rockwell wanted to be an artist and by the age of 14, he had enrolled in art school to pursue his passion. He found success early on when he landed his first major commission… Read the full story

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