October 2021

Happy birthday to Winona Ryder! Today the actress celebrates her 50th birthday. Image: Winona Ryder / Karon Liu, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Winona Laura Horowitz was born on October 29, 1971 to Michael D. Horowitz and Cynthia Istas. Her father’s family originally had the surname “Tomchin” but it was changed to “Horowitz” when the family immigrated to the United States. Ryder made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. She got her big… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Julia Roberts! Today the actress turns 54. Image: Julia Roberts / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) Roberts was born on October 28, 1967 in Smyrna, Georgia to Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts. The youngest of three children, Roberts grew up in a highly creative household. Her parents were actors and co-founded a workshop for aspiring actors and writers in Atlanta. In 1989, she earned critical praise for her… Read the full story

Did your family own a Singer sewing machine? On this day in 1811, inventor Isaac Singer was born in Pittstown, New York. Singer’s improvements to the sewing machine would make it more practical and efficient than ever before. Image: Isaac Singer / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 Isaac Merritt Singer was born to Adam Singer and Ruth Benson on October 27, 1811. Around the age of 12, he left home to work various odd… Read the full story

Today we are excited to introduce the next step on our road to improving sources on Geni – Source Conflicts!  When a profile has information that differs from the source citation values provided, you will receive an alert to review the discrepancy and if needed, update the profile. This new enhancement provides a fast and easy way for you to ensure that the best information, backed by documentation, is included on your Geni profiles. Where… Read the full story

Today marks the 140th anniversary of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Remembered as the most famous shootout in the history of the Wild West, the gunfight was the result of the long-simmering feud between outlaw Cowboys, the Clanton-McLaurys, and lawmen Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and temporary policeman Doc Holliday. Image: Wyatt Earp / Wikimedia Commons The Earp brothers were targets of death threats by the group of outlaws and before long, tensions had erupted into gunfight…. Read the full story

On this day in 1844, stage and early film actress Sarah Bernhardt was born. Once called “the most famous actress the world has ever known,” Bernhardt was one of the most in demand actresses in Europe and America. She rose to fame in the 1870s on the stages of France and with the advent of film, became one of the first actors to appear in motion pictures. Image: Sarah Bernhardt / Library of Congress She was… Read the full story

Today we remember Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher, who was born on this day in 1956. Image: Carrie Fisher / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) The daughter of Hollywood stars Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Fisher was an avid reader growing up and became known in her family as “the bookworm.” At the age of 18, Fisher made her film debut in the 1975 film Shampoo. Two years later, she catapulted to stardom when she was… Read the full story

Do you have early American ancestors? On this day in 1644, William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was born in London, England. Image: William Penn / New York Public Library His father, Sir William Penn, was an English admiral and his mother, Margaret Jasper, was the daughter of a rich merchant. An early advocate of democracy and religious freedom, Penn received a royal charter in 1681 to form a new colony in America. As a Quaker, Penn had… Read the full story

On this day in 1840, Polish actress Helena Modrzejewska was born. Known professionally as Helena Modjeska, Modrzejewska is remembered as one of Poland’s most celebrated actresses. She won wide acclaim for her Shakespearean performances on stage. Image: Helena Modrzejewska / Library of Congress She was born on October 12, 1840 in Kraków, Poland. Her name was recorded as Jadwiga Benda at birth, but she was later baptized as Helena Opid. In 1861, she made her… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Sigourney Weaver! Today the star turns 72. Image: Sigourney Weaver / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Sigourney Weaver was born Susan Alexandra Weaver on October 8, 1949 in New York City, New York. Her mother, Elizabeth Inglis, was an English actress and her father, Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, was the former president of NBC. By the age of 14, Weaver began going by the name “Sigourney” after discovering the name in F. Scott… Read the full story

On this day in 1820, Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Image: Jenny Lind / Nationalmuseum (Stockholm), Wikimedia Commons Nicknamed the “Swedish Nightingale,” Lind was one of America’s first female celebrities. A sensation across Europe, Lind was persuaded by American showman P.T. Barnum to undertake a tour in the United States. Barnum succeeded in creating great publicity in anticipation for her arrival. Soon everyone in the country knew of Lind and her upcoming tour…. Read the full story

On this day in 1882, American engineer, physicist, and inventor Robert H. Goddard was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Known as the “Father of Modern Rocketry,” Goddard is credited with building and launching the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Image: Robbert H. Goddard / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Goddard was born Robert Hutchings Goddard on October 5, 1882 to Nahum Danford Goddard, a bookkeeper, and Fannie Louise Hoyt. Inspired by H.G. Wells’ novel, The War of… Read the full story

On this day in 1895, iconic silent film star Buster Keaton was born in Piqua, Kansas. Image: Buster Keaton / Library of Congress Joseph Frank Keaton, VI was the son of Joseph Hallie “Joe” Keaton and Myra Cutler. Born into a vaudeville family, Keaton was destined to follow in his family’s footsteps. By the age of three, his parents had incorporated him into their vaudeville act. His father once worked in a traveling medicine show with Harry Houdini. According… Read the full story