March 2022

The wait is almost over! On April 1, 2022, the 1950 U.S. census will finally be released to the public. This new collection offers a treasure trove of information that sheds new light on the lives of our relatives who lived in the United States during the mid-20th century. In anticipation for the release of this new collection of records, we’re taking a look at what information you can find in the census and introduce… Read the full story

Does music run in your family? On March 31, 1685 (N.S.), composer Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany. Image: Johann Sebastian Bach / Wikimedia Commons Considered one of the greatest composers of all time, Bach had music in his blood. He came from a family of musicians, stretching back generations. Bach’s second great grandfather, Veit Bach, was a baker, miller, and founder of the Bach musical dynasty. He played the cittern and passed on his love for music to… Read the full story

Happy 54th birthday to Celine Dion! Since signing her first recording contract at the age of 12, Dion has has become one of the world’s best-selling artists in history with more than 200 million records sold worldwide. Image: Celine Dion / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Dion grew up in a very large family. She is the youngest of 14 children born to Thérèse Tanguay and Adhémar Dion in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada. Music was… Read the full story

On March 29, 1790, John Tyler, the 10th President of the United States, was born in Charles City, Virginia. Image: John Tyler / Library of Congress Born to a prominent and influential Virginia family, Tyler was one of the last presidents to hail from Virginia’s elite aristocracy of planters. Tyler’s time at the White House was unique. In 1840, the newly elected President, William Henry Harrison, died of illness only one month into his presidency. Tyler, who… Read the full story

Today we remember music legend Aretha Franklin on what would have been her 80th birthday. Image: Aretha Franklin / Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force The Queen of Soul was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee. The daughter of Barbara and Clarence LaVaughn Franklin, Franklin began singing as a small child in the church choir and by the age of 14, she made her first gospel recordings. After her initial success in gospel music, Franklin… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jessica Chastain! Today the Oscar nominated actress turns 45. Image: Jessica Chastain / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Chastain was born on March 24, 1977 in Sacramento, California to teen parents Michael Monasterio and Jerri Renee Chastian. She was raised by her mother, and later, her stepfather. Her passion for acting came at a young age after her grandmother took her to see a production of Joseph and the Amazing… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Joan Crawford, who was born on March 23, 1905. Image: Joan Crawford / Wikimedia Commons Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur in San Antonio, Texas to Thomas E. Le Sueur and Anna Bell Johnson. From a young age, Crawford loved to dance and had ambitions to become a dancer. She left school to pursue a dancing career, eventually dancing in the Broadway show Innocent Eyes. She next began appearing on screen for MGM… Read the full story

Happy birthday to actress Reese Witherspoon! Today the star turns 46. Image: Reese Witherspoon / dtstuff9, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) She was born Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon on March 22, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She chose to go by the name “Reese,” which is her mother’s maiden name. Witherspoon briefly studied at Stanford University as an English literature major before leaving to pursue an acting career. Since her breakout roles in Election and Legally Blonde, Witherspoon has found… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Matthew Broderick! Today the star turns 60. Since catapulting to fame with is role in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Broderick has earned much acclaim for his work on stage, even winning two Tony Awards for his performances. Image: Matthew Broderick / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) Broderick was born on March 21, 1962 in New York City, New York. The son of playwright Patricia Biow and actor James Broderick, Broderick seemed destined to follow… Read the full story

Are you related to a U.S. President? On March 18, 1837, Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, New Jersey. Image: Grover Cleveland / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Stephen Grover Cleveland was the fifth of nine children born to Ann Neal and Richard Falley Cleveland, a pastor. Known as “Big Steve” by friends because of his size, Cleveland dropped his first name and became known as Grover as an adult. His great grandfather, Richard Falley,… Read the full story

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! On this day in 461, Saint Patrick, a Christian missionary, bishop, and apostle of Ireland, died in Downpatrick, Ireland. Image: Saint Patrick / Library of Congress It’s believed he was born in Britain, probably Scotland, around 387. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland where he was enslaved. He was held captive for six years before escaping and returning home. During his time in captivity,… Read the full story

On this day in 1822, French artist Rosa Bonheur was born. Considered one of the most important female artists of her time, Bonheur’s successful career inspired future generations of women in the arts. Image: Rosa Bonheur / The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles Bonheur was born on March 16, 1822 in Bordeaux, France and was the oldest child in a family of artists. Her mother, Sophie Marquis, was a piano teacher and her father,… Read the full story

Beware of the Ides of March. On this day in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of Roman senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. The group called themselves the “Liberatores.” Image: Wikimedia Commons Hailed for his successful military campaigns, Caesar transformed the Roman Empire with many social and governmental reforms. Shortly before his death, Caesar was declared dictator perpetuo (“dictator in perpetuity”) by the Senate. Caesar’s death sparked a series of civil… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Albert Einstein! Today marks the 143rd birthday of the brilliant physicist. Image: Albert Einstein / Library of Congress Albert Abraham Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. His parents were Pauline Koch and Herman Einstein, a salesman and engineer. In 1880, the family moved to Munich where his father and his uncle Jakob founded Elektrotechnische Fabrik J. Einstein & Cie, a company that manufactured electrical equipment based on direct current. In 1905, Einstein… Read the full story

Today we remember Harriet Tubman, who died on this day in 1913. After escaping from slavery herself, Tubman helped lead hundreds of others to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Image: Harriet Tubman / Library of Congress Tubman was born into slavery around 1822 and was one of nine children born to Harriet Green and Ben Ross. Her parents named her Araminta and gave her the nickname “Minty.” She later changed her name to Harriet in… Read the full story

Florentine navigator and explorer Amerigo Vespucci was born on this day in 1451 (some scholars say 1454). Image: Amerigo Vespucci Vespucci was born to Nastagio Vespucci, a notary, and Lisabetta di Giovanni Mini in what is today Florence, Italy. His family was friends with the wealthy and powerful Medici family. As a child, Vespucci received his education from his uncle, Giorgio Antonio Vespucci. He later moved to Seville, Spain where he worked in the banking… Read the full story

Do you have royal connections? On this day in 1702, Queen Anne, sister of Mary II, became Queen regnant of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Image: Queen Anne / New York Public Library Anne was the second daughter born to James II and VII and his first wife, Anne Hyde. When Anne’s father was deposed in the Glorious Revolution, her brother-in-law, William III, and her sister, Mary II, became joint monarchs. Although the sisters had been… Read the full story

On this day in 1781, Jewish American educator and philanthropist Rebecca Gratz was born. Image: Rebecca Gratz / Princeton University Art Museum, Wikimedia Commons Gratz was born on March 4, 1781 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was the seventh of twelve children born to Michael Gratz and Miriam Simon. Her father immigrated to America in 1752 from Germany and was descended from a long line of respected rabbis. Her maternal grandfather was Joseph Simon, a merchant… Read the full story

Do you have inventors in your family tree? On this day in 1847, inventor and engineer Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Image: Alexander Graham Bell / Library of Congress As the inventor of the first practical telephone, Bell’s work was heavily influenced by his life at home. Both his mother and his wife were deaf, while his father, grandfather and brother concentrated their work on elocution and speech. In 1876, Bell received… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! Today in 1904, beloved children’s book author Theodor Seuss Geisel was born. Image: Theodor Seuss Geisel / Library of Congress Geisel was boron on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts to Theodor Robert Geisel, a brewmaster, and Henrietta Seuss. After the family brewery closed because of Prohibition, Geisel’s father was appointed as superintendent of the Springfield public park system. Much of Geisel’s writing was inspired by his life growing up in Springfield. When… Read the full story