December 2022

Do you remember reading The Jungle Book? On this day in 1865, author Rudyard Kipling was born. Image: Rudyard Kipling / Library of Congress He was born on December 30, 1865 in Bombay, in Bombay Presidency of British India to John Lockwood Kipling and Alice MacDonald. Kipling’s experiences in India, as both a young child and years later as a young adult, highly influenced much of his writings. Considered a major innovator in the art… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Ted Danson! Today the popular star turns 75. Image: Ted Danson / Dominique Redfearn, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was born Edward Bridge Danson III on December 29, 1947 in San Diego, California. His father, Edward “Ned” Bridge Danson, Jr., was an archaeologist and a director of the Museum of Northern Arizona. Raised in Flagstaff, Arizona, Danson attended Stanford University where he became interested in drama. He later transferred to Carnegie… Read the full story

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at 2022. We introduced some great, long-awaited features and we finally had the chance to see people in person once again! This year our team worked hard on some big projects. We were thrilled to announce the return of Family Tree Charts to Geni! The previous version had been unavailable for some time as we worked on moving the charts off of Flash…. Read the full story

On this day in 1856, Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, was born in Staunton, Virginia. Image: Woodrow Wilson / Library of Congress Wilson was the third of four children born to Joseph Ruggles Wilson and Jessie Janet Woodrow. His paternal grandparents had immigrated to the United States from Ireland, while his maternal grandparents had come from Scotland. As President, Wilson led the country through World War I and helped craft the Treaty… Read the full story

On December 27, 1822, French scientist Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. Image: Louis Pasteur / Library of Congress Known for his scientific breakthroughs in the prevention of diseases, Pasteur made remarkable strides in the study of germs and was the first to encourage doctors to sanitize their hands and equipment before surgery. Perhaps his most famous scientific contribution was his development of pasteurization, which bears his name. In 1887, the Pasteur Institute was… Read the full story

We’re excited to announce a new feature for Geni Pro users – Inbox Search.  Over the years, we have often been asked to add the ability to search your Geni inbox to quickly locate specific messages. Today we’re delighted to deliver this long awaited feature!  As your tree grows and you begin communicating with other members on Geni, you’ll soon find yourself with a full inbox. Now you no longer need to waste time scrolling… Read the full story

On this day in 1858, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy. Image: Giacomo Puccini / Library of Congress He was born Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini to Michele Puccine and Albina Magi. One of nine children, Puccini had come from a long line of musicians. His second great grandfather, also named Giacomo Puccini, was the first of five generations of composers in the family. Remembered as one of the greatest… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jane Fonda! Today the actress turns 85. Image: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) She was born on December 21, 1937 to legendary actor Henry Fonda and Frances Ford Seymour in New York City. At the age of 12, her mother committed suicide while receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital. After working as a model, Fonda decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and pursue an acting career. She rose to… Read the full story

On this day 1832, French architect and engineer Gustave Eiffel was born in Dijon, France. He is perhaps best remembered for his work to build the Eiffel Tower, which bears his name. Originally constructed for the 1889 Universal Exposition, today the tower has become one of the most recognizable structures in the world and an iconic symbol of France. Image: Gustave Eiffel / Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons Eiffel was born Alexandre-Gustave Bönickhausen on December 15, 1832 to Catherine-Mélanie Moneuse and… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Dick Van Dyke! Today the lovable actor turns 97. Image: Dick Van Dyke / Wikimedia Commons He was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke on December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri. During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he became a radio announcer, and later, transferred to the Special Services to entertain the troops. Over the course of his long and impressive career, Van Dyke has starred in… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Frank Sinatra! Today marks what would have been the legendary crooner’s 107th birthday. Image: Frank Sinatra / Library of Congress Francis Albert Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915 in an upstairs tenement in Hoboken, New Jersey. At 13.5 pounds, Sinatra’s birth was not an easy one. He was delivered with the aid of forceps, which left him with severe scars on this left cheek, neck, and ear, and a perforated eardrum. After getting… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Judi Dench! Today the actress turns 88. A legend on the stage and screen, Dench has won accolades for her work in theater, film, and television. Image: Thore Siebrands / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Dench was born on December 9, 1934 in Heworth, York, England to Eleanora Olive Jones and Reginald Arthur Dench. Her father was a doctor for the Theatre Royal in York and so Dench was often in presence… Read the full story

On this day in 1542, Mary, Queen of Scots was born in Linlithgow, Scotland. Image: Mary, Queen of Scots / Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0) The only legitimate child of King James V, Mary was named Queen of Scots just six days after her birth when her father died following the Battle of Solway Moss. While still an infant, her great uncle, King Henry VIII of England, took the opportunity to propose marriage… Read the full story

On this day in 1873, American author Willa Cather was born in Back Creek Valley, Virginia. She was best known for her novels O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Ántonia, which vividly depicted frontier life on the Great Plains. Image: Willa Cather / Library of Congress She was born Wilella Sibert Cather on December 7, 1873 on her maternal grandmother’s farm in the Back Creek Valley near Winchester, Virginia. For six generations, her family had… Read the full story

Have you found connection to royalty? Today we remember William II of the Netherlands, who was born on this day in 1792. Image: William II of the Netherlands / Amsterdam Museum, Wikimedia Commons William II was the eldest son of William I of the Netherlands and Wihelmine of Prussia, who was the daughter of King Frederick William of Prussia and William I’s first cousin. In 1795, his entire family went into exile in Britain. At the age… Read the full story

What’s your favorite Disney film? On this day in 1901, Walt Disney was born. A pioneer in animation, Disney co-created the iconic cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. He produced several classic animated films and founded the Disney theme parks, which are still enjoyed by visitors from all around the world today. Image: Walt Disney / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Disney was born Walter Elias Disney on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fourth of… Read the full story

On this day in 1825, Pedro II of Brazil was born. The second and last monarch of the Empire of Brazil, Pedro II was nicknamed “the Magnanimous” and reigned for over 58 years. Image: Pedro II of Brazil / Library of Congress Pedro II was born on December 2, 1825 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was the seventh child of Pedro I of Brazil and Maria Leopoldina of Austria. His mother’s sister, Marie Louise,… Read the full story

Today Bette Midler celebrates her 77th birthday! Image: Bette Midler / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) The celebrated singer and actress was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ruth Schindel and Fred Midler, who worked at a Navy base in Hawaii as a painter. She was named after actress Bette Davis, although she pronounces her name as one syllable. Her sisters, Susan and Judy, were also named after Hollywood stars, Susan Hayward and… Read the full story