2023

We’re back from RootsTech 2023 and it was so much fun to return to the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was wonderful to spend time with old friends and meet new people, many of whom were just getting started in their family history search. With the last two years of conferences being all virtual, it was nice to be able to interact with attendees face-to-face once again. This year RootsTech… Read the full story

Does anyone in your family play the theremin? Today we celebrate the 112th birthday of master theremin performer Clara Rockmore. Image: Clara Rockmore / Wikimedia Commons She was born Clara Reisenberg on March 9, 1911 in Vilnius, Lithuania, which was then a part of the Russian Empire. A talented violinist growing up, Rockmore was forced to give up the instrument due to health problems caused by malnutrition. After her family fled to the United States, Rockmore met Léon Theremin,… Read the full story

Do you have Estonian roots? On this day in 1826, Estonian painter Johann Köler was born. A leader of the Estonian national awakening, Köler is considered to be the first professional painter of Estonia. Image: Johann Köler / Järvamaa Muuseum, Wikimedia Commons Köler was born March 8, 1826 in Lubjassaare farmstead in Ivaski, Vijandi County to a peasant family. Although the family had little money, Köler managed to attend school and eventually study painting at… Read the full story

On this day in 1765, French inventor Nicéphore Niépce was born in Chalon-sur-Saône-et-Loire, France. He is best remembered as the inventor of photography and one of the most important pioneers of the field. Nicéphore Niépce / Wikimedia Commons The son of a wealthy lawyer, Niépce’s entire family fled during the French Revolution, but he returned to serve in the French army under Napoleon. After returning home to manage his family’s estate, Niépce developed an interest in… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 176th birthday of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the first practical telephone. Image: Alexander Graham Bell / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution Bell was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland to Alexander Melville Bell ad Eliza Grace Symonds. His family life profoundly influenced his research on hearing and speech; his father and grandfather were elocutionists and both his mother and his wife were deaf. This research lead to… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! Today marks the 119th birthday of the beloved children’s book author. Image: Theodore Seuss Geisel / Library of Congress Theodore Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts to Theodor Robert Geisel and Henrietta Seuss. His father was a successful brewmaster before the family brewery was closed when Prohibition took effect. He was later appointed as superintendent of Springfield’s public parks system by the mayor. Geisel published his first… Read the full story

On this day in 1810, Polish pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin was born. Image: Frédéric Chopin / Library of Congress Frédéric François Chopin was born in Żelazowa Wola in what was then the Duchy of Warsaw, a Polish state established by Napoleon I. Although his baptism record states his birthday as February 22, 1810, Chopin and his family used the birthdate March 1, which today is generally accepted as the correct date. A child prodigy, Chopin… Read the full story

On this day in 1901, chemist and activist Linus Pauling was born in Portland, Oregon. Regarded as one of the most influential scientists in history, Pauling is often considered to be the founder of the fields of quantum chemistry and molecular biology. Image: Linus Pauling / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr The eldest child of Herman Henry Pauling and Lucy Darling, Pauling showed an interest in science at a young age. He contributed many discoveries across several scientific fields. The… Read the full story

Today we remember acting legend Elizabeth Taylor on what would have been her 91st birthday. Image: Elizabeth Taylor / Wikimedia Commons Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born on February 27, 1932 in London, England to American parents, Francis Lenn Taylor, an art dealer, and Sara Sothern, a retired actress. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, the family returned to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, California. Soon after, Taylor began auditioning for films…. Read the full story

Today we remember pioneering NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who passed away on this day at the age of 101. Johnson broke racial and gender barriers by becoming one of the first African American women to work as a NASA scientist. Image: Katherine Johnson / NASA Johnson was born on August 26, 1918 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia to Joshua Coleman, a handyman and farmer, and Joylette Roberta Lowe, a teacher. Johnson showed a gift… Read the full story

RootsTech 2023 is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited to see everyone in person once again. For those who can’t make it to the Salt Palace Convention Center between March 2-4 in Salt Lake City, Utah, you will also have the opportunity to attend the conference virtually for free from the comfort of your own home! That’s right – RootsTech will be both virtual and in-person. For the last two years,… Read the full story

On this day in 1868, civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Du Bois is often considered one of the most influential proponents of civil rights during the first half of the 20th century. Image: W.E.B. Du Bois / Library of Congress William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868 to Alfred Du Bois and Mary Silvina Burghardt. His mother’s family was a part of a small,… Read the full story

On this day in 1732, George Washington, the first President of the United States, was born. Image: George Washington / Wikimedia Commons Washington was born on February 22, 1732 on his family’s plantation, the Pope’s Creek Estate, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the first son of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball. His great grandfather, John Washington, emigrated to Virginia from England in 1656. A Founding Fathers of the United States, Washington led… Read the full story

On this day in 1933, singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist Nina Simone was born. Image: Nina Simone / Wikimedia Commons, Nationaal Archief, CC0 Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina. She was the sixth of eight children born to John Divine Waymon and Mary Kate Irvin. Around the age of 3, she began playing the piano and was soon performing at her local church. She studied classical… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actor Sidney Poitier on what would have been his 96th birthday. Image: Sidney Poitier / Wikimedia Commons Poitier was born on February 20, 1927 in Miami, Florida to Bahamian parents Evelyn Outen and Reginald James Poitier. He was born two months premature while his parents were vacationing in the U.S. Until the age of 10, Poitier lived on his family’s farm on Cat Island in the Bahamas. At the age of 15,… Read the full story

On this day in 1781, French doctor René Laennec was born in Quimper, France. Considered one of the greatest physicians in history, Laennec made many significant contributions to the world of medicine, most notably his invention of the stethoscope. Image: René Laennec / Wikimedia Commons As a boy, René Theophile Hyacinthe Laennec was sent to live with his uncle, Guillaume-François Laennec, after the death of his mother. His uncle was the dean of medicine at… Read the full story

Happy birthday to LeVar Burton! Today the actor turns 66. Image: LeVar Burton / Mike Muegel, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Burton was born Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, West Germany. His mother, Erma Gene Christian, was a social worker and educator. His father, Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, was a photographer for the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was stationed at Landstuhl at the time of his birth. As… Read the full story

Today we celebrate suffragist and social reformer Susan B. Anthony, who was born on this day in 1820. Image: Susan B. Anthony / Library of Congress Anthony was born in Adams, Massachusetts to Daniel Anthony and Lucy Read. Her father was an abolitionist and an advocate of the temperance movement. She grew up in a politically active household, which instilled in her a strong passion for social reform. Anthony first met Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1851. They… Read the full story

It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. While reading through old newspapers, it’s fun to find announcements celebrating 50, 60, 70 year wedding anniversaries. Some offer secrets to their lasting relationship and pictures of the happy couple, while others contain an abundance of genealogical information as families came together to celebrate these long-lasting unions. This Valentine’s Day, we take a look at a few of them below: After 72 years of marriage, Joseph… Read the full story

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” Today we remember abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery sometime around February 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland. Although the exact date of his birth is unknown, Douglass chose to celebrate his birthday on February 14. Image: Frederick Douglass / Library of Congress While he was young, the wife of his master, Sophia Auld, began teaching Douglass the alphabet, despite laws that prohibited teaching… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Laura Dern! Today the actress turns 56. Image: Laura Dern / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Dern was born on February 10, 1967 in Los Angeles, California to actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Her great grandfather, George Dern, served as the 6th Governor of Utah and later, as the United States Secretary of War. Born into a Hollywood family, it was no surprise that Dern would also follow in… Read the full story

On this day in 1773, William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States, was born at Berkeley plantation in Virginia. Image: William Henry Harrison / New York Public Library Born on February 9, 1773, Harrison was the last U.S. president to be born as a British subject before American Independence. He was the youngest son of Benjamin Harrison V and Elizabeth Bassett and his family were prominent political figures. His father was a… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Laura Ingalls Wilder! The beloved author was born on this day in 1867 in a long cabin in the Big Woods region of Wisconsin. Image: Laura Ingalls Wilder / Wikimedia Commons Wilder was the second of five children born to Charles Phillip Ingalls and Caroline Lake Quiner. Through her father, Wilder was a descendant of the Delano family, the same ancestral family of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who is her fifth cousin once removed…. Read the full story

On this day in 1756, Aaron Burr was born in Newark, New Jersey. Although he served as the third Vice President of the United States, Burr is perhaps best remembered for killing his political rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. Image: Aaron Burr / New York Public Library Burr was the second child of Esther Edwards and the Reverend Aaron Burr, Sr., who was the second president of the College of New Jersey (now known as… Read the full story

On this day in 1894, American illustrator Norman Rockwell was born in New York City, New York. Image: Norman Rockwell / Library of Congress Norman Perceval Rockwell was born on February 3, 1894 to Jarvis Waring Rockwell and Anne Mary “Nancy” Hill. Rockwell’s 7th great grandfather, John Rockwell, was one of the first settlers in Connecticut. For over four decades, Rockwell’s illustrations of everyday life in America graced the covers of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. Although disliked… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Farrah Fawcett on what would have been her 76th birthday. Image: Farrah Fawcett / Wikimedia Commons She was born Ferrah Leni Fawcett on February 2, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was the second daughter born to Pauline Alice Evans and James William Fawcett, an oil field contractor. Fawcett first discovered her love for acting while in high school and in 1968, she decided to try her luck in Hollywood. She soon… Read the full story

On this day in 1902, poet and author Langston Hughes was born. A leader of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes was known as one of the earliest innovators of jazz poetry. His writings reflected the life and experiences of African Americans and addressed racial issues in society. Image: Langston Hughes / Library of Congress Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902. His parents separated shortly after his birth and he was primarily raised by his maternal grandmother until her death in 1915…. Read the full story

Today marks what would have been the 104th birthday of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson. Image: Jackie Robinson / Library of Congress Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He was the youngest of five children born into a family of share croppers. A natural athlete, Robinson was inspired to pursue his passion for sports by his older brother, Matthew “Mack” Robinson, who won a silver medal in the men’s 200 meters at the… Read the full story

On this day in 1882, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, was born in Hyde Park, New York. As the only U.S. President to serve four terms in office, Roosevelt led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II until his death in 1945. Image: Franklin D. Roosevelt / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Roosevelt was born into one of the oldest and wealthiest families in New York. In… Read the full story

Remember the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? On this day in 1832, author Lewis Carroll was born. Image: Lewis Carroll / Wikimedia Commons The eldest son in a family of 11 children, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson spent much of his childhood reading books. He enjoyed entertaining the children of his close friend, Henry George Liddell, and spent much time delighting them with stories of fantastic adventures. Liddell’s daughter, Alice, became the inspiration for Carroll’s most famous… Read the full story

Ninety-eight years ago today, legendary actor Paul Newman was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Image: Paul Newman / Wikimedia Commons A versatile actor and entrepreneur, Newman showed an early interest in theater. He made his Broadway debut in 1953 and eventually segued into television and film. Some of his most memorable films include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke, and The Sting. In 1958, Newman married actress Joanne Woodward. They remained married for 50 years… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 141st birthday of British author Virginia Woolf. A pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device, Woolf is remembered as a central figure of the modernist movement in literature. Image: Virginia Woolf / Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University Woolf was born Adeline Virginia Stephen on January 25, 1882 in London England to Sir Leslie Stephen, a prominent author and mountaineer, and Julia Jackson, a noted philanthropist. She was… Read the full story

On this day in 1862, American author Edith Wharton was born. Known for her stories about America’s upper-class, Wharton became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1921. Image: Edith Wharton / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 She was born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862 to a prominent and wealthy New York family. In 1885, she married Edward Wharton, a wealthy banker. The couple eventually divorced in 1913 after 28 years… Read the full story

It’s National Handwriting Day! Established in 1977, National Handwriting Day is celebrated on the birthday of John Hancock. The American Founding Father is best remembered for his iconic signature on the Declaration of Independence. Image: John Hancock / Library of Congress John Hancock was born on January 23, 1737 in Braintree, Massachusetts. A major figure of the American Revolution, Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. His large and stylish signature has become so… Read the full story

Happy 93rd birthday to Buzz Aldrin! Image: Buzz Aldrin / NASA On January 20, 1930, Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey to Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Sr. and Marion Gaddys. His nickname “Buzz” originated in his childhood; his younger sister mispronounced the word “brother” as “buzzer” and the name stuck. The family later shortened it to Buzz. As the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, Aldrin made the first manned lunar landing… Read the full story

Today country music superstar Dolly Parton celebrates her 77th birthday! Parton went from very humble beginnings to become one of the most successful artists in history. Not only has she made her mark in music and film, but she even has her own theme park called Dollywood. Image: Dolly Parton / Wikimedia Commons Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Locust Ridge, Tennessee and was the fourth of twelve children born to Robert Lee Parton… Read the full story

On this day in 1904, star Cary Grant was born in Bristol, England. Image: Cary Grant / Wikimedia Commons He was born Archibald Alexander Leach on January 18, 1904 to Elias James Leach, a tailor’s presser, and Elsie Maria Leach, a factory seamstress. Grant had an unhappy childhood. When he was 9 years old, his father placed his mother in a mental institution and told a young Grant that she had gone away on a… Read the full story

On this day in 1942, boxing legend Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. An Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Heavyweight Champion, Ali is remembered as one of the greatest athletes in history. Image: Muhammad Ali / Nationaal Archief, Wikimedia Commons CCO He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. to Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., a painter, and Odessa O’Grady, a domestic helper. He became interested in boxing at the age of 12 after his bike… Read the full story

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Today the U.S. observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in honor of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Library of Congress He was born on January 15, 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia to Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. A leader of the American Civil Rights movement, King sought to bring an end to… Read the full story

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1596, Dutch artist Jan van Goyen was born. A prolific artist, van Goyen (sometimes spelled Goijen) produced about 1,200 paintings and over 1,000 drawings during his lifetime. Image: Jan van Goyen / Wikimedia Commons He was born Jan Josephszoon van Goyen in Leiden, Netherlands. Van Goyen began an apprenticeship at the age of ten and studied painting under the tutelage of several masters. Although he made… Read the full story

On January 12, 1876, American journalist and author Jack London was born in San Francisco, California. Image: Jack London / Library of Congress The author is best remembered for his novels, Call of the Wild and White Fang, which are both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. He was one of the first fiction writers to gain worldwide celebrity and fortune from his works of fiction alone. London died on… Read the full story

Founding Father Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 or 1757 (the exact day is unknown). Image: Alexander Hamilton / Wikimedia Commons Born on the island of Nevis, British West Indies, Hamilton and his older brother James were born out of wedlock to James A. Hamilton and Rachel Faucette, who was still married to another man. While he was still a child, his father left the family, leaving them impoverished. Then in 1768, Hamilton’s mother… Read the full story

Are you a fan of Rod Stewart? Today the music legend turns 78. Image: Rod Stewart / Helge Øverås, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Born on January 10, 1945 in London, England, Stewart was the youngest of five children. He excelled at soccer in his youth, however, when his ambitions to become a professional soccer player were thwarted in the summer of 1960, Stewart decided to pursue a career in music. His distinctive voice set… Read the full story

Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? On this day in 1745, French inventor Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier was born. Image: Library of Congress Montgolfier was born on January 6, 1745 in Annonay, France into a family of paper manufacturers. His brother, Joseph-Michael, developed an interest in aeronautics and enlisted Jacques-Étienne to help construct a balloon in the 1770s. As they worked together, the brothers discovered that heated air directed into a paper or fabric bag made… Read the full story

On this day in 1855, American inventor King C. Gillette was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. As the inventor of the best selling version of the safety razor, Gillette’s name is still synonymous with razor blades to this day. Image: King C. Gillette / Library of Congress Raised in Chicago, Illinois, Gillette and his family had survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but lost most of their possessions. To help his family, Gillette… Read the full story

On this day in 1643, Isaac Newton was born. Considered one of the most significant scientific figures in history, Newton revolutionized our understanding of the world. Image: Isaac Newton / Wikimedia Commons Newton was born prematurely three months after the death of his father, also named Isaac Newton. When he was three, his mother remarried and Newton was sent to be raised by his maternal grandmother. A gifted student, Newton especially excelled at mathematics. He would go… Read the full story