On this day in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote in the United States. The Lowell Sun, August 18, 1920 The long struggle for women’s equal right to vote began with the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lurcretia Mott, the event was the first women’s rights convention of its kind to be held in the U.S. It was here that Stanton first met Susan B. Anthony, who would play… Read the full story

When researching your family history, one of the greatest resources at your disposal are your living relatives. Your grandparents and other older relatives may just be your closest connection to earlier generations of your family. When your grandparents pass, their knowledge and memories of your family’s history disappear forever. Interviewing your elderly relatives now is not only great for capturing and preserving their stories for future generations, but also a wonderful way to get to know… Read the full story

On this day in 1851, American inventor Isaac Merrit Singer was granted a patent for his iconic sewing machine. Although not the first to invent the sewing machine, Singer made important improvements to make the machine more practical and efficient than ever before. Sewing with a Singer sewing machine / State Library of Queensland Thanks to increasing affordability and practicality, the Singer sewing machines would find their way into almost every household. Isaac Merrit Singer / Wikimedia Commons Isaac Merrit… Read the full story

Do you still keep a handwritten address book? In today’s world, many people have forgone the old paper and pen for digital preservation of contacts either on the computer or a smartphone. But if you take a closer look at an old address book, you’ll find that they may hold the key to unlocking your family history. Before we carried all our contacts on our phones, we kept the names, addresses and phone numbers of our family, friends and… Read the full story

Have you heard this popular rhyme? Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. Memorialized in this children’s nursery rhyme is Lizzie Borden, who stood trial for the infamous murder of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. It was 123 years ago today on August 4, 1892 that Andrew and Abby Borden were found in their home. Since… Read the full story

Do you have ancestors that fought in World War I? On this day in 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire invaded Serbia, beginning a war unlike any other. World War I, also known as the Great War, would last 4 years and see the death of over 9 million soldiers. It wasn’t until April 1917 that the United States would enter the war. Six weeks after the U.S. declared war on Germany, the Selective Service Act was passed,… Read the full story

Does this sound familiar? “Help! I accidentally added my grandfather’s brother as his son! How do I fix this?” Many people in similar situations have found themselves puzzled at how to correct such a simple mistake. What they don’t realize is that correcting these mistakes is really easy on Geni. Below we’ll walk you through step-by-step to show you how to fix these incorrect parent relationships in your family tree. Let’s take a look at this example below – The focus… Read the full story

Today we remember comedian and actor Robin Williams, who was born on July 21, 1951. Although the beloved actor passed away nearly a year ago on August 11, the world continues to miss his enthusiasm and warm, infectious spirit. Image: Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons In honor of his memory, here are some things you may not know about his family tree: 1. Robin’s second great grandfather, Anselm J. McLaurin, was a prominent politician in Mississippi. One of… Read the full story

As anyone delving into their family history will tell you, genealogy can be addictive! Check out the list below to see if you show signs of a genealogy addiction. You might be addicted to genealogy if… You’re more interested in what happened in 1815 than 2015 Your calendar includes the birthdays of your ancestors You talk more to dead relatives than you do the living ones You spend your vacations visiting cemeteries, courthouses and archives You’ve called in… Read the full story

Do you have French ancestry in your family tree? Today France celebrates Bastille Day to commemorate the storming of the notorious prison fortress. Here are some interesting facts about the French holiday: On July 14, 1789, French revolutionaries stormed the medieval fortress that served as a symbol of the Bourbon monarchy’s tyranny. A few years later, King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, would be executed by guillotine. The event sparked the beginning of the French Revolution…. Read the full story