June 2012

This week Mark Wahlberg shows off his comedic chops in his new movie, Ted. Written and directed by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, Wahlberg plays a man whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. MacFarlane also lends his voice as the titular teddy bear and best friend. Did you know the pair are also distantly related? Seth MacFarlane is Mark Wahlberg’s 13th cousin thrice removed!* Read on to see which other… Read the full story

On June 29, 1861, poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning died in Florence, Italy. As one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian Era, Browning’s poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. In 1846, she secretly married fellow poet Robert Browning against her father’s wishes. Her father disowned her and the couple moved to Italy. Browning was plagued by ill health throughout her life. After suffering from weakness and… Read the full story

300 years ago today, French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born. Rousseau believed that man was good by nature and was corrupted by society. His political philosophies significantly influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought. Jean-Jaques Rousseau’s tree is still pretty small. Perhaps you can help expand his tree and connect him to over 60 million profiles on Geni!     View Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Geni Profile… Read the full story

Today we remember director and writer Nora Ephron, who passed away yesterday at the age of 71. Ephron was born May 19, 1941 to a family of screenwriters. She became one cinema’s most successful female filmmakers, earning three Academy Award nominations for writing the films Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally… and Sleepless in Seattle. Her last written and directorial effort was the film Julie & Julia, which earned Meryl Streep a Best Actress Oscar nomination… Read the full story

Ezra Cornell was a founder of Western Union and a co-founder of Cornell University. He also served as President of the New York Agriculture Society and as a state Senator. He was born in Westchester county, NY to Elijah Cornell and Eunice Barnard. He was a cousin of Paul Cornell, the founder of Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Cornell is also a distant relative of William Cornell, who was an early settler of Scarborough, Ontario and named… Read the full story

Today actor Jason Schwartzman celebrates his 32nd birthday! Schwartzman is the nephew of acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola and cousin to Sofia Coppola and Nicolas Cage. With such an impressive Hollywood pedigree, it’s no wonder he was destined for movie stardom. Schwartzman can most recently be seen on the big screen in the film, Moonrise Kingdom. Check out Jason Schwartzman’s family tree! Perhaps you can help connect the Coppola family to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s… Read the full story

Check out some interesting articles from the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Mitt Romney’s Mormon roots in northern England (BBC) – Mitt Romney’s ancestry traced to northern England Treasures in City Directories (About.com) – Kimberly Powell offers some great tips about using city directories in your genealogy research A War of 1812 Pension and 1940 Census Mashup! (FGS Voice) – The last widow of a War of 1812 veteran found in the 1940 census… Read the full story

It’s the first day of Wimbledon! The oldest tennis tournament in the world, Wimbledon is regarded by many as one of the most prestigious tennis championships. Today, we highlight Wimbledon champion John McEnroe, one of the most successful and high profile players in the history of tennis. Although his notorious temper sometimes overshadowed his performance on the court, McEnroe won 17 Grand Slam titles, 77 career single titles, and 77 double titles throughout his career…. Read the full story

This Saturday, June 23, marks the 100th anniversary of visionary computer scientist Alan Turing‘s birthday. Born in London, England in 1912, Turing studied mathematics at Cambridge University. During World War II, Turing played a vital role in deciphering the messages encrypted by the German’s Enigma machine, providing vital intelligence for the Allies. He would later change the world with the invention of modern computers and become known as the father of artificial intelligence. Despite his… Read the full story

This week, the film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opens nationwide. Based on the fictional novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, the story follows the life of President Abraham Lincoln but with a twist – he was secretly a vampire hunter! In honor of the movie’s release, check out how these five famous faces are related to the real Abraham Lincoln. 1. Starring as the vampire hunting President is actor Benjamin Walker, who’s married to Mamie Gummer, daughter of actress Meryl… Read the full story

On June 21, 1839, Brazilian novelist Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Machado was the grandson of slaves; his father was a mulatto housepainter and his mother was an Azorean Portuguese washerwoman. Despite being regarded as the greatest writer of Brazilian literature, Machado did not gain widespread popularity outside Brazil until after his own lifetime. Today, his novels Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas and Dom Casmurro are considered masterpieces of realist literature…. Read the full story

Happy Birthday, Nicole Kidman! Today the Oscar winner turns 45. Recently, Kidman has been receiving lots of praise for her performance in the critically acclaimed Hemingway & Gellhorn, based on the real-life romance between Ernest Hemingway and WWII correspondent Martha Gellhorn. Did you catch the film’s premiere on HBO? Nicole Kidman is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?     View Nicole Kidman’s Geni Profile  

Bear Grylls is an English adventurer, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his television series Man vs. Wild or also known as Born Survivor in the United Kingdom. He has done many expeditions, in 2000 he led the first team to circumnavigate the U.K. on a personal watercraft or jet ski, taking about 30 days, to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He also rowed naked for 22 miles in… Read the full story

On June 19, 1896, American socialite Wallis Simpson was born in Pennsylvania. She is perhaps best remembered for her relationship with Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor. After Edward’s accession as King, he desired to marry the twice-divorced Simpson. This threatened to cause a constitutional crisis in the U.K. and ultimately, lead the King to abdicate the throne in 1936 so he would be free to marry Simpson. Today, she remains a controversial figure in British… Read the full story

Here’s our recap for this past week in the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Documenting the Past with Pictures (kimt.com) – A woman takes photos of gravestones at a local cemetery to document them for the future In my lifetime: Bearden matriarch recalls researching family history and creating her own (KnoxNews.com) – The story of a woman’s personal journey researching her genealogy Rooting out a Hindu family history the traditional way (BBC) – A… Read the full story

Happy Birthday, Paul McCartney! The former Beatle celebrates his 70th birthday today. The music icon is still going strong; he most recently performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert. Did you know the Guinness Book of World Records has dubbed him the “most successful composer and recording artist of all time”? Paul McCartney’s family tree is not yet connected to the World Family Tree. Perhaps you can help connect him to over 60 million profiles… Read the full story

Tomorrow June 16 is Bloomsday! Celebrated in Dublin and many other parts of the world, Bloomsday is a commemoration and celebration of the life of Irish writer James Joyce during which the events of his novel Ulysses are relived. At over 600 pages, Ulysses is considered an iconic piece of Modernist literature. Are you a James Joyce aficionado? James Joyce is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?    … Read the full story

This Friday, Tom Cruise lends his voice as Stacee Jaxx in the rock musical Rock of Ages. Just this week, Cruise was honored by The Friars Club with the Friars Club Entertainment Icon Award in New York, becoming the fourth recipient of the honor and placing him in the same company as legends Douglas Fairbanks, Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. On hand to present his award was his Rock of Ages co-star Alec Baldwin. Did you know… Read the full story

Today, June 14, is Flag Day in the U.S., commemorating the day the Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States. In honor of Flag Day, today we highlight Betsy Ross, who is widely believed to have been commissioned by George Washington to make the very first American flag in 1776. Although there is little evidence to prove the legend, Betsy Ross has become a significant symbol in… Read the full story

On June 13, 1865, Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats was born. Named one of the greatest writers of 20th century literature, Yeats became the first Irishman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923. He is generally considered one of the few writers who completed their greatest works after being awarded the Nobel Prize. What’s your favorite Yeats poem? William Butler Yeats is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s… Read the full story

We had a great three days at the 43rd annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree in Burbank, California! It was a blast introducing Geni to the uninitiated and chatting with lots of long time users. And many thanks to the genealogy bloggers who stopped by the booth! It was great to finally meet you all in person! Our Jamboree-fun started a week earlier for us. Not only did we sponsor the bags this year, but we helped provide… Read the full story

Air Commodore Whitney Willard Straight was a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator and businessman. He became a well known Grand Prix motor racing driver and competed at events in the UK and Europe. He started competing in 1931 with a Brooklands Riley competing at Shelsley Walsh, Southport and Brooklands circuit. Straight formed his own motor racing team in 1934, personally driving to victory in the South African Grand Prix, held on the 16-mile Buffalo… Read the full story

Today we remember Anne Frank, who was born on June 12, 1929. It was 70 years ago that Anne received her famous diary as a present for her 13th birthday. Shortly thereafter, she and her family were forced into hiding for two years until they were discovered and taken to a Nazi concentration camp. During that time, Anne kept a first hand account of her life in hiding. Sadly, Anne died in the concentration camp… Read the full story

Here are some interesting articles from last week! Enjoy! The Genealogy Sphere Of Time Travel and Typhoid (Accessible Archives) – Discovering typhoid as your ancestor’s cause of death Name changes, estate executors can be found in probate notices (Bangor Daily News) – Tips on using probate records in your research Genealogy: Details found in the Atlanta Penitentiary Records 1902 – 1921 (Examiner.com) – The Atlanta Penitentiary Records offer more details into family history 1940 census:… Read the full story

Today we highlight Luís Vaz de Camões, who is considered one of Portugal’s greatest poets in history. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of Shakespeare, Homer and Dante. Camões was born circa 1524 in Lisbon and died June 10, 1580. He is perhaps best remembered for his epic masterpiece, The Lusiads. It’s influence in Portuguese is so profound that it is called the “language of Camões.” Luís Vaz de Camões is connected to over 60… Read the full story

Last night, actress Shirley MacClaine was honored with the American Film Institute’s lifetime achievement award. The 40th recipient of the honor, MacClaine has enjoyed a long career in Hollywood and the theater. Nominated five times for an Academy Award, she finally won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Terms of Endearment in 1983. Her younger brother, actor Warren Beatty, was on hand to present her with the AFI prize. Shirley McClaine is connected to… Read the full story

Happy Birthday, Prince! The legendary musician turns 54 today. Born Prince Rogers Nelson, the R&B icon has sold over 80 million records worldwide. In 2004, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And this year, his best-selling hit “Purple Rain” was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, thus preserving it as a piece of cultural significance for many years to come. Are you a fan of the great… Read the full story

Today marks the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. Code named Operation Overlord, over 160,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy across a 50-mile span of its coast. Never before had an operation of this magnitude had been attempted. U.S. Army troops wade ashore on Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944 / NARA On the day before, (June 5, 1944), General Dwight D. Eisenhower, then the Supreme Commander of the… Read the full story

Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury died last night at the age of 91. A master of science fiction, Bradbury was able to anchor his visions of the future with the familiarity of the present. He brought the often dismissed science fiction genre into the literary mainstream and will be remembered as one of the most celebrated authors of the 20th century. Ray Bradbury is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are… Read the full story

Patricia Rooney Mara is an American film and television actress. She has starred in the remake of the 1984 horror film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Social Network and the 2011 version of the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her performance in The Girl with the Dragon… Read the full story

On this day 56 years ago, Elvis Presley performed “Hound Dog” on the Milton Berle Show. Although it may seem subdued by today’s standards, his gyrations on stage caused a storm of controversy. His scandalous performance became a defining moment of Presley’s career and helped catapult him to fame and become the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis Presley is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View… Read the full story

Check out some interesting links from this past week! The Genealogy Sphere Parkman woman, British brother who presumed each other dead reunited after 48 years (Bangor Daily News) – Siblings are reunited after believing each other to be dead Decades Later, Baby’s 19th Century Gravestone Returned to Mass. Cemetery (CBS Boston) – A baby’s gravestone from 1876 is finally returned to the cemetery Pritchardville Elementary fifth-graders explore family history with scrapbooks (Islandpacket.com) – A great… Read the full story

Over this four-day weekend in the UK and the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, which marks the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. It was in 1952 that Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne after the death of her father, George VI. Did you know she is only the second monarch in the history of the United Kingdom to achieve this important milestone? The first monarch to have celebrated a… Read the full story

June 2 kicks off Queen Elizabeth II‘s Diamond Jubilee celebration. In honor of her 60 years on the throne, here’s a look at just a few notable celebrities who are related to the Queen of England. Throughout her long and distinguished reign, Queen Elizabeth has met with 12 U.S. Presidents. In 2009, President Obama made a visit to Buckingham Palace. President Obama is Queen Elizabeth’s 9th cousin twice removed! Just this week, teen idol Justin… Read the full story

On June 1, 1926, Marilyn Monroe was born in Los Angeles, California. The blonde star would have been 86 today. Marilyn overcame a difficult childhood to become one of the world’s biggest cultural icons and most enduring sex symbols. Sadly, her life was cut short at the age of 36 when she died of a drug overdose. Marilyn Monroe is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?… Read the full story