December 2013

As we prepare to welcome in the new year, we thought it would be fun to reflect on some of the amazing things we have accomplished in the last 12 months. We’re proud of the many exciting new features we introduced this year to help you research your family history. While we all work together to build the largest and most accurate family tree of the world, genealogy research on Geni has never been faster or… Read the full story

Today we remember John Denver, who was born December 31, 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico. The folk musician was born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. to Erma Louise and Lt. Col. Henry John, Sr., an Air Force officer who set three speed records in the B-58 Hustler bomber and earned a place in the Air Force Hall of Fame. An avid environmental activist, Denver spent much of the later years of his life focused on humanitarian… Read the full story

We hope everyone had a very happy holiday! Before we start the new year, check out some interesting articles from around the web: Image: O’Connor Family Photo/Masslive.com The Genealogy Sphere Family Tree: Memories of Christmases past help document genealogy (Masslive.com) – Sharing a lifetime of Christmas memories Century-old cremains create Modesto mystery (Modbee.com) – A corner tries to find the family of a woman who died in 1906 Trove of Information From the 1930s, Animated by… Read the full story

Today we remember President Harry S. Truman, who died on December 26, 1972 at the age of 88. Truman was born in Larmar, Missouri and spent most of the early years of his life on a farm. He succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt died after months of declining health. Under Truman, the U.S. successfully concluded World War II. President Truman is connected to over 70 million people in Geni’s… Read the full story

Do you remember writing letters to Santa Claus? As a child, many of us believed in the jolly man from the North Pole. If we were good children, Santa would bring us presents on Christmas day. But there were always those who would shed doubts in our belief. One of the most famous editorials ever to be published is the story of a young Virginia O’Hanion and her quest to know if there really was… Read the full story

Do you remember watching a young Natalie Wood in Miracle on 34th Street? At the tender age of eight, Natalie won the hearts of audiences as Susan Walker, the little girl who comes to believe in Santa Claus. Within a few months of the film’s release, she became so popular that Macy’s invited her to appear in the store’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Today the film is still a Christmas favorite. Does the movie make… Read the full story

Get into the holiday spirit with these great articles from around the web! Image: BBC The Genealogy Sphere Bristol Airport lost teddy bear family is identified (BBC News) – The family of a lost teddy bear found in Bristol Airport with a photograph dated 1918 has been identified 5 Fun Ways to Record Family Memories (ParentInformer.com) – Great tips on how to record your family memories Why Was My Black Ancestor Listed as a Slave Owner?… Read the full story

Ranked as one of the best Christmas songs of all time, Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” is a holiday staple for most families. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Bing’s version is the best-selling single in history, with an estimated 100 million copies sold worldwide. He first performed the song live Christmas Day in 1941. The single was later featured in the 1954 classic White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and… Read the full story

What’s your favorite holiday film? On this day 67 years ago, the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life premiered in New York City. Starring James Stewart as George Bailey, the film has become a must-see event for many every Christmas. Did you know the movie was Stewart’s first starring vehicle after returning from World War II? He would earn his third Academy Award nomination for what many consider one of the defining roles of his career…. Read the full story

Today we remember author Emily Brontë, who died December 19, 1848. The fifth child of Reverend Patric Brontë and his wife, Maria Branwell, Emily was not the only creative one in the family. Her two sisters, Charlotte and Anne, enjoyed literary success as well. She published her defining work Wuthering Heights under the pseudonym Ellis Bell in 1847. It would be her first and only published novel. She died a year later of tuberculosis at the… Read the full story

The holidays are always a fun time to share with your family. It’s also the perfect time to share your ancestors stories with your relatives. Check out some crafty ways to spice up your holiday decor with some family history memories. Wrap It Image credit: Sweet Paul Do you have old family photos at home? Scan your photos to create homemade wrapping paper for your relatives. Sweet Paul Magazine offers a quick tutorial to turn… Read the full story

Happy birthday Brad Pitt! Can you believe the star is turning the big 5-0? Pitt was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma and grew up in Springfield, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri as a journalism major, but felt a love for film that he couldn’t ignore. Just two credits shy of graduating, Pitt left Missouri and headed to Hollywood to become an actor. Today he is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars and actively involved… Read the full story

Do you remember Charles Dickens‘ Christmas classic A Christmas Carol? On this day in 1843, Dickens’ novella was published for the first time and since then, the comforting story has never been out of print. Over the years, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation after his spiritual visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come has been adapted multiple times into a variety of mediums including stage, television and film. The… Read the full story

Start your week with some interesting articles from around the web: What Kids Learn From Hearing Family Stories – The Atlantic (cdnsure/Flickr) The Genealogy Sphere What Kids Learn From Hearing Family Stories (The Atlantic) – Sharing family tales from the past has great education benefits for children Potter’s Field Records and Genealogy Research (a3Genealogy blog) – Tips on how to find Potter’s Field burial records Have We Found the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island? (National… Read the full story

Today we remember Peter O’Toole, who passed away this weekend, at the age of 81. He was born in 1932, with some sources giving his birthplace as Connemara, Ireland while other’s report Leeds, England. Even O’Toole himself wasn’t sure of his birthplace or date, noting that while he accepted August 2 as his birthdate, he had a birth certificate from each country, with the Irish one giving a June 1932 birthdate. One of Hollywood’s most… Read the full story

Since the camera was first invented, people have always desired to capture special moments in time to remember for years to come. Capturing the perfect family photo can often be difficult, especially when you have very young children. Even at the best of times, trying to get a baby to hold still for a photo can be an almost impossible task. But in today’s world, you have the luxury of taking multiple digital photographs until… Read the full story

Are you a fan of Ol’ Blue Eyes? On this day in 1915, Frank Sinatra was born in Hoboken, New Jersey. The only child of Sicilian immigrants, Sinatra knew he wanted to be a singer at a very young age. From his early days crooning in night clubs to his award-winning performances on the big screen, Sinatra became one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century. The epitome of cool, Sinatra was considered… Read the full story

Researching your Nordic heritage? We’re excited to announce millions of digitized records from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland have been added to MyHeritage’s burgeoning collection of historical records. Spanning from as early as the 1600s, these records are available now through MyHeritage’s SuperSearch™ and will be matched to your Geni profiles using MyHeritage’s powerful Record Matching technology. These collections contain over 90 million names and include birth, death, marriage and baptism records as well as census… Read the full story

This day in 1936, Edward VIII abdicated the English throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson. His relationship with the twice-divorced socialite was controversial from the start and the announcement of the couple’s engagement caused a constitutional crisis only months into his reign. The British government, the Church of England and the public widely condemned his desire to marry Simpson. As the King and the titular head of the Church of England, Edward VIII was… Read the full story

Do you remember using the Dewey Decimal Classification system at the library? 162 years ago today, the mastermind behind the library cataloging system, Melvil Dewey, was born in Adams Center, New York. Dewey’s system forever changed the cataloging of books and library materials, and made it easy for patrons and librarians to find any particular book and return it to its proper place on library shelves. The system is currently used in at least 135… Read the full story

Wet your genealogy appetite with these great stories from around the web: The Soldier Who Just Refused to Give Up / DailyMail UK The Genealogy Sphere The Soldier Who Just Refused to Give Up (DailyMail UK) – The inspiring story of a World War I hero’s loss and struggle for survival Uncovering records that link the slaveholder and enslaved (Examiner.com) – Robin Foster shares what clues you can follow to untangle the link between slaves… Read the full story

Today we celebrate actor Kirk Douglas‘ 97th birthday. He was born Issur Danielovitch to poor, Russian Jewish immigrants in Amsterdam, New York on December 9, 1916. He grew up as Izzy Demsky, a surname the family adopted in the United States, and changed legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before entering the Navy during World War II. After the war, he pursued a career in acting and discovered work on the stage before finding… Read the full story

Today we remember former South African president and freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, who passed away yesterday at the age of 95. Devoted to ending apartheid, Mandela served as an inspiration to many for his message of reconciliation and forgiveness, and a peaceful end to years of segregation.  “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can… Read the full story

Do you remember the hit song “Oh, Pretty Woman”? Today we remember music legend Roy Orbison, who passed away on December 6, 1988 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Growing up in Texas in a working-class family, Orbison showed an interest in music early in life. For his sixth birthday, we was given a guitar that would make music a part of his life forever. Considered one of the most influential musicians in history, Orbison was inducted into… Read the full story

Eighty years ago today, Prohibition ended in the United States, lifting the national ban of alcohol throughout the nation. Between 1920 – 1933, the production, sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages was prohibited across the country. Although the motivation to pass the 18th Amendment to the U.S. constitution was to curb the adverse effects of drinking on society, the Prohibition had the unintended consequence of stimulating a rampant underground of organized and widespread criminal activity. The… Read the full story

Happy birthday to The Dude! Today Jeff Bridges turns 64. He was born on December 4, 1949 in Los Angeles, California to a showbiz family. His father was actor Lloyd Bridges and his mother was actor and writer Dorothy Bridges. He began his career as an infant, with parts on both film and television. Bridges has since taken on challenging roles in an array of films, including The Big Lebowski, The Last Picture Show, and… Read the full story

“Stella!” On December 3, 1947, Marlon Brando cried his famous line for the first time in the Broadway debut of Tennessee Williams‘ play A Streetcar Named Desire at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Starring a 23-year old Brando as Stanley Kowalski, the drama stunned the audience, who sat in silence once the curtain fell before erupting in applause that lasted 30 minutes. The play turned Brando into a star and he would go on to reprise his role in… Read the full story

We hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Here’s a quick roundup of some interesting articles you may have missed: Image: Mabel’s War: Diaries of World War I nurse / Daily Mail UK The Genealogy Sphere A life remembered: Ninety years later, marker placed on infant’s grave (Ohio.com) – After ninety years, a gravestone is finally placed on an infant’s grave Mabel’s War: Diaries of World War One nurse reveal lives of horrifically injured soldiers… Read the full story

Happy birthday Britney Spears! Today the pop icon turns 32. Born in Kentwood, Louisiana, Britney showed her talent at a very young age. She got her start on the ’90s revival of The Mickey Mouse Club, which featured many future music and film stars. Her career skyrocketed shortly after when she released her first album …Baby One More Time. Although she has experience her share of controversy in the past few years, today she is… Read the full story