December 2023

On December 29, 1800, inventor Charles Goodyear was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He invented and developed a process to vulcanize rubber in 1839. Image: Charles Goodyear / Library of Congress The oldest of six children, Goodyear was a descendant of Stephen Goodyear, one of the founders of the colony of New Haven in 1638. For years, Goodyear experimented with natural rubber, trying to make the material more reliable and stable for industrial use. Despite his crippling… Read the full story

On December 28, 1856, Woodrow Wilson was born. As the 28th President of the United States, Wilson led the country into World War I and was the leading advocate of the League of Nations. Image: Woodrow Wilson / Library of Congress He was born Thomas Woodrow Wilson in Staunton, Virginia to Joseph Ruggles Wilson, a prominent Presbyterian theologian, and Jessie Janet Woodrow. In 1912, Wilson was elected the 28th President of the United States. At… Read the full story

As the new year comes to a close, we are looking back at the highlights of 2023 on Geni. From new enhancements to a return to regular in-person conferences, we had a fun year and reached a new milestone in the World Family Tree with over 180 million profiles connected! We began the year by returning to RootsTech, which was once again in person after two years of virtual conferences. It was amazing to see… Read the full story

On this day in 1571, mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler was born in Weil der Stadt in what is now Germany. A key figure of the Scientific Revolution, Kepler is best remembered for discovering the three laws of planetary motion. Image: Johannes Kepler / Wikimedia Commons Kepler’s paternal grandfather was a respected craftsman and served as mayor of the city. However, his parents were poor. His father earned a living as a mercenary and left the family when Kepler… Read the full story

On this day in 1943, author Beatrix Potter died at the age of 77. Although best remembered for her beloved children’s book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Potter was also an avid conservationist and sheep farmer. She purchased many pieces of land in an effort to preserve the English countryside. At her death, Potter left nearly all of her vast property to the National Trust and today, the land is now included in the Lake District National Park…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Samuel L. Jackson! Today the star turns 75. Image: Samuel L. Jackson / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Samuel L. Jackson was born on December 21, 1948 in Washington, D.C. to Roy Jackson and Elizabeth Montgomery. Growing up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jackson was mainly raised by his maternal grandparents. While attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, he became involved in the black power movement and would serve as an usher at Martin… Read the full story

On this day in 1537, John III, King of Sweden, was born at Stegeborg Castle in Sweden. The Swedish king ruled from 1568 until his death in 1592 and is remembered for his attempts to bridge the gap between the newly established Lutheran Church of Sweden and the Catholic church. Image: John III, King of Sweden / Wikimedia Commons John was the second son of Gustav I and Margareta Leijonhufvud. In 1560, John was named the Duke… Read the full story

Today we remember French singer and actress Édith Piaf, who was born on December 19, 1915 in Paris, France. Image: Édith Piaf / Nationaal Archief, CC0 She was born Édith Giovanna Gassion to Annetta Giovanna Maillard, a cafe singer, and Louis Alphonse Gassion, a street acrobat. Piaf was named after the World War I British nurse Edith Cavell, who was executed for helping soldiers escape from German captivity in Belgium. Piaf first rose to fame after she… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Steven Spielberg! Today the iconic director turns 77. Image: Steven Spielberg / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Born on December 18, 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Spielberg got his start making films at an early age. Throughout his early teens, he made amateur 8mm adventure films with his friends, even earning his first Boy Scout merit badge for a Western film he created. After the successful release of Jaws, Spielberg became… Read the full story

Have you ever visited the Eiffel Tower? On this day in 1832, French architect and engineer Gustave Eiffel was born in Dijon, France. Image: Gustave Eiffel / Library of Congress Eiffel had spent years building bridges before he was contacted by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi for help to devise the structure for the Statue of Liberty. Eiffel had replaced the statue’s initial engineer, who unexpectedly died. With Eiffel’s help, the statue was built and then… Read the full story

On this day in 1895, George VI was born at York Cottage on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk during the reign of his great grandmother, Queen Victoria. His birth date fell on the 34th anniversary of the death of his great grandfather, Prince Albert, and so, the new royal was named Albert in his honor. Image: George VI / Library of Congress As the second son of King George V, it was not expected for George to become king. However, this… Read the full story

Today American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift turns 34! Swift has had a monumental year thanks to her record-breaking Eras Tour, the release of two re-recorded albums, and she was just named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. Image: Taylor Swift / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0), cropped Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in West Reading, Pennsylvania to Scott Kinglsey Swift and Andrea Gardner Finlay. She was named after singer-songwriter James… Read the full story

On this day in 1863, Norwegian painter Edvard Munch was born in Løten, Norway. He is perhaps best known for his 1893 painting, The Scream, which is often considered one of the most recognizable works of art in modern history. Image: Edvard Munch / National Library of Norway, Flickr Munch was the second of five children born to Christian Munch and Laura Catherine Bjølstad. In 1868, his mother died of tuberculosis and a few years later, his sister died of… Read the full story

On this day in 1863, astronomer Annie Jump Cannon was born. Nicknamed the “Census Taker of the Sky,” Cannon was instrumental in the development of the current system of stellar classification. Image: Annie Jump Cannon / Smithsonian Institution Cannon was born on December 11, 1863 in Dover, Delaware to Wilson Cannon, a shipbuilder and state senator, and Mary Jump. Cannon’s mother was the first to teach her about the constellations and encouraged her to pursue her passion in astronomy in her studies. She… Read the full story

On this day in 1925, legendary singer and actor Sammy Davis, Jr. was born in Harlem, New York. He is perhaps best remembered as a member of the famous Rat Pack, along with his friends, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Image: Sammy Davis Jr. / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Davis got his start as a small child in his father’s vaudeville act. He learned to dance and soon became a part of the Will Mastin Trio with his father… Read the full story

Do you have pioneer ancestors? American author Willa Cather was born on this day in 1873. She is best remembered for capturing pioneer life on the Great Plains in her novels. Image: Willa Cather / Library of Congress Wilella Sibert Cather was born on December 7, 1873 on her maternal grandmother’s farm in the Back Creek Valley near Winchester, Virginia. Her father’s family had lived in the area for six generations. Within a year after her birth,… Read the full story

Do you know who was the first U.S. President to be born a United States citizen? Martin Van Buren, the 8th President of the United States, was born December 5, 1782 in Kinderhook, New York. Before President Van Buren, all previous presidents were born in the British colonies before the American Revolution, and therefore were British subjects. Image: Martin Van Buren / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Van Buren’s third great grandfather, Cornelis Maessen… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jeff Bridges! Today the actor turns 74. Image: Jeff Bridges / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Born into a Hollywood family, Bridges got his start on film as an infant in the movie, The Company She Keeps. His father, Lloyd Bridges, was a prolific actor best known for starring in the television series Sea Hunt. Growing up, Jeff was very close to his older brother, Beau, who often acted as a surrogate father when their… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bette Midler! Today the iconic singer and actress turns 78. Image: Bette Midler / Nationaal Archief Midler was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ruth Schindel and Fred Midler. The third of four children, Midler was named after actress Bette Davis, although she pronounces her name as one syllable. After graduating as valedictorian of her high school, Midler went on to study drama at the University of Hawaii. However,… Read the full story