July 2019

Happy birthday to author J.K. Rowling! Image: J.K. Rowling / Daniel Ogren, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Joanne Rowling was born on July 31, 1965 in Yale, England to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Volant, a science technician. Her great grandfather, Louis Volant was a French soldier in World War I. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte. A single mother at… Read the full story

The 39th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy is coming up soon! The conference will take place July 28 – August 2 in Cleveland, Ohio. Come visit Geni in the exhibit hall, July 28-31, to say hi and to ask any questions. We’ll be offering an exclusive conference discount on Geni Pro subscriptions that you wont want to miss! If you’re not ready to upgrade but would like the opportunity to try out some of our premium… Read the full story

Today we remember pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart on her 122nd birthday. Image: Amelia Earhart / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. She was named after her two grandmothers, Amelia Josephine Otis and Mary Wells Earhart. From a young age, Amelia had an adventurist spirit. After Charles Lindbergh’s solo flight across the Atlantic, she knew she wanted to be the first woman to do the same…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Daniel Radcliffe! Today the Harry Potter star turns 30. Image: Daniel Radcliffe / Gage Skidmore, (CC BY-SA 2.0) Radcliffe was born on July 23, 1989 in London England to Alan George Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Jeannine Jacobson, a casting agent. Before he landed the role of a lifetime as Harry Potter, Radcliffe made his acting debut at the age of 10 in the BBC’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield…. Read the full story

Happy birthday, Benedict Cumberbatch! Today the star turns 43. Image: Benedict Cumberbatch / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons, (CC BY-SA 2.0) Cumberbatch was born on July 19, 1976 in London, England to actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham. From a young age, Cumberbatch took an interest in acting and eventually went on to study drama at the University of Manchester and earn a Master’s degree in classical acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Cumberbatch rose… Read the full story

Legendary astronaut John Glenn was born on July 18, 1921 in Cambridge, Ohio. Glenn made history when he became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. Image: John Glenn / NASA John Hershel Glenn, Jr. was the son of John Hershel Glenn, Sr., owner of a plumbing business, and Clara Teresa Sproat, a teacher. In 1943, Glenn married his high school sweetheart, Anna Castor. The couple met as toddlers and were married for 73 years… Read the full story

On this day in 1955, Walt Disney opened Disneyland for the first time in Anaheim, California. Image: Walt Disney / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration After visiting various amusement parks with his daughters, Disney was inspired to build his own theme park where adults and children could enjoy rides and attractions together. The construction of Disneyland began on July 16, 1954 and would cost $17 million to complete. One year later on July 17, 1955,… Read the full story

Today we celebrate Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen on what would have been his 147th birthday. Image: Roald Amundsen / National Library of Norway, Flickr He was born on July 16, 1872 in Borge, Norway to Jens Amundsen, a successful sea captain, and Hanna Sahlquist. Although he came from a family of ship builders and captains, his mother hoped he would pursue a career in medicine instead. However, after her death in 1893, Amundsen chose to quit school… Read the full story

Since releasing our new enhancements to Geni relationship paths, users have been having a blast finding new and surprising connections in the World Family Tree. Now Geni will find the shortest blood path and the shortest in-law path between two individuals, if either can be found. Here’s some of the great feedback we’ve heard so far: “My heroes! Been praying someone would develop an app that could do this!” – Debbie G. “Oh my goodness. This… Read the full story

On this day in 1819, American inventor Elias Howe was born. Remembered for patenting the first practical sewing machine, Howe’s invention revolutionized the manufacturing of garments. Image: Elias Howe / Wikimedia Commons Howe was born on July 9, 1819 in Spencer, Massachusetts to Dr. Elias Howe, Sr. and Polly Bemis. At 16, Howe began an apprenticeship in a textile factory. However, the Panic of 1837 cost Howe his job. He later began working at a machinist’s shop, where… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Tom Cruise! Today the star turns 57. Image: Tom Cruise / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) The popular movie star was born Thomas Cruise Mapother, IV on July 3, 1962 in Syracuse, New York. After making notable appearances in the films Taps  and The Outsiders, Cruise went on to star in two highly successful films Risky Business and Top Gun, cementing his status as a major Hollywood superstar. Since then, Cruise has headlined numerous… Read the full story