Blog Content
-
Code Talkers of World War One
Aug 7
During World War Two (early 1940s), an important group who assisted in defeating Germany and Japan was the Navajo Indians who served as code talkers. What most people do not know there were Native Indians – used as code breakers during World War One (1917-1919). These Native Americans - Choctaw Indians many of them came from Texas and Oklahom...
-
Geneanet Family Trees Index Available To Ancestry Customers
Aug 7
At Ancestry, we are committed to constantly growing and connecting our global community and enabling more people to easily discover, craft, and connect around their family story. Following Ancestry’s acquisition last year of leading French genealogy company Geneanet, we are now able to bring over a billion new records to our Ancestry comm...
-
Men’s Straw Hats of the 1920s
Aug 5
Men of all ages loved the new fashion trend of wearing a straw hat in the early 1920s. By 1922 it was a full-blown revival style. Straw hats were fashionable and comfortable to wear during the summer months because they would shade you from the sun but after the 15th of September, it was essentially an unwritten fashion mandate to switch to hea...
-
Christening Ships
Aug 3
A long-time practice is the christening of new ships using a bottle of champagne smashed at the bow sending the ship into the water. Ususally, the person breaking the bottle at the ship's bow also announces the ship's name. Going back to ancient history, there were tons of rituals and ceremonies that varied in their specifics, but they all had ...
-
1800s Photos – No Smiles
Aug 1
So many of your early family portraits, no one is smiling. There are several reasons. Back in the 1800s, wide-mouthed, toothy grins were considered inappropriate for a portrait. People in normal life still smiled and laughed but not for a portrait, including a painting. Here is a quote by Mark Twain about smiling for a photo. “A photograph...
-
Slang Phrases Your Ancestors Used in the 1950s
Jul 31
The decade of the 1950s saw many changes and good times had by young people. Your relatives and ancestors who grew up during the decade would have grown up with some of these popular slang words and phrases of 1950s. Include some in your family history. A new word became popular, it was “Unidentified Flying Object” or UFO. Rockets and space...
-
Inventions that Date Back to 1770-1790s
Jul 29
Many items we take for granted today and for many decades as used by our ancestors originally were invented in the late 1700s (American Revolutionary era). Here are a few. The beginnings of the Telegraph started with the optical telegraph operated visually via a set a relay stations and signals, viewed with a telescope. The semaphore telegraph ...
-
FindMyPast UK Has Pennsylvania Collections
Jul 28
FindMyPast UK offers nearly half a million new records to explore that are connected to Pennsylvania’s past. This collection is for people in the UK who have traced an ancestor leaving for the US, but hit a dead end, It is also for people in the UK who know of their heritage in the New World but are struggling to continue the journey. Pen...
-
Things Not Always True about Genealogy
Jul 27
It is amazing what items related to genealogy that people think make their research 100% accurate when in truth, they are not. Here are some examples to be aware of. If some date, name or location is in print, it is not necessary the correct or accurate date, name or location. It can be due to misinterpreted records or reliance on other inaccur...
-
Researchers Seek Genetic Causes of Parkinson’s
Jul 26
New research by Yale researchers offers important clues about the genetic causes of Parkinson’s disease. In two new papers, scientists provide insight into the function of a protein called VPS13C, one of the molecular suspects underlying Parkinson’s, a disease marked by uncontrollable movements including tremors, stiffness, and loss of bal...
-
Decorating Ideas Used by Your Ancestors
Jul 25
Your ancestors had some great ideas on how to decorate their home. Here are some are the ideas they did and could be in style here. For example, the decorating rage during the 1800s was houseplants throughout the house. Plants were most fashionable in the 1890s. The use of plants continued in the 1930s and 1940s. The most popular plants during ...
-
Foods started by Thomas Jefferson
Jul 23
Many popular food dishes loved by Americans and your ancestors had their beginning with a former US Presdient. US Presdient Thomas Jefferson was one of the most influential figures in our presidential history. But strides toward social and political freedom were not the only things he made relevant during his two terms. We have Jefferson's uniq...
-
Unbelievable Phrases Your Ancestors Have Used that Came from Shakespeare
Jul 21
The famous William Shakespeare of England was known for his great writings. But few people realize that many of phrases, terms and words commonly used over the recent decades came from Shakespeare. Here are a few examples. Love is Blind – In The Merchant of Venice lovers Jessica and Lorenzo plan to elope, so Jessica disguises herself as a boy...
-
New Idaho Falls FamilySearch Center Opens
Jul 21
FamilySearch has announced the reopening of its newly renovated Idaho Falls FamilySearch Center. Located at 750 West Elva Street, the free service will introduce guests to a world of fun, interactive, personal and family discoveries. From life-sized interactive experiences, to home video conversation equipment, a recording room, access to pers...
-
Development of French Fries
Jul 19
Potatoes originated in North America but was soon taken by the Spanish Conquistadors to be in Europe as people loved this food item. It soon spread to many locations in Europe. However, in those early years in France the was potato was grown and feed as animal feed, especially to the hogs. It was Antoine-Augustin Parmentier while in a prison in...
Search Blog
Search Surnames
More Resources
Genealogy 101
The study of birth, marriage and death records to discover family relatives. more »
Genealogy Dictionary
Definitions for the most common terms and expressions for the field of Genealogy. more »
Genealogy Site Reviews
Reviews of top genealogy and family tree sites, with feature comparisons. more »
