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Tickets to the Global Family Reunion Now on Sale
Apr 22
You may have heard about the Global Family Reunion. It was created by journalist and author A.J. Jacobs. It is hoped that this event will break the Guinness world record for the largest family reunion, ever. Tickets to the event are now on sale. The Global Family Reunion will take place on June 6, 2015, from 11:00 in the morning until 8:30 i...
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1950 Census
Apr 21
The last census release to the public was of the US Federal 1940 Census in April 2012. Now everyone waits ten years before the next decade census - 1950 is released on April 1, 2022. By law, for privacy reasons, census records are not released to the public until 72 years after that census was taken. However, for your own personal family research ...
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FGS Announces Upcoming Events
Apr 21
The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) has announced some upcoming events. It seems that these events are for FGS members (but some will allow non-members to participate as well). FGS is easy to join. You can do it online through their website or, if you prefer, you can print out and mail them the application form. The Federation of G...
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Why Angelina Jolie Pitt had Surgery
Apr 20
Angelina Jolie Pitt wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times in which she explained her decision to have her ovaries surgically removed. This decision came after a previous decision to have her breasts removed. The reason she made those choices has to do with genetics and her risk of cancer. Genealogists often put together family trees. Th...
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Unusual Photos Faces
Apr 19
The proper Victorians of the mid to late 1800s had their own ideas of what was proper social behavior. This is shown in viewing the typical photographs taken. You see the strict, stern facial expressions in just about all of them. Part of the main reason was the photo technology of those times. People had to hold still as a photo was taken. If ...
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Just One Photo
Apr 17
Your family history is more than names and dates; it is the stories, travels, events, tragedies, and celebrations that all people have throughout their life. The problem can be learning about those personal events, especially for those relatives that have passed away. Finding those special stories or events can be a challenge. Here is one method. ...
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Humans are Genetically More Similar to Their Fathers
Apr 16
When a new baby is born, family members often try to identify traits that come from the baby's father or the baby's mother. It is typical for people to want to see reflections of the parents in their child. These observations are subjective. A study has found that humans are more genetically similar to their fathers than they are to their mothers. ...
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What Color Was that Dress?
Apr 15
You may recall the day when a photo of a dress captured the attention of nearly everyone on social media. A debate began. What color was the dress? Some saw it as blue and black, while others saw it as white and gold. The reason people saw things differently is due to two factors. One has to do with photography, and the other has to do with ge...
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England in ‘Color’
Apr 15
With digital photography we can forget having color photos was a rarity decades ago. This site, Mashable, offers up a variety of color photos of people and locations in England in 1928. It is fascinating to see the vehicles, businesses and especially the fashion of England in the 'Roaring Twenties', especially in color. As you scroll down the site...
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Twin Study Shows High Heritability of Autism
Apr 14
There have been several studies done in an effort to figure out whether or not there is a genetic link to autism. One that was published in March of 2015 involved twins. The results of the study found that genes may be more responsible for autism than previously thought. The study was titled “Heritability of Autism Spectrum Disorder in a UK ...
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Check Ancestors’ Historic Connections
Apr 14
With this marking the 150th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865 at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D. C., it is an excellent time to reflect on if you had an ancestor somewhere - somehow that has any connection to a major historical event. If you had an ancestor living in or around Washington, D. C...
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Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree 2015
Apr 13
Looking for a fun genealogy event to attend? The Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree is coming up. Interested genealogists can purchase tickets to attend. They are also seeking volunteers. 2015 is the 46th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree will take place on June 5-7, 2015. This year, there will also be a pre-even...
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Boston Athenaeum
Apr 13
Begun in 1807, the Boston Athenæum in the heart of the city is one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries and cultural institutions in the United States. It is also known as the 19th Century Library and Art Museum. It has numerous collections of various items. Most have been made digital and are available on the Boston Athena...
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Photo Types in the late 1800s
Apr 11
A very common type of photo produced in the 19th century were carte-de-viste (CDVs). They were first introduced in the 1850s in Paris, France by Andre Adolphe Eugene Disderi. CDVs became very popular in both the United States and Europe until the turn of the 20th century. The method to identify a CDV is by size first. They run 4 inches by ...
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23andMe Works with Genentech on Parkinson’s Disease
Apr 9
23andMe made an agreement with Genentech in January of 2015. The goal is to generate the whole genome sequencing data for approximately 3,000 people in 23andMe's Parkinson's disease community. The hope is that this collaboration will identify new therapeutic targets for treating Parkinson's Disease. Parkinson's Disease is a progressive disord...
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