Genealogy Roundup, January 11
This week, explore Pitcairn Island, a new online index to Oklahoma births and deaths, slang, Barack Obama Plaza, and a project to mark the 100th anniversary in 2016 of the start of the first Great Migration.
Genealogy Roundup, November 16
In this week's Roundup: See how librarians came to the rescue of books and records damaged in a fire started by a 19 year-old Naval Reservist who feared being sent to war in Korea and thought that “a little fire” would gain him probationary status, check out how the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is commemorating the upcoming 100th anniversary of the United States entry into World War I, discover a unique museum in Venice, and more . . .
Genealogy Roundup, August 31
In this week's Roundup: dream over Russian window art (stunning!), read the stories of some Missouri adoptees who were able to learn their biological parents' identities thanks to passage of a recent law, check out the world's tallest cemetery, and much more.
Tim Kaine Ancestral Samplings
I recently took a peek into the family tree of Tim Kaine in a piece that combined a big-picture perspective with a mini-saga of the Kaine branch. During the course of my research, though, I came across other random tidbits of interest, so thought I’d share them clustered by branch of the family tree.
What the Family Tree of Tim Kaine Has in Common with Downton Abbey
No sooner had Hillary Clinton announced Tim Kaine as her running mate than articles on his roots began to appear – mostly about his inherent Irishness. But what else was there to learn?
Hillary Clinton’s Celtic Roots
When it was announced that Hillary Rodham Clinton would be inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame in 2015 for her work on the Irish peace process, it was inevitable that I would explore the branches of her family tree, but it wasn’t the first time. Having delved into her roots in years past, I was familiar with the basics, but when I took a deeper dive into the Welsh portion of her heritage, I discovered that it’s rather surprising that Hillary Rodham Clinton exists at all.
5 Things You Didn’t Know about Melissa McCarthy’s Family Tree
Easily one of the most popular and reliable box office performers today, actress, comedian, producer, and now fashion designer Melissa McCarthy has a lot to be proud of. Following a string of hits, she’s now part of the long-anticipated Ghostbusters dream team of Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, and Kristen Wiig. While they’re all ghostbusting, I thought I’d do a little ghost-searching – that is, for the ancestors who populate McCarthy’s family tree – and here’s what I learned.
Genealogy Roundup, June 15
This week: Explore a mystery mansion for sale in London, watch a suspense trailer for the New York Public Library (somebody had fun making this and it's fun to watch, too!), TLC announces that Who Do You Think You Are? will return for a ninth season, and much more . . .
Joey From Scranton – Vice President Biden’s Irish Roots
Given Vice President Biden's forthcoming trip to Ireland to explore his roots, I thought this would be a good time to re-share an article I'd previously written about his ancestry. Enjoy!
Judy Collins and a Song for her Ancestors
A few years back, I did some research for Judy Collins about her roots and thought it might be interesting for folks to get a peek into that process and the song that it inspired.