Genealogy Roundup, January 18
This week: Commemorating the 125th anniversary of Annie Moore and Ellis Island, a hoard of gold found inside a donated piano, two genealogy-themed TV series to air soon, and much more!
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.
125th Anniversary of Annie Moore and Ellis Island
On January 1, 1892, 17-year-old Annie Moore from Cork, Ireland became the first immigrant to ever arrive at Ellis Island, so both Annie and Ellis Island celebrated their 125th anniversary on January 1, 2017. Now is an especially relevant time to reflect on the Annie Moores in our own family trees – those pioneers who made a leap that so drastically altered the trajectories of their descendants’ lives for the better.
Genealogy Roundup, December 21
This week, check out an article on diaspora tourism that explores what it means to "return to a place you’ve never been" as well as an article about the search for missing WWII airmen in India.
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?
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, July 6
This week's Roundup explores the Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall, Ireland, a project which was one of the largest single investments in a decade in Ireland’s Midlands region and has become the main job provider for the village, as well as the largest employer for miles around.
Genealogy Roundup, June 29
In this week's Roundup, check out the story of a "quiet and self-effacing" Marine who chose to stay silent about his role in the 1945 flag raising on Iwo Jima, quirky and interesting stories about microfilm and time capsule homes, more on VP Biden's visit to Ireland, and more . . .
Genealogy Roundup, June 22
This week's Roundup serves up a look at VP Biden's tri-generational trip to Ireland, a dramatic chapter from the 1830's that continues to send ripples into the present, the demise of cursive, and more.