Author Archive

by Abby Glann

By now, you have a great jump on your family research. One important thing to look for or ask for when tracing your family is sources. Sources. Sources. Sources. What’s the big deal?

Hello Cousins,

Hope your branch of the family is doing well.

We wanted to give you a quick update on the Global Family Reunion, the biggest, most inclusive, most entertaining family reunion in history (all to benefit the battle against Alzheimer’s).

We’ve added tens of thousands of relatives to the Big Family in the last month, including Napoleon, Annie Oakley and J.R.R. Tolkien.  So please say hi (bonjour/howdy/suilad) to your new cousins.

And if you haven’t yet been connected to the mega-tree, don’t worry: our team is working on it. (We’ve been delightfully overwhelmed with requests, but we’re plowing through them).

PRESS:
The Global Family Reunion has gotten some amazing coverage  in the last month, including NPR, BuzzFeed and The Guardian (where we figure out how Obama is related to dozens of senators on both sides of the aisle).

GFR host, author A.J. Jacobs, also has a column in People magazine where he interviews a notable cousin every month. (This installment: Valerie Bertinelli, where she talked about her Quaker roots, Jeffrey Dahmer and her bad British accent).

NEW SPEAKERS AND ENTERTAINERS:
We continue to book interesting speakers and performers to make sure all our cousins are thoroughly entertained and thought-provoked on June 6.

NPR Weekend Edition host Scott Simon will be giving a talk in praise of adoption. Spencer Wells of the National Genographic project will speak about DNA. Singers Lisa Loeb and Paul Williams – among more to be announced soon — will rock out.

Oh, and we’ve also booked George Washington, who is A.J.’s aunt’s fifth great aunt’s husband’s great uncle’s wife’s great nephew. Maybe not the actual George Washington. But the best GW re-enactor in America. We want some historical figures at the reunion too.

SATELLITE EVENTS:
The Global Family Reunion will, in fact, be Global. We’re helping to organize branch parties all over the world. (Get it? Branches, as in Family tree?) So far, among others, we have the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Clayton Library Center in Houston, Texas, Allen County Public Library in Wayne, Indiana and the Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri. If you want to get involved in a branch party, please contact info@worldfamily.us.

NEW ALZHEIMER’S INITIATIVE:
We want to get more people on the tree – and help battle Alzheimer’s at the same time. Note to genealogists: We are donating $1 to battling Alzheimer’s for every connection made. See here for details.

PARTNERS:
A growing number of great organizations have joined us as partners.  Most recently, we want to welcome FamilySearch to the, uh, family. FamilySearch is huge and helpful, with more than a billion records.

TO DO:
–If you haven’t submitted the names of your grandparents and great grandparents (along with birth dates please!) then shoot an email to us at info@worldfamily.us

–Send us stuff!  Okay, not just any stuff, but we are collecting stories, photos, videos and recipes.  For more details see here.

—Become a GFR Ambassador and help spread the word via social media and blogging!

–Check out all the different opportunities to volunteer!

Thank you, my cousins. Looking forward to meeting you all soon!

A.J. Jacobs and the Global Family Reunion team.

Note: The photos are of cousins Christina Hendricks (actor), Chris O’Dowd (actor) and Abraham Lincoln (president).

Today’s AJ Cousin Connection is Mary, Queen of Scots!

Also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, she reigned as Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 to 24 July 1567.  She was only 6 days old when her father, King James VI died and she acceded to the throne.

Some interesting facts about Queen Mary:

1. Mary Stuart was very fond of white and insisted on wearing that color for her first wedding to Francis II even though white was regarded as the color of mourning in 16th century France.

2. After the death of Francis II, Mary wore black to indicate her mourning for the loss of her husband and loss of the French crown.

3. Mary led a very active life and loved horse riding and dancing. She would dress up as a stable boy and escape at night into the streets of Edinburgh incognito.

4. Though often depicted otherwise in more contemporary art, Mary was tall (nearly 6 ft) and beautiful.

5. Mary had a fiery personality. She was generous, forgiving and a sociable being. She loved the open air and animals. However, she was also criticized for acting on impulse and being tactless.

6. Mary was the first woman to practice golf in Scotland. She even caused a scandal when she was seen playing the game at St Andrews within days of her husband Darnley’s murder.

7. Mary’s last night was spent drafting an elaborate will in which all her servants were remembered. On the day of her execution, she appeared in her customary black cloak and with a white veil over her head. She then dropped the cloak to reveal a crimson red dress.

8.  Mary’s last words before the axe fell over her head were: “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit”.

Mary I, Queen of Scots is A.J. Jacobs’ aunt’s 7th great aunt’s husband’s aunt’s husband’s great aunt’s husband’s half sister. 

Here’s what that looks like:

Sources:
1. https://www.marie-stuart.co.uk/facts.htm 

by Eowyn Langholf
 
Today’s AJ Cousin Connection is Richard the Lionheart (Richard I of England).  He was born on this day, September 8, 1157 and ruled from 6 July 1189 until his death on 6 April 1199.

Some things about King Richard:

1. He was the third of five sons of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

2. He was called Richard the Lionheart because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior.

3. Richard also ruled as ruled as Duke of Normany (as Richard IV), Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes and Overlord of Brittany. Phew!

4. By the age of 16, Richard the Lionheart had taken command of his own army and was putting down rebellions against his father.

5. A Latin prose narrative of the Third Crusade describes him as “… tall, of elegant build; the colour of his hair was between red and gold; his limbs were supple and straight. He had long arms suited to wielding a sword. His long legs matched the rest of his body.”

AJ and Richard the Lionheart have 26 degrees of separation.  Here’s what that looks like:

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_I_of_England

by Abby Glann

Another week, another opportunity to find more cousins! Last week we talked about dates. Those dates are super useful for finding your family, especially if you’re using a collaborative genealogy site. Something else that is handy is finding out places. Especially when you are dealing with popular names, places can make all the difference. Ask your family where folks lived, worked, were born, married, or died. These are all helpful clues that can point you to possible sources to back up your family information.

An example of this being important is if you have an ancestor named Michael Armstrong born in 1915 and married to Margaret Perry. Later, when we start looking for sources, say we find two sets of Michael and Margaret Armstrongs, with birth dates around 1915. 

Contact:Eowyn Langholf, gfrcousincoordinator@gmail.com

GLOBAL FAMILY REUNION SEEKS GENEALOGISTS TO “CONNECT FOR THE CURE”

The Global Family Reunionin June 2015 is expected to be the biggest, most inclusive celebration of family connections in history. It’s also more than that: It’s about fighting Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s about connecting to find a cure!

In honor of World Alzheimer’s Month, September, the Global Family Reunion is “going purple” by announcing a special Connect for the Cureinitiative for genealogists.

Thanks to press exposure in the New York Times, NPRand Good Morning America, thousands of people have contacted A.J. saying that they plan to attend to the Global Family Reunion. Many of them have not yet been able to find a connection to A.J. through the global family trees on WikiTreeand Geni. It’s these people who need your help!

• 5 points: Global Family Reunion bumper sticker.
• 10 points: “I Am A Cousin” feature on Global Family Reunion blog.
• 25 points: Skype/Google+ Chat with A.J. and the GFR team and formal thank-you at the Reunion
• 50 points: Autographed copy of one of A.J.’s books.
• 100 points: Personal acknowledgement in A.J.’s next book.
• 150 points: Global Family Reunion t-shirt.
  

Finally, there will be one very special surprise for the genealogist who earns the most points.

All connections must be made by May 1. To participate, contact our Chief Cousin Coordinator, Eowyn Langholf, at gfrcousincoordinator@gmail.com.

by Eowyn Langholf 

Today’s AJ Cousin Connection is author J.R.R. Tolkien who brought us the epic and wonderful world of Middle Earth (fine – I’m a little biased!).   He died on this day, September 2, in 1973.

Some fun things about J.R.R. Tolkien:

1. Many people assume that Tolkien was born in England but he was actually born in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State (now part of the Republic of South Africa), to English parents.

2. In 2009 the Forbes list in the US ranked Tolkien as the 5th top-earning dead celebrity.

3. The surname Tolkien is an anglicisation of the German name tollkühn, meaning ‘foolhardy’.

4. Tolkien was nominated for the Nobel Literature Prize in 1961 by his friend CS Lewis.

5. Tolkien  became a Catholic in 1900, this caused a family rift with his Baptist relatives. He remained a Catholic throughout his life. C.S.Lewis credits Tolkien with his decision to become a Christian in the 1930s.

6. Tolkien said his character of Sam Gamgee was based on the ordinary soldiers who he commanded and who faced so much hardship without rancour. 

7.  When agents from Nazi Germany wished to translate the Hobbit into German, they sent a letter asking to prove he was ‘Aryan’. Tolkien gave a scathing reply, saying amongst other thing that he wished he had Jewish ancestors.   

8. When Tolkien’s son joined the army, he listed his father’s occupation as ‘Wizard!’  

J. R. R. Tolkien is A.J. Jacobs’ third cousin once removed’s husband’s great uncle’s wife’s sister’s husband’s sister’s husband’s first cousin once removed’s husband’s father.

Here’s what that looks like:

Sources: 

1. https://www.blastr.com/2014-1-2/8-fun-facts-about-jrr-tolkien-his-122-birthday
2. https://www.express.co.uk/fun/top10facts/386763/Top-10-facts-about-J-R-R-Tolkien
3. https://blog.biographyonline.net/2013/01/30-facts-about-jrr-tolkien.html

by Eowyn Langholf
 
Today’s AJ Cousin Connection is legendary pop star Michael Jackson!

Michael Jackson was a global figure in pop culture for over four decades and his legacy still carries on through his music and the dedication of his loyal fans.  Known as the King of Pop, Michael was a singer, songwriter, dancer and actor, with top hits like “Thriller”, “Bad”, “Billie Jean” and “Beat It”.

Here’s some fun facts about the King of Pop:

1. When he was a child Michael’s favorite books included Rip Van Winkle and The Old Man and the Sea.

2. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (one for himself and one as part of the Jackson Five).

3. Michael was a big fan of The Three Stooge.

4. Michael won 13 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice and two of his albums Bad and Dangerous are among the world’s best-selling records.

5. He has waxworks in five Madame Tussauds museums across the world. Only Elvis Presley and Madonna have more.

6. Jackson patented a shoe device that allowed dancers to lean forward at gravity defying angle.

7. Jackson shares a birthday with Sir Richard Attenborough and actress Rebecca DeMornay

AJ Jacobs and Michael Jackson have 33 degrees of separation. Here’s what that looks like:

by Eowyn Langholf
 
Today’s AJ Cousin Connection is the horribly fabulous Lon Chaney.  He soared to fame during the era of silent films, excelling in the horror genre with movies like Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera.  He became very well known for his tortured and grotesque portrayals and for his groundbreaking skills with makeup!  His ability to transform himself with a variety of makeup techniques earned him the nickname “The Man of a Thousand Faces”.

Born Leonidas Chaney, he was the son of Frank Chaney and Alice Kennedy. Interestingly, both Lon’s parents were deaf and so, at a young age, he become very skilled in pantomime. His stage career began in 1902 when Lon began traveling with Vaudeville groups and theater acts.  He married 16 year old Cleva Creighton in 1905 the next year, they had their only son, named after Lon.  Several years later, amidst heavy marital problems, Cleva went to the Majestic Theater in Los Angeles, where Lon was managing a show, and tried to commit suicide by swallowing mercuric chloride.  The attempt failed but the scandal that followed drove Lon out of theater and into film.

His breakthrough performance came in 1919  as “The Frog” in George Loane Tucker‘s The Miracle Man. The film displayed not only Chaney’s acting ability, but also that he was a master of makeup and put him on the map as foremost character actor!

The Unholy Three was the only “talkie” film he ever did and it displayed his versatile voice.  Five of the key voices in the film were Lon’s!

He died of a throat hemorrhage on August 26, 1930.

Lon Chaney is A.J. Jacobs’ aunt’s ex-husband’s third great uncle’s wife’s uncle’s wife’s fourth cousin thrice removed. 

Here’s what that looks like:

by Eowyn Langholf
 
Today’s AJ Cousin Connection is Neil Armstrong, astronaut and first man to walk on the moon!

Born August 5, 1930,  in Wapakoneta, Ohio, Neil died two years ago today, August 25 at the age of 82. 

Some fun facts about Neil:

1. In high school, Neil took up the baritone horn (kind of a cross between the trumpet and trombone).  He liked the instrument’s distinctive tone. He performed not only in his school orchestra but was also in a combo, the Mississippi Moonshiners

2. On his NASA application, Armstrong marked “no religious preference”.  According to Hansen’s book, however, Armstrong actually considered himself a deist, a person whose faith in God is based on reason rather than religious revelation or the teachings of a particular church. Thomas Jefferson was also a deist.

3. What Neil said on the moon is different than what the world thought it heard.  What he actually said was “One small step for a man,” which makes a lot more sense. In 2006, an Australian researcher analyzed the recording and discovered that due to limitations of communication technology at the time, a few milliseconds of what the astronaut said had been dropped.

4. When he was 10 years old, Neil was paid $1 to mow the cemetery in Wapakoneta, Ohio, the small town where he was born. One of many odd jobs Armstrong had around town, he eventually earned enough money to pay for $9-per-hour flying lessons.  Neil loved flying so much he had a pilot’s license before his driver’s license!

5.  Neil was a test pilot. He could fly over 200 different types of aircraft from the dangerous rocket plane the X-15—which could reach a top speed of 4,000 miles per hour (!!!)—to gliders, which he called sailplanes.

“I am, and ever will be, a white-socks, pocket-protector, nerdy engineer, born under the second law of thermodynamics, steeped in steam tables, in love with free-body diagrams, transformed by Laplace and propelled by compressible flow.”- Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong and A.J. Jacobs have 32 degrees of separation. Here’s what that looks like:

Sources:

1. https://blog.aarp.org/2012/08/25/neil-armstrong-first-man-moon-apollo-11/ 
2. https://www.biography.com/news/neil-armstrong-facts