How to Find School Yearbooks and Use Them for Genealogical Research

Yearbooks to Help Research Your Ancestors

Genealogical research is often associated with digging through population census, immigration records, military records, and archival newspaper articles. And while all the sources are indeed instrumental for discovering your family history, there is one more that is often overlooked – school yearbooks.

Yearbooks, also known as class books, are published by educational institutions on an annual basis to document and highlight notable events from the previous academic year. Their popularity in the United States began to rise with the introduction of linotype printing in the 1880s. And ever since they have been used by genealogists to fill in the blanks about their ancestors’ formative years. You should expect to find at least one photo of each class member as well as descriptions of their academic, athletic, and extracurricular accomplishments in these books, which already makes them extremely valuable.

In this article, we’re going to look at ways you can access genealogy yearbooks and give you tips on how to use them for your research.

How to Find School Yearbooks for Genealogical Research

Online Databases And Resources

Undoubtedly the easiest way to find high school yearbooks is to use online resources with thousands of items available in a few clicks. Some of the most widely used online yearbook databases are:

Ancestry

This famous genealogy research website offers around 500,000 US yearbooks dated from 1900 to 2016 and provides powerful filtering capabilities for its users to find the right one as quickly as possible. You can search yearbooks by states, cities, schools names, years of publishing, names of individuals and even specific keywords (i.e. “cheerleader”).

The service is paid – to get full access to the yearbook archives, you need to subscribe for the price of $19.99/month or $16.50/month if you pay biannually.

MyHeritage

MyHeritage’s collection of US genealogy yearbooks isn’t as big as Ancestry’s, but still boasts an impressive 250,000 items, spanning from 1890-1979. This means that if you’re looking for some of the more recent data, you won’t be able to get it from this database.

This service’s main advantage over our previous entry is that the yearbook archive is completely free to use. However, some other resources and archives on the platform may still require you to pay for them.

Classmates

An understated resource for school yearbooks is Classmates, containing around 470,000 items from all across the US. The website requires you to sign up before you can fully access the yearbooks – the signing up is completely free.

The website also acts as a small social network; whenever you sign up, you need to input your name, surname, DOB and the school you graduated from. It allows people to find your profile when they look for their classmates and allows you to do the same as well.

E-Yearbook

This website is one of the oldest online yearbook databases and may look a bit outdated, but it’s still a solid option. It offers thousands of items from all US states and allows you not only to filter by location, but also by school type: middle school, high school or college.

To get full access to the database, you’ll need to create a paid account for $19.95/year or $4.95/month.

Internet Archive

This is a general purpose website for all things old, not focusing itself purely on genealogy. Its search engine allows users to look for old books, pictures, music and much else, including school yearbooks. The term “school yearbook” gives out 24,244 results, which are digitized yearbooks, mainly originating from the US in the period of 1890-2000. The items are free to access and use.

Cyndi’s List

This website offers a humble collection of over 100 genealogy yearbooks for free. May not be your go-to choice, however, may contain some yearbooks that you won’t find in other places.

Public Libraries And Archives

It’s very likely that the above online resources will cover your yearbook searching needs. However, if you don’t find any success there, you’ll be well-advised to go the old-school route and visit some public libraries. Those could be small local libraries situated in a town that you’re specifically interested in, or you may go as far and big as the National Archives in Washington D.C.

Don’t forget that the process of digging through countless physical documents, even with the help of a specialist, may take a lot of time and effort. You may want to bring a family member or a friend to help you out in your quest for family history.

High School And College Alumni Associations

If you are targeting a specific school or a college, it makes sense to find alumni groups of that educational institution online or offline and ask them for information. They will be able to provide you with many photos of their time at school with your relatives as well as share some fascinating stories that you won’t be able to find in a published yearbook.

How To Read And Interpret Yearbooks For Genealogical Research

When you learn how to find elementary school yearbooks or yearbooks from high school and college, you’ll also need to learn how to read them. Luckily, it’s very intuitive and if you have a yearbook of your own, you’ll know how they usually go. After all, yearbooks haven’t really changed that much over the last hundred years.

It’s strongly recommended that you examine the whole yearbook’s contents, not just names and photos of your ancestors. Often there are sections with personal reflections, class history, images of student life, and lists of all the student organizations. It’s vital to consider yearbooks as being valuable for more than just looking at students because they do contain information about the staff and possibly even photos of the faculty.

Johnston High School Yearbook 1947 - Internet Archive — Ads in the Johnston High School Yearbook 1947. Source: Internet Archive

It’s also not uncommon for yearbooks to contain advertisements from that time period. Local businesses would sponsor the yearbook’s publication to help reduce the price of the yearbook to students and others in exchange for a well-placed ad. This way, yearbooks might contain information about ancestors who never even went to that school, but were involved in the business promoted in the book.

Tips for Effective Yearbook Genealogy Research

To find high school yearbooks you need is only half the job; read further for some of the most important tips for making your genealogy research as effective and efficient as possible:

Plan Your Research Strategy In Advance

Any good genealogy research requires good planning. Identify family members you’re targeting with your research, and map out everything you’d like to find about them – from their school activities to classmate friendships. If you don’t know which school your ancestor attended, narrow it down as much as possible (state or town) and start searching through various yearbooks until you find your ancestor there.

Record Your Findings Systematically

Whatever information you find, it must be instantly recorded somewhere – committing a lot of facts to memory is a precursor to failed research. Luckily, noting things down doesn’t need to be tedious or boring. Instead of doing it with pen and paper, make sure to use powerful online ancestry tools such as Treemily. There you can add and store all of your family information in a very visual and engaging manner so that it’s forever safe from being forgotten and left out.

Verify Your Information With Multiple Sources

It’s unlikely that the information found in a digitized version of a 100-year-old yearbook is going to be fake or false – these are usually just photocopies of original documents. However, mistakes do happen, especially when it comes to OCR (optical character recognition) – the technology a lot of online resources use to find information in photocopies. So if a certain fact about your ancestor raises some doubts, run it by other online resources or even pay a visit to a local archive, if possible.

Take Advantage Of Social Media And Online Forums

Your research shouldn’t be a solo effort – utilizing social media can greatly help you find information that you’ll never get from a document. Find your ancestor’s classmates on global social platforms like Facebook or niche, genealogy-focused ones like Classmates, and ask them about what they remember from their time at school with your relative. If you’re lucky, they can even share some photos from their personal archives, which you wouldn’t find anywhere else.

Browse Instead Of Searching

As we said earlier, many school yearbooks online have undergone OCR (optical character recognition), which enables computer searches of printed pages. It’s fantastic to be able to use search engines to filter information encased in photos and pictures. but OCR, too, has flaws and is not without its restrictions. Sometimes, words and sentences are misinterpreted by the system, so if you search only, you can miss out on vital info as well as non-textual content. Instead, do your due diligence and browse through pages with your own eyes to make sure you’re not skipping a thing.

Search For Variations Of Names

Another OCR-related issue – some websites employ an algorithm to look for names that are similar to or translated, but most do not. This means that references to Bill, Billy, or William Smith won’t turn up when you search for William Smith.

Look Beyond Names

Since you know the school your ancestor attended, naturally, you know which town they lived in. It’s recommended that you extend your research beyond schools and school yearbooks and study some other aspects of your ancestor’s social life in their hometown. Find out if they were involved in any clubs or organizations, or what extracurricular activities they engaged in. This can help you find even more people that knew your relative and could shed more light on their earlier years.

Bottom Line

School yearbooks are a fascinating, yet often overlooked resource for any genealogy research. You can access genealogy yearbooks online through platforms like Ancestry and MyHeritage, or make an effort to visit some local or federal archives. Once you’ve grasped how to find high school yearbooks, plan your future research well, don’t hesitate to reach out to other people on social media, be creative with info searching and, most importantly, don’t forget to record everything you’ll find with the help of tools like Treemily’s Family Tree Builder.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

May 5, 2023June 13, 2023

Apple Products Family Tree: Tracing the Roots of Iconic Technology

Apple computers, media players, phones and tablets have dominated the consumer electronics market for nearly half a century. And like people, Apple devices also have their lineage and their family tree.

For this article, we’re asking help from our B2B SaaS marketing partner Rampiq to uncover this unusual family tree – talking not about people, but about technology and marketing. Read further to learn interesting facts about the evolution of Apple products and all the notable members of the Apple “family”.

The Apple Family Tree of Products

Apple has released countless pieces of gadgets throughout its prolific 47-year history. For brevity’s sake, in this article, we’re going to look at only the most impactful products, from the original Apple I computer to the groundbreaking iPhone.

However, first, we must look no further than the minds behind the family tree of Apple products, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

Apple Family Members: The Parents

Steve Jobs: The Father

Steven Paul Jobs was born on February 24th, 1955 in San Francisco to two university students. He would be quickly given up for adoption as the relationship between the couple was pressured by their parents. His adoptive father Paul played a major role in Steve’s passion for electronics, as the former worked as a mechanic.

In 1971, he was acquainted with Steve Wozniak by their mutual friend and the two became very close. They both shared a keen interest in achieving something groundbreaking with the help of technology. When, in 1976, Wozniak single-handedly built Apple I, Jobs saw a lucrative opportunity and suggested selling it. The rest is history.

While Wozniak covered the technical side of business, Jobs was often referred to by his colleague as a visionary product designer and a genius marketer.

Back in 1976, he became pretty hands-on with the marketing aspects of the company and had a lot on his plate. It’d be tough for many people to believe that Steve Jobs designed company graphics, crafted ads and personally delivered computers to stores. Simply put, he was a one-man marketing team at the time. As the company grew more and more, he still continued to be involved in marketing, thus became known for his unforgettable product launches and keynote speeches when introducing new products, like the Macintosh.

Jobs’ masterful presentations and speeches made him the face of Apple, which he remained for most of his life until his untimely death at the age of 56. On October 5th, 2011, Jobs passed away due to complications caused by pancreatic cancer.

Steve Wozniak: The Uncle

Stephen Gary Wozniak was born on August 11th, 1950 in San Jose, California. Like Jobs, Wozniak had an early influence from his father, Jacob, who worked as an engineer.

Stephen is often described as a technological mastermind and he has shown prowess in building electronics since a very young age. When Wozniak was 21, he started building “blue boxes”, devices that allowed to make long-distance phone calls free of charge.

His breakthrough achievement came in 1976 when he built the famous Apple I computer. He single-handedly designed the hardware, the operating system, and the circuit board designs. Wozniak even offered the design to HP whilst being employed there, but his vision was rejected by the corporation on five separate occasions.

Looking back on his life story, he once said: “I had two things in my favor. I had no money and I had no training.”

Apple Family Members: The Children

The following are some of the most important releases in the Apple family tree:

Apple I, II, and III: The Firstborns (1976 to 1984)

Apple III and Apple IIe — Image Credits: Mac-History.com

The first in our timeline of Apple products is the Apple I. The Apple I project ended up being quite small because it only existed for a year and was mostly used by Californian electronics hobbyists. It’s difficult to determine how many third-party commercial software packages were distributed for it, but Wozniak’s first 8-bit, 6502-based Apple I paved the way for the Apple II the following year.

The Apple II included seven expansion slots in addition to other capabilities, which considerably increased the platform’s lifespan while keeping the same CPU as its predecessor. Over the course of nearly two decades, the Apple II platform underwent seven iterations, and even in the early years of the Macintosh, the Apple II remained Apple’s most widely used platform.

The Apple III was the company’s initial effort to target the business PC market. However, as a result of its high price, lack of third-party support, and early batches coming with serious defects, The Apple III saw only lukewarm uptake.

Some of the most notable marketing campaigns for the first Apple computers included “A balance of features”, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”, and “We’re looking for the most original use of an Apple since Adam”. Jobs’ famous turtleneck and Apple’s logo also made their first appearances during that era.

Apple Lisa: The Innovator (1983 to 1985)

Apple Lisa was an innovative computer that boasted a bitmapped graphical user interface and a mouse for pointing. However, despite all that, the computer was criticized for its exorbitant cost ($10,000 on release), poor speed, and problematic floppy disks.

Only a small number of third-party apps were released for this series of huge and expensive workstations due to low adoption rates. Still, it was a step in the right direction, which paved the way for our next entry.

Marketing efforts for Lisa weren’t too successful either. One ad put in the Wall Street Journal was famously 9 pages long and filled with technical jargon that few people could understand.

Macintosh: The Visionary Child (1984 to Present)

The MacBook family tree originated from the Macintosh. First released in 1984, it quickly became a household name. It was a massive improvement over Lisa, both in technical and marketing terms.

Better processing speed, more polished GUI, improved design and more reasonable price – the computer became so popular that the Mac family is still thriving. It has been one of the best-selling Apple products since 1998, when Jobs returned to the company and breathed a new life into the Macs with iMac. And nowadays Macs are still going strong in the form of MacBook Air/Pro.

Some of the most notable marketing campaigns included the famous “1984” ad campaign as well as the “Get A Mac” ad in the 21 century.

iPod: The Middle Child (2001 to 2022)

The famous innovative media player family was in production for 21 years, having been discontinued only last year. On the software side, the iPod was accompanied by iTunes, both released at the same time. iTunes Store, a marketplace for music would be launched 2 years later, in 2003.

Every member of the original iPod family (apart from the initial iPod Shuffle) has had an ARM-based CPU, with the majority of them being in PortalPlayer-designed configurations. The Pixo OS, an embedded operating system that Apple originally licensed (and eventually purchased outright from the Pixo firm itself), is also used by practically all vintage iPods.

Some of the most notable marketing campaigns included “1,000 songs in your pocket”, “Wild postings”, and “Who’s gonna sing?”.

iPhone: The Game Changer (Favorite Child) (2007 to Present)

Apple iPhone 1 and 14 — Image Credits: @EverythingApplePro

At the time of release, the iPhone changed the way people thought of mobile phones. It combined basic phone functionality such as making calls with listening to music, accessing the Internet, using various apps, And it was all backed by an exclusive operating system (iOS), and powerful hardware with a revolutionary touch screen. New iPhone versions are coming out every year, getting stronger and stronger.

Some prominent marketing taglines are “Apple reinvents the phone”, “This changes everything. Again.”, and “Forward thinking”.

iPad: The Workaholic (2010 to Present)

The iPad was meant to be the tablet version of the iPhone – stronger and bigger, but still as light and portable as possible. And just like their smaller relative, iPads are still going very strong to this day.

Their bigger size and more powerful processors meant that iPads could be seriously considered as alternative tools for work or creative endeavors when there’s no computer around.

Some of the most notable marketing campaigns included “Thin. Light. Epic.” and “Light. Heavyweight.”, highlighting the balance between computing power and weight.

Apple Watch: The Fashionable Child (2015 to Present)

Apple Watch models — Image Credits: Apple

The original Apple Watch’s purpose was to be a fitness tracker, with such features as measuring heart rate and counting daily steps. However, over the years its functionality kept growing and now it can almost act as a makeshift substitute for a smartphone.

Some famous marketing efforts included “The future of health is on your wrist” and “Apps at a tap”.

The Legacy of Steve Jobs

The contributions made by Steve Jobs, who practically invented upscale, user-friendly technology, are hard to overestimate. The competition sparked by the release of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad has completely transformed the technological sector. Thanks to Jobs and Wozniak, consumers now have more options when buying computers, phones, and tablets.

At the same time, Jobs’ philanthropy has undeservedly received less attention. In addition to making philanthropic donations, Jobs worked to alter Apple’s environmental policy in an effort to decrease the long-term environmental effects of the company’s goods.

Conclusion

Spanning over almost five decades, Apple’s computer history timeline is rich in breakthroughs. From the first computer built by Wozniak in his garage to the latest iPhone 14 Pro, Apple devices captivate our imagination and enable us to live richer lives.

Yes, Apple did have its fair share of downs, with such projects as Apple III and Apple Lisa bordering on commercial failure. But that didn’t stop Jobs, Wozniak and their colleagues from persisting with their goal to make the world a better place.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

April 14, 2023May 25, 2023

Exploring The Fascinating World Of The Hit HBO Series Succession And Roy Family Tree

The new and final fourth season of the Succession series is airing right now, and we couldn’t think for a better reason to look into the family tree of the infamous Roys. Keep reading to learn more about the Succession series cast, their backstories, relationships and personalities!

The Plot

The hit TV series Succession follows the turbulent relationships of a dysfunctional family in charge of Waystar RoyCo, one of the most prosperous and prominent media companies in the world. Over the course of 39 Succession episodes, the four Roy children fight to take control over the family business as their personalities clash and the allure of power divides them.

The Roy Family And Their Business Empire

Logan Roy

Logan Roy is a self-made billionaire and the founder of a media corporation called Waystar RoyCo. Not much is known about Logan’s early family, apart from his siblings, Ewan and Rose.

Logan and Ewan frequently and openly disagree because of the vast differences in their ideals and morality. Logan’s business and aspirations are despised by Ewan, who is outspokenly anti-corporate and anti-capitalist.

His younger sister Rose died at a young age at some time in their early lives. Although the precise cause of her death has never been established, it is evident that Logan holds himself responsible and that Rose is a very sensitive subject for him. And despite the difficult relationship between Logan and Ewan, the latter often tells his brother that Rose’s death was not his fault and that he should quit taking the blame for it.

After arriving in America, Logan married an unnamed woman, who later gave birth to his first child, Connor. After Logan’s divorce with his first wife, he wed Caroline Collingwood, a British aristocrat, with whom he had three more children: Kendall, Roman, and Siobhan (in that order). Logan and Carolina’s relationship also deteriorated overtime, and he ended up marrying his third and current wife, Marcia.

Connor Roy

Connor Roy is Logan’s first born son. Technically, this member of the Succession cast has the biggest claim to the father’s throne, however, he has never been very interested in the family business. At first, Connor’s bizarre views on life as well as his antics often made him come out as silly or even deluded. His girlfriend Willa is a hired escort, which is one of many reasons why his siblings have often mocked him.

However, Connor changed his demeanor after deciding to run for president of the United States. In the latest Succession episodes he became even more unpredictable, but with that also a force to be reckoned with. In the new season of Succession, Connor remains unwavering in his objectives and is still in contention for the Oval Office. During his campaign, he also started being more reliable on favors from Logan to aid in his presidential campaign.

Kendall Roy

Kendall Roy is the first child of Caroline Collingwood and Logan and was originally thought to be Waystar Royco’s heir. However, Kendall on multiple occasions overplayed his hand and devised strategies to gain control of Waystar even before the passing of Logan. That, coupled with recurring and costly blunders Kendall makes at his workplace, makes Logan very suspicious of Kendall no matter what he does or says. The relationship between the two is also tense because of the high expectations they have for each other.

Roman Roy

Roman Roy, the COO of Waystar Royco, is the middle child of Caroline Collingwood and Logan. Roman has a significant role in the family business, particularly after Roman steps in as the COO of the family business. He is often regarded as the “black sheep” of his family, due to his open desire to succeed his father as head of Waystar. Despite the skepticism of his siblings, he strongly believes that he can run the company well and often takes on challenges to demonstrate his abilities and prove himself. However, these efforts sometimes go awry, so Roman spends a lot of time cleaning up his own messes.

Roman tends to show loyalty to Logan, obeying and standing by him, even though he doesn’t always want to. As for his siblings, he likes to make crude, offensive remarks seemingly no matter what they do. He also can be quite erratic, impacted by the dynamics of his upbringing and seeking payback for all the wrongs he thinks he has endured.

Siobhan Roy/Shiv

Logan and Caroline Collingwood’s third child and their only daughter, Siobhan (Shiv) Roy is a major stockholder in Waystar Royco and a successful political consultant. Arguably Logan’s favorite child, she received a loving nickname from him – “Pinky”. Shiv puts a lot of effort into earning her father’s trust so that she can take over as the company’s CEO. However, even she at times finds it difficult to deal with Logan’s unpredictable moods and obstinate views. She is a competitive, sly, and cunning lady who is not above putting her family members in jeopardy to further her goals.

Ewan Roy

Logan’s elder brother, Ewan Roy, is both his closest relative and the only remaining link to his childhood. Ewan is a recurring character and doesn’t appear in the show as often as the main Succession cast. He’s known in the family for being a vocal opponent of capitalism and big business and constantly arguing with Logan over his line of work. Generally, Ewan is a stern, modest man with strong opinions on a lot of topics, which makes him an interesting character. He’s also known to have at least one daughter.

Succession’s Roy Family Tree

Conclusion

Succession’s new season is going to be a fantastic series finale, concluding the thrilling story of a wealthy family fighting each other for power and even more wealth. Will Connor become President of The United States? Will Kendall seize control over Waystar RoyCo? Will Roman or Shiv be able to stop him? These and many other questions are waiting to be answered in the following Succession episodes and we simply cannot wait for it. Regardless, even after the show ends its run, there is no doubt that the relationships between the core characters will be discussed by viewers for many years to come.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

March 15, 2023July 28, 2023

St.Patrick’s Day: A Chance to Explore your Irish Roots and Ancestry. Culture and History of the Holiday

In this article, we’re looking into the history of the beloved St. Patrick’s Day as well as many ways of exploring your Irish roots. Erin go Bragh!

St. Patrick’s Day As An Inspiration To Explore Your Irish Roots

Everybody feels a bit Irish when they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. And for a good reason – the holiday mood is so infectious, it’s hard to resist dressing in green and indulging in some beef with cabbage. Some may even get inspired to explore their Irish ancestry once they’re done dancing and feasting.

St. Patrick’s Day History

So what is St. Patrick’s Day? This holiday has been around for over a millennium, originating in Ireland as a religious celebration. On this day, the Irish commemorate the patron saint Patrick, who is credited with converting the locals to Christianity. The exact dates of Patrick’s life are unknown, but the general consensus is that served as a missionary during the fifth century. It’s also widely assumed that he died on March 17, and that’s when the most famous Irish day is celebrated.

St.Patrick Treemily — https://www.al.com/resizer/qlpJVJTA0iPEBtiNkkhgjspFWLs=/1280×0/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/FL3HTXZUCRAIXOX4LPYFEVEDFM.PNG

Irish families would typically go to church in the morning and have celebrations in the afternoon. They would dance, drink, and feast on the traditional Irish dish of beef and cabbage when the meat-eating ban during Lent was lifted. The holiday would later spread to America as thousands of Irish immigrants from the 16th century onwards traveled across the ocean in search for better lives.

The first known St. Patrick’s Day parade supposedly took place in what is now St. Augustine, Florida in 1601. Over the next couple of centuries, interest in the St. Patrick’s Day parades in such major cities as Boston and New York City only rose. And with the modern era of globalization, St. Patrick’s day became a worldwide feast.

Recently, several cities have created their own customs – for example, the annual greening of the Chicago River. As city pollution-control workers used coloring to track unlawful sewage discharges in 1962, they realized that the green dye might also serve as a funny way of observing the holiday. In order to keep the river green for a week, 100 pounds of green vegetable dye were released into it that year. Today, only 40 pounds of dye are used, and the river turns green for just a few hours to limit environmental harm.

St. Patrick’s Day Symbols

Perhaps, one of the most well-known symbols of the holiday is the shamrock. According to legends, the flower had a significant role in St. Patrick’s teachings. He would explain the essence of the Holy Trinity using the plant’s solitary stem and three circular leaves as a simple, visual representation.

One other famous symbol is the leprechaun. Interestingly enough, from the perspective of Celtic mythos, leprechauns are considered rather minor characters. Although they are known to possess some magical powers, they mainly serve as shoe fixers to magical fairies. They are also renowned for their cunning, which they frequently employed to safeguard their mythical wealth.

Tips On Starting Your Family Research

There are many other ways to discover your Irish roots, but we’ve decided to cover the basics:

Reach Out To Family Members

Talking to your closest older relatives is one of the first steps of any genealogical research. Your parents and grandparents are invaluable sources of information and memories of your predecessors and your distant kin. Once you’ve covered that, you can start interviewing your uncles, aunts, and cousins.

And apart from just recollections, almost every family member will have a wealth of physical sources of information in their homes. Photo albums, scrapbooks, letters and other possessions that may have been stashed away in boxes for many years. So have a chat with your family and see what information you can uncover. If nothing else, they might point you in the direction of further information sources that you can investigate later.

Create A Family Tree

Once you’ve amassed some knowledge about your ancestors, you must figure out how to effectively store and visualize it. Making yourself a family tree is among the best methods, with numerous different versions available. Online family tree builders like Treemily offer such possibilities as inputting many kinds of text information, uploading photos and other media files or even printing out your creation. It’s a fantastic approach to present a concise summary of your family history that will grab everyone’s attention.

Exploring Irish Roots Beyond Genealogy

Studying your family doesn’t end with genealogical research, you can do it very casually.

Traveling

Plan your itinerary so that it includes locations significant to your family’s history if you’re traveling to a destination to reconnect with your ancestors. And if you have relatives that still live in Ireland, consider yourself lucky. Reaching out to relatives who still reside in those regions is the finest way to explore your Irish ancestry. It’s a good idea to get a second opinion if you have any doubts about some of the information you’d already dug up.

However, don’t worry, if there’s no one from your family left in Ireland. It’s likely that you can still get in touch with their ex-classmates, neighbors, or family friends. You can meet them for coffee and learn about the lives of your parents, grandparents, and other relatives when they were young.

Learning The Language

What better way to rekindle your connection to your roots than to study the language spoken by your ancestors? The Irish language is incredibly beautiful, albeit, far from easy. In fact, many locals worry about the state of the language, since fewer and fewer people can speak it properly.

The good thing is that you don’t necessarily have to take a class to learn the language. Language situation notwithstanding, a lot of Irish people are very passionate about their language and will do their best to teach you the fundamentals if you ask them. Learning a language through immersion is the most effective method, and speaking with locals can be a more rewarding experience than digging through Irish genealogical records.

Participating In Cultural Events

Become part of the Irish community by engaging in some of the biggest cultural events, and it doesn’t have to be just the most famous Irish celebration. Halloween, also locally known as Samhain Festival, was originally a major Celtic tradition. And it can easily make you feel connected to that culture if you put a bit of an Irish spin on it.

And if you find yourself in Dublin, don’t miss the Bloomsday Festival. It’s a celebration of the writings of James Joyce – one of Ireland’s most beloved authors. Scenes from his novel Ulysses are acted out all over the capital, with many people dressing up like Joyce or the characters from his books.

Conclusion

St. Patrick’s Day started out as a humble, local religious celebration and turned into a global phenomenon. In commemoration of the noble missionary that brought Christianity to Ireland, people from all across the globe dress like leprechauns, drink beer and dance away.

If St. Patrick’s Day is more than just a fun holiday to you, and you’d like to explore your Irish roots, don’t hesitate to visit Ireland, engage in conversations with locals, learn some Irish from them and join them in celebration of some important cultural events.

Finally, don’t forget to ask your family about your Irish ancestry and document your findings by building a family tree online.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

March 22, 2023March 22, 2023

J.R.R. Tolkien: explore his life along with a family tree and the inspiration for his epic fantasy trilogy The Lord of the Ring

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892–1973) is one of the most popular authors in modern history. His “The Hobbit” (1937) and “The Lord of the Rings” (1954–1955), set in the parallel universe of Middle-Earth, captivated readers all over the world. His works were even chosen as the best books of the 20th century in three separate British surveys conducted by Channel 4/Waterstone’s, the Folio Society, and SFX. On top of that, he spent a lot of his life teaching Anglo-Saxon (Old English) at the University of Oxford.

Lord of The Rinds Treemily Tolkien Family Tree — https://webdevolutions.blob.core.windows.net/cms/lord_of_the_ring_trilogy_fc41c807b6.png

To learn more about the source material behind The Lord Of The Rings movies, the inspiration behind The Lord Of The Rings books and Tolkien’s bio, keep reading this article.

Biography of J.R.R. Tolkien

Early life and education

John Ronald (or just Ronald to family and friends) was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa on January 3, 1892. He wouldn’t spend much time there though, as, after his father passed away in 1896, his family moved to England, more specifically the West Midlands.

1900 would be a significant year for young Ronald. That year, his mother Mabel and her sister May were admitted into the Roman Catholic Church. That meant that Ronald and his brother Hilary would also be raised as devoted Catholics, which Tolkien remained for the rest of his life.

The Tolkien family lived on the verge of poverty. Ronald’s tough childhood would become even tougher, when Mabel died of diabetes in 1904, leaving her orphaned children penniless. Local parish priest Father Francis would then take care of them and oversee their further upbringing.

By that time, Ronald had already displayed impressive language prowess. During his schooling, he picked up both modern and ancient languages in Gothic, Latin, Greek and Finnish. Most notably, between 1911 and 1915 he attended Exeter College in Oxford, initially studying classics, but later switching to English language and literature and graduating with first-class honors. His life would take a major turn when in the summer of 1916 he arrived at the Somme to fight in World War I as part of the 74th Brigade, 25th Division.

Academic career and literary influences

Treemily Tolkien Family Tree — https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2014/03/19/16/web-jrr-tolkien-getty-DONTUSEAGAIN.jpg

After Ronald was demobilized, he had a brief spell as Assistant Lexicographer for the New English Dictionary (the “Oxford English Dictionary”). After that, in 1920, he applied for the position of Associate Professor in English Language at the University of Leeds and, to his initial astonishment, he was appointed.

Ronald spent 5 years in Leeds, where he started to work on what would become the famous Elvish language. When a position of Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford became available in 1925, Tolkien made a decision to return to the familiar place.

Although Tolkien spent the rest of his academic career in Oxford until his retirement in 1959, he had a relatively scarce record of scholarly publications. However, when did publish his scientific works, they were often highly praised, most notably his “Beowulf, the Monsters and the Critics”.

When it comes to his literary influences, Ronald often named such authors as John Buchan and H. Rider Haggard. And it seems true as the similarities between the three writers have been highlighted by a number of critics. For instance, Auden likened Buchan’s suspense novel The Thirty-Nine Steps to Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. And according to Nelson, Tolkien had vivid tones of Haggard’s “mythopoeic and simple adventure romance”.

Personal life and family tree

Some of the earliest recorded Tolkien roots lie in Poland – Ronald’s great-great grandfather John (Johann) Benjamin Tolkien, immigrated to Britain from Gdansk in 1772 along with his brother Daniel. Ronald’s parents, Arthur Reuel Tolkien and Mabel Suffield would later relocate to South Africa in search of greater career opportunities.

Ronald married his only true love, Edith Mary Bratt, just before he left for military service in the spring of 1916. And while he was fighting for Britain in the field of France, Edith gave birth to their first child, John Francis, in 1917. The couple would have three more children together, Michael (b. 1920), Christopher (b. 1924) and Priscilla (b. 1929). John would become a priest, Michael and Christopher would devote their lives to teaching at schools and universities, while Priscilla mostly worked in social services.

The Lord of the Rings

Inspiration And Sources

Lord of the Ring Inspiration Treemily — https://birchtree.me/content/images/size/w1920/2021/11/9BC5798E-D3A6-4F63-9259.jpeg

Along with some inspiration taken from his predecessors like Buchan and Haggard, a lot of personal experiences influenced Ronald in his writing process. For instance, J.R.R. Tolkien books have numerous religious allegories, which is fitting as Ronald was a devout Catholic. Some of these allegories are the struggle between good and evil, the triumph of humility over greed, the themes of death and resurrection.

A number of elements from Germanic, Finnish, Greek, and Celtic mythology were also added by the famous Lord Of The Rings author. Gandalf, for instance, was influenced by Norse mythology, particularly the story of Odin. Both are typically described as being elderly men with white beards, hats with wide brims, and staffs. The origins of the sword Narsil may also possibly connect it to the magical sword Gram, which was used to slay the dragon Fafnir.

What made spiders into agents of terror in the Tolkien books took place when he was still a kid and lived in South Africa. He was famously bitten by a large-sized arachnid, and Ronald later acknowledged that he wasn’t a huge admirer of spiders but insisted that he “did not loathe them particularly”.

Middle-Earth And The Fellowship Of The Ring

Middle-Earth of Lord of the Ring Treemily — https://i.pinimg.com/originals/47/a8/23/47a8234eb53d16737d46873a0c0946ab.jpg

Warwickshire, where Ronald was raised, with its majestic old towns and open fields would eventually act as the setting for the Shire. At the same time, his memories of the highly industrialized Birmingham would inspire him to create Isengard from The Two Towers.

In turn, the gothic Mordor was inspired by Tolkien’s experience fighting in the trenches during World War I. Particularly, the Dead Marshes north of Mordor were inspired by Tolkien’s memories of the Battle of the Somme. Moreover, the plot would allude to the employment of tanks during World War I as the “metal dragons that contributed to the Fall of Gondolin.” Because of these historic parallels, many critics hypothesized that Tolkien’s books were more than just escapes into fantasy. They were rather representations of terrible miseries of war through their realistic depictions of conflict in Middle-earth.

Some members of The Fellowship Of The Ring also have real-life inspirations. His relationship with his wife Edith would serve as reference for the chemistry between Aragorn and Arwen. Even when Ronald’s wife passed away, he asked that the names of these characters be etched on their gravestones.

Pop Culture And Fan Community

The Lord Of The Rings movies and books have become one of the biggest pop culture phenomena in modern history. The book sales are estimated at around 150 million copies, which is one of all-time highs; and the original film trilogy gathered 17 Academy Awards and just under 3 billion USD in the box office. The characters and events portrayed in Tolkien’s works are referenced and even parodied in dozens of modern pop culture products, from Hollywood to YouTube.

The Lord Of The Rings movies and books fan following is also one of the biggest and strongest in the world. Millions of people dressed like the book characters gathering at fan conventions and comic-cons all across the globe. Even a lot of the actors who play their parts in Lord Of The Rings films are known to be huge fans. Some even describe the shooting process as a life-changing experience, as Dominic Monaghan, for example. Monaghan played the hobbit Merry Brandybuck and his on-screen friendship with actor Billy Boyd, who played Pippin, turned into a real-life one. Now the two are so close that they even host a podcast together called The Friendship Onion, which “peels back the layers of their friendship, both on screen and off.”

Conclusion

J.R.R. Tolkien had a lot of challenges to endure in his childhood days, but his passion for knowledge kept him going through the tough times and helped him become the legendary author he is. A talented linguist, a devout Catholic, a war veteran, a loving husband and father – these are some of the descriptions you can use when talking about who Tolkien was.

His books were inspired by real-life locations, people, events and even religions and mythos. And it is through the combination of whimsical fantasy and gritty reality that the books have been a gigantic success and have earned a massive fan following.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

February 10, 2023June 13, 2023

Abraham Lincoln: Biography, Achievements and Family Tree

Abraham Lincoln – “Honest Abe” And “Great Emancipator”

The magnitude of Abraham Lincoln’s personality and impact on USA history is hard to overestimate. His blunt and to-the-point statements and policies earned him the nickname “Honest Abe”, while his other famous moniker, “The Great Emancipator”, was a result of his major contributions to freeing millions of African American people. In this article, we’re looking into the famous Kentucky native’s main achievements, as well as how he spent his formative years, his early political career and his family.

Early Life

Abraham Lincoln’s early life was far from an easy one. The sixteenth President of the United States, was born close to Hodgenville, Kentucky, on February 12th, 1809. He was raised on the edge of the frontier until his family relocated to Indiana when he was seven years old. He had very little formal schooling, but when he wasn’t helping out on his father’s farm, he read obsessively. So much so that a childhood buddy recalled Lincoln’s “manic” intellect and the image of him reading late into the night with red eyes and disheveled hair.

His first trip to a big city was in 1828 when he was nineteen years old and traveled with a flatboat loaded with vegetables down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana. This trip is also connected to one of many curious facts about Abraham Lincoln – he decided to come back home on foot and did so, having traveled a very long distance. Two years later, Lincoln’s father relocated the family to Illinois in an effort to avoid financial and health issues.

Politics

When Lincoln initially entered politics, Andrew Jackson was in office. Lincoln agreed with the Jacksonians’ compassion for the common man, but he rejected their belief that the government should be separated from business. Lincoln was an avid proponent of Henry Clay and Daniel Webster’s views in that he argued in favor of using the federal government’s authority to create a national bank, a protective tariff, and a program of internal transportation improvements to promote trade and develop the nation’s resources.Unsurprisingly, he soon joined Clay and Webster’s political party, the Whigs.

Treemily Lincoln Politician — https://www.factinate.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/shutterstock_252139639-scaled.jpg

From 1834 to 1840, Lincoln served in the Illinois State Legislature, where he was elected four times. During that period, he worked tirelessly on an ambitious plan to use state money to build a network of roadways, railroads, and canals. Later, during his tenure in Congress (1847–49), he proposed a bill that would have allowed for the gradual and compensated emancipation of slaves in the District of Columbia, but because it was only to be implemented with the consent of the district’s “free white citizens,” it angered both abolitionists and slaveholders and was never given serious consideration. Suffice to say that Lincoln was never a pure abolitionist, contrary to popular belief – while he did value personal freedom very highly, his stance on slavery wasn’t strongly negative and unflinching.

Later in his political career, Lincoln started dedicating a lot of his time to his senate and presidential campaigns. In 1858, Lincoln ran against the sitting senator Stephen A. Douglas for the Senate seat, and it was reported that the debates they had were political oratory of the highest level. Lincoln and Douglas were not as far apart in their opinions – neither advocated for or against slavery. In the end, Douglas defeated Lincoln in the election, however the latter only built on the experience he gained during his run for senator. Very soon after, he was touted as a strong potential candidate for the 1860 presidency – and those were the elections that he did end up winning.

Great Achievements

Abraham Lincoln’s finest hour came with his presidency, when he was forced to make critical decisions in the most difficult of circumstances. Following Lincoln’s election, South Carolina declared its exit from the Union and, later, six additional states joined forces to form the Confederate States of America. Thus, a disunion crisis was upon the nation even before Lincoln took up residence in the White House.

Lincoln’s primary objective was always to keep the Union intact, and he conceded that a civil war may be necessary to make that happen, and so it did. Lincoln wasn’t lacking in morals; rather, he was a pragmatic, adaptable, and nimble-minded man who was willing to try different courses of action if one decision or another didn’t work out as planned. His famous quote, “my policy is to have no policy.” only highlighted that approach.

And as the Civil War was rampant, Honest Abe made a historic decision that would both help end the war and abolish slavery – he issued the famous Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. According to the proclamation, all slaves in the rebelling Confederate states would be free men if the Union were to be restored. The effect was massive as almost 180,000 of African Americans enlisted to fight on the side of the Union, which would be a catalyst for Union’s ultimate victory in the war and the country’s salvation.

National Freedom Day

Interestingly enough, there is a misconception that National Freedom Day has something to do with Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. But the reality is that National Freedom day commemorates the day when Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, in 1865. It expanded Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which only applied to slaves residing in rebellious states (it did not consider enslaved people living in Union slave states such as Maryland, Delaware, Missouri, and Kentucky). The Emancipation Proclamation was also vulnerable to court review and potentially reversible before it was given support by the Constitution – that is another reason why the 13th Amendment was so important.

Family

Abraham Lincoln’s family life had very high highs and very low lows. As we know from some of the correspondence that survived to this day, the Lincolns, at their peak, were a very happy couple. They shared a strong interest in the wellbeing of their sons, enjoyed one another’s company, and badly missed one another while they were apart. However, a number of personal tragedies, including many family deaths, brought a lot of pain and misery to the Lincoln household.

Wife

Mary Todd Lincoln Treemily Family Tree — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Todd-Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln’s wife was Mary Todd, his first and only true love. Todd was vivacious, astute, and educated, coming from a well-off Kentucky family and practically belonging to the country’s social elite. Some of her relatives disapproved of her friendship with Lincoln, and he himself occasionally had second thoughts about whether he could ever truly make her happy. Their engagement was even reportedly broken on his initiative on the first day of 1841 that Lincoln remembered as the “terrible first of January.” Thereafter, Lincoln suffered from severe depression, but luckily, the couple did manage to reconcile and got married on November 4, 1842.

Over the course of the next couple of decades, Abraham Lincoln’s wife’s life would take a tragic turn. She would acquire an obsession with spending money, amassing mammoth debt, and having experienced the shock of witnessing her husband’s murder, she would be diagnosed as clinically insane in 1875.

Kids

Robert Todd Lincoln Family Tree Treemily — https://cdn.britannica.com/60/116360-050-D55F2AD5/Robert-Todd-Lincoln.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop

The Lincolns welcomed four boys into the world, however, tragically, only one of them, Robert Todd lived to adulthood. Edward Baker was just under 4 at the time of his death, William Wallace (“Willie”) was 11, when he passed, and Abraham’s favorite son Thomas (“Tad”), born with a cleft palate and a lisp, despite eventually outliving his father, still died very young. Being a very busy politician, Lincoln often left the upbringing of his children in the hands of their mother, who, according to various accounts, masterfully alternated between being lenient and strict in her treatment of them.

Conclusion

Abraham Lincoln is undoubtedly one of the most important people in American history, preserving the integrity of the country and changing millions of lives for the better. And how could we summarize his own life? A difficult childhood, an illustrious political career, a family life filled with both joy and sorrow, and a tragic end – that’s Abraham Lincoln’s history in a nutshell, and one that should never be forgotten.

You can see more famous family trees at Treemily.com so you will have an easier time catching up with stories and families woven into our culture.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

January 27, 2023February 10, 2023

Gravestone Symbols And Their Meaning

Gravestone Symbolism

When doing ancestor research, visiting a cemetery may be a haunting, yet thoughtful experience. Gravestones frequently have other, more symbolic inscriptions on them besides names, dates of birth and death. They all typically signify something, maybe a quality that person possessed, a principle they upheld, or a reference to their religious beliefs.

In this article we’re looking into some of the most popular symbols on gravestones and the meaning behind them. That said, you may find different interpretations of certain symbols due to how varied their purpose is in different cultures..

Types Of Gravestone Symbols:

Flowers and Plants

One of the most requested gravestone symbols to carve are flowers.Sometimes a flower is picked out for its purely aesthetic appeal, but more often than not people choose this or that flower based on their unique symbol gravestone emblems’ meaning.

The narcissus or daffodil may represent rebirth and resurrection. Depending on what culture you look at, it can be the flower of paradise or the underworld. The Christians focused on the victory of divine love and sacrifice over vices, and ultimately over death, whereas in Greek mythology it could have had a negative symbolic meaning (vanity and self-love).

Children’s gravestone symbols frequently include dandelions. The dandelion has represented both love and grief since Victorian times, whilst also serving as a metaphor for how fleeting life is.

Since the 12th century, the virgin Mary’s purity, and chastity have been represented by the white lily, which has significant symbolic importance in Christianity. Meanwhile, in Chinese culture the lily is symbolic of feminine beauty; the lily has also been referred to as eternal, incorruptible, and the pinnacle of human meditation.

The rose represents love in all of its heavenly and earthly tones. When placed on a gravestone, the rose can symbolize strong affectionate feelings towards the deceased as well as a strong yearning.

The sunflower often represents loyalty to the Catholic Church. Although sunflowers always face the sun when they are young, when they are fully grown, they always face the east, which is the same way that Christian cemeteries are oriented: toward the rising sun.

Religious Symbols

With many religions focusing a lot on life after death, it’s no surprise that some of the most tombstone symbols are of theistic nature.

Some of the most typical religious symbols found in cemeteries are angels. They are carved into tombstones and stand atop them like sculptures. Angels symbolize a belief that a person has entered paradise after passing away. Some angels are sobbing, their wings drooping in sorrow, expressing their mourning, while others are mid-flight, sounding a trumpet.

Crosses can generate many symbol gravestone emblems’ messages ranging from love, faith and goodness to terror and fear, however in the case of cemeteries, they’re largely supposed to represent holiness and peace. You may find such crosses as the Botonee Cross, the Celtic Cross, the Eastern Cross, the Ionic Cross, the Latin Cross and many others.

The open book can represent the Bible, or the Book of Life, which refers to a biblical passage in Revelation that states that only the dead whose names are contained therein will receive entrance into heaven. Blank pages might also signify an unfinished story or a life that was taken too soon.

Hands also make many appearances as symbols for gravestones in many shapes and forms. One hand would normally symbolize the hand of God, two praying hands would mean strong devotion to the church, while a rather peculiar configuration of two hands with the four fingers on each hand positioned as two sets of two fingers can tell us that the deceased was a Jewish Priest.

The harp is an important musical instrument in Christianity, associated with David of the Old Testament; the patron saint of musicians. It’s also very symbolic of strong hope, devotion and praise to God.

Animals

Depictions of animals as symbol gravestone emblems are also very common. In many cultures, animals represent certain life events or processes as well as people’s personal qualities or characteristics.

The dove plays a significant role in Christian animal symbolism, representing the Holy Spirit. A reference to the white dove appears in the account of Christ’s baptism: “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him.” (Mark 1:10). The dove is also seen as a peace symbol in Judaism.

The lion represents the might of God and protects the grave from evil spirits. The lion’s watch is supposed to be as timeless as the stone on which it is carved. The lion also commemorates the tenacity and bravery of the souls they guard.

The butterfly is the symbol of resurrection. Just like caterpillars turn into magnificent creatures that launch into flight, the souls of the deceased will ultimately rise from the grave, turning into a new being.

The lamb is a common symbol on children’s gravestones, representing innocence and purity. So if you see a gravestone in one of your ancestor’s family plots with a lamb, you could safely assume that it is the final resting place for an infant or child.

Military Symbols

One particular kind of symbol gravestone emblems is the one that is tied to military service. Clues that your ancestor served in the military may be seen right on the gravestone itself or on military flag holders placed next to the gravestone. Also, military flag holders are unique for each war and very often specific to various branches of service or even locations and regiments. Once you have found military-related information at your ancestor’s gravesite, be sure to do some follow-up research by checking out military records.

Conclusion

A walk in the cemetery is indeed an experience that not all people enjoy, however, one cannot deny that a person’s gravestone can be an invaluable source of information when conducting ancestry research. Merely by looking at the burial site we are able to identify the biographical facts, personal qualities and spiritual beliefs of the deceased. And, at the end of the day, it rarely hurts to pay respects to our ancestors one more time for as long as they live in our memory, they will live forever.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

December 19, 2022May 25, 2023

The Von Trapp Family Of “The Sound of Music”: Movie vs. Reality. Get To Know The Real Family With Its Family Tree.

The Sound of Music film is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats. The story about a young governess to a retired naval officer’s seven children that inspired the family to become a renowned singing group (Trapp Family Singers) has been warming people’s hearts for decades. But was the von Trapp family real? Is The Sound of Music based on a true story? Let’s find out.

“The Sound of Music”: from book to a musical

It all started with The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, Maria von Trapp’s 1949 memoir. The book traces Maria and the von Trapp family’s beginnings in Salzburg, Austria, through their escape from Nazi-occupied Europe, and the family’s eventual relocation to America.

The book really caught on – ten years later, we saw a whole musical with scores and lyrics by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein hitting Broadway. But it wasn’t when the von Trapp’s family fame culminated. In 1965, Robert Wise famously directed The Sound of Music, a cinematic recreation of the story, which garnered universal praise and collected 5 Academy Awards. Its joyful celebration of music, dance, patriotism, familial love, and romantic love propelled it to stardom and made the tale of the von Trapp family a legend.

von Trapp Family Treemily — The Trapp Family in January 1946
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapp_Family

Movie vs. Reality: The Real Story Of The Von Trapp Family

It’s no big surprise that The Sound of Music, although based on a true story, deviated quite a lot from Maria’s book. Let’s take a look at what was portrayed differently:

Movie: Maria was a governess to Georg’s seven children.
Reality: Maria was a tutor for just one of Georg’s daughters, Maria Franziska, as she was recovering from scarlet fever.

Movie: Maria fell in love with Georg and they got married soon after she was sent to their household.
Reality: Georg von Trapp was not the reason for Maria’s marriage to him. According to what Maria wrote in her memoirs, she fell in love with the kids and not their dad right away. She was unsure if she should give up her monastic vocation when he proposed to her, but the nuns encouraged her to follow God’s plan and marry Georg. “I really and truly was not in love. I liked him but didn’t love him. However, I loved the children, so in a way I really married the children. By and by I learned to love him more than I have ever loved before or after.”

Movie: the von Trapps had seven kids.
Reality: Georg had seven kids with his first wife, but after marrying Maria, they had three more.

Movie: Georg was quite aloof, disapproving of music.
Reality: Instead, he was a kind, compassionate parent who delighted in musical activities with his family. While this shift in his personality may have improved the narrative by stressing Maria’s curative power over the von Trapp family, it wasn’t exactly an accurate depiction.

von Trapp Family Treemily Family Tree — Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp singing to his children in ‘The Sound of Music.’
https://www.biography.com/news/real-von-trapp-family-sound-of-music

Movie: The von Trapps’ destination was Switzerland, as they were climbing mountains with heavy suitcases.
Reality: Italy was the von Trapps’ destination, not Switzerland. Zadar, now in Croatia, where Georg was born, was formerly a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Georg, his wife, and their children are all Italian citizens as a result of Zadar joining Italy in 1920. When they departed Austria, the family had a contract with an American travel agent. They got in touch with the agent in Italy and asked for a fare to America. “We did tell people that we were going to America to sing. And we did not climb over mountains with all our heavy suitcases and instruments. We left by train, pretending nothing.”

Movie: Maria always remained a calm and kind presence in the family, despite any setbacks.
Reality: The real Maria wasn’t always as nice as the fictional Maria, she was prone to violent outbursts that included screaming, throwing objects, and slamming doors. However, she would quickly recover and her sense of humor would come back soon after.

Maria and Georg Ludwig von Trapp

Maria Augusta Kutschera was born in 1905. She became an orphan at a very young age and was brought up by an abusive uncle who was an avid atheist and socialist. However, that didn’t stop her from becoming a Catholic in her adulthood. She was exposed to religion while attending teachers’ college and after graduating, she entered the Benedictine Abbey of Nonnberg in Salzburg as a novice.

Georg von Trapp, an 1880-born captain in the Austrian navy during World War I, rose to fame as a national hero. As a reward for his bravery while commanding submarines, he was given the title of “Ritter” (knight), and afterwards baron. In 1912, Georg married Agathe Whitehead, a descendant of torpedo designer Robert Whitehead. Shortly after World War I, Georg retired from the navy, and a couple of years later, he lost his wife to scarlet fever. After she passed away, the family was saddened and, unable to stay in the home where they had been so happy together, Georg sold his property in Pola (now Pula, Croatia), and instead purchased a manor in Salzburg.

In 1926, Maria was assigned by the monastery to tutor one of Georg’s daughters, as she was getting over scarlet fever. Maria fell in love with the von Trapp family, and she and Georg married just a year after the novice first arrived.

von Trapp Family Wedding Treemily — https://www.edelweisspatterns.com/blog/?p=1415

Kids

Rupert (1911-1992), Agathe (1913-2010), Maria Franziska (1914-2014), Werner (1915-2007), Hedwig (1917-1972), Johanna (1919-1994), and Martina (1921–1952) were the first seven Trapp children that Georg had with his first wife before she succumbed to scarlet fever. Rosmarie (1929-2022), Eleonore (1931-2021), and Johannes (b. 1939) were the children born later – Georg and Maria’s children. Agathe, the oldest daughter, who is referred to as “Liesl” in the movie, wrote her own memoir of growing up in the Trapp family in 2003, Memories Before and After The Sound of Music, which was eventually adapted into the 2015 movie The von Trapp Family: A Life of Music.

Legacy: Where Are They Now?

All of the original family members, but one (the youngest son Johannes) are no longer alive. After fleeing Europe, the family moved to Stowe, Vermont, in the early 1940s and bought a farm there. In 1944, Maria and her stepdaughters Johanna, Martina, Maria, Hedwig, and Agathe submitted statements of intent to the U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vermont, in order to apply for citizenship. Rosmarie and Eleonore acquired citizenship through their mother, Johannes was born in the country and was a citizen in his own right, while Rupert and Werner were naturalized while serving in the American military during World War II.

Georg passed away in 1947 and was laid to rest at the nearby family plot of land. In 1948, those who had filed for citizenship were granted it. In 1950, the Trapp Family Lodge, which is still in use today, started welcoming visitors. The Trapp Family Singers continued to enjoy popularity and success, but in 1955 they made the decision to stop touring. Many of the von Trapps wanted to pursue other activities, so the majority of the group was made up of non-family members; only Maria’s unwavering determination had managed to keep the group together for so long.

Maria, Johannes, Rosmarie, and Maria Franziska, traveled to New Guinea to carry out missionary work in 1956. Rupert became a physician, Agathe taught in a kindergarten in Maryland, Werner became a farmer, Hedwig taught music, Johanna got married and eventually moved back to Austria, Martina got married but gave birth to no children. After coming back from New Guinea, Rosmarie settled in Vermont, and Johannes oversaw the Trapp Family Lodge. Maria passed away in 1987.

Conclusion

The von Trapp Family Singers will forever remain in people’s memories as a strong example of how a hardship-stricken family can be revitalized and how dreams can come true against all odds. And while The Sound of Music film may be portraying the family in a much more dramatic and idealistic light, this should never negate the gigantic efforts and the willingness to remain happy and united in one of the most difficult periods of human history.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

November 25, 2022June 13, 2023

American Indian Heritage Day: how to research my Native American Heritage

American Indian Heritage Day: The Story Of The Holiday

American Indian Heritage Day is fast approaching – this great holiday will be celebrated all across the country on November 25th. Next year the date for the holiday will be different, though, as it is designated that the celebrations must take place a day after Thanksgiving. And it’s not an old holiday, either, at least definitely not as old as the history of American Indian tribes; it was first celebrated only in 1990. At the time, the idea of such a holiday was strongly supported by no fewer than 184 federally recognised tribes.

This day commemorates the first settlers of the Americas, honouring their rich culture and traditions. Each year, people celebrate their Native American ancestry by dressing up in traditional clothes (like headdresses or buckskin garments) and doing things like dancing around a campfire or making drums out of hollowed-out logs. They also hold special kinds of parties called pow wows – the word’s original meaning can be translated as “spiritual leader”. At a pow wow everyone gets together to listen to traditional music, enjoy such dances as “the intertribal ” or “the crow hop”, and exchange stories about their families or their lives as a member of a tribe.

If you think you may be part of this wonderful culture, but you’re not sure if you have Native American ancestry, read further to see how you can confirm your beliefs and integrate yourself into the community.

How to find out if I have a Native American heritage?

OK, so here’s how to research Native American ancestry. First of all, be ready for a lot of digging. When someone wants to uncover their heritage, normally the first advice they get is to make use of genealogy and ancestry websites. However, with Native American tribes specifically, this might be neither the easiest nor the most effective route. Finding concrete information online can be very challenging if you don’t have any pointers, so instead we recommend you start your research offline.

Study your family tree

As stated above, unless you’ve already collected some basic information on your ancestors, such as their names, their dates of birth/death, their tribes, it’s a good idea to stay away from all kinds of archives. First, find out every single fact you can about your ancestry from your relatives. The oral history your family members can provide you should be a good enough start to begin mapping out an outline of your family tree.

Remember that your elderly living relatives are essentially an invaluable treasure full of stories. Some of the information can seem unnecessary, however, the more facts you have on the table, the better your further Native American ancestry heritage will go. And don’t forget to make recordings! There are few things more valuable than the actual taped voice coming from the first source.

Detect the tribe, its history, location and leaders

So the family tree that you’ve outlined will help you systemize the scattered facts you’ve gathered and will direct you where exactly to dig deeper and clear some of the grey areas. For that, one of the key pieces of knowledge that you need is to find the tribes your ancestors originate from. And not just the name of the tribe – you’ll need its history, location, their leaders and other prominent names related to the tribe. This will be especially important if you later want to apply for a tribal membership on the grounds of your ancestry.

It’s not uncommon that you may have some trouble finding info on your ancestor’s tribal affiliation, but to make your job easier you should start with investigating the location in which your Native American ancestors were born, lived and died. Match these locations with those where known tribes have historically settled in or even currently live in. This will definitely help you eliminate a lot of possible unrelated tribes.

When you manage to narrow the possibilities down to just a few, it’s time for fact checking. Compare the information you’ve gathered from your relatives against known historical facts and see if you’re able to place your ancestors in one of the tribes.

Do a Research using National Archives

You can sometimes hear from people: “I’m pretty sure I have a connection with a tribe, but how can I prove my Native American ancestry?”. And apart from DNA testing, which isn’t always conclusive, there are mammoth record collections specific to the native tribes to make use of, most from the 19th and 20th centuries.

On a local level, such places as schools, courthouses and churches are all safe picks to seek clues about your ancestral history. And there’s no need to only go for the obvious documents, such as birth and death certificates. Any kinds of civil records such as wills, deeds, property conveyances and many others will be very helpful. or other such records.

Having taken full advantage of the resources available at the state and local levels, it’s strongly recommended that you look into federal level archives as well. Luckily for us, the U.S. government has for decades cooperated with the Native American tribes and nations, so a location like the National Archives is definitely a must-visit place if you want to have a look at these records. The archives include a huge number of records kept by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Such great sources of vital information as school records, estate records, annual tribal census rolls, claims and allotment records, and lists relating to Indian removal can be found there.

Conclusion

Our Native American ancestry research guide will surely help you streamline your investigation and make the process not only more efficient, but also more enjoyable. Yes, the Native American ancestry research can be somewhat different from your standard one, but you should have no problems if you start with easy, small steps like asking your family around and outlining a family tree and then conclude the research with the help of tribe identification and archive findings. Happy American Indian Heritage Day.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

December 12, 2022December 19, 2022

James Cameron’s Titanic Turns 25 – Engaging Stories Of Titanic Survivors

The century-old Titanic story to this day captivates people all across the world. The magnitude and tragedy of the event already make it go down in history as of the major catastrophes of the 20th century, without a doubt. But at the same time, what also helped solidify the story in the minds of millions was the ground-breaking Titanic movie by James Cameron. In this article, we commemorate the film’s fast approaching 25th anniversary by shedding some light on the fascinating real-life stories of people who were fortunate enough to survive that fateful night.

James Cameron’s Titanic Marks Its 25th anniversary

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51XuSsmY21L.jpg

The Titanic movie needs hardly any introduction. Released on December 19, 1997, Titanic portrays the events of the RMS Titanic crash on April 14-15, 1912, 110 years ago. Based on reports of the sinking, it combines real and fictional elements. Cameron was inspired to make the movie by his obsession with shipwrecks. He also believed that in order to communicate the emotional impact of the accident, a love story intermingled with human loss would be necessary. That’s exactly why Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet famously play members of various social strata who fall in love aboard the ship during her tragic maiden voyage.

The Titanic movie garnered a great deal of praise after its release – It shared the record with All About Eve (1950) for the most Oscar nominations with 14, and it tied Ben-Hur (1959) for the most Oscar wins with 11, including those for Best Picture and Best Director. For its 20th anniversary, the movie was re-released in 2017, it was also then chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Tragic Cold Night Of April 14th, 1912…

https://static.prsa.pl/images/e5f114bd-c5fd-4b7c-8115-b660612500e5.jpg?format=500

The Titanic’s fatal night of April 14, 1912, is etched in our memories a century after it fell into the frigid waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, having collided with an iceberg. More than 1,500 people lost their lives, including a shocking 80% of Titanic’s male passengers and all 25 heroic Engineering Officers keep the ship afloat for as long as possible against all odds. But what about the individuals who were fortunate enough to board lifeboats and then travel to safety on board of the Carpathia? Let’s delve into some of the most famous stories Titanic survivors had to tell and see if there are still any Titanic survivors alive.

The List Of Titanic Survivors

An Infant Who Survived Titanic

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/titanicdatabase/images/1/1a/Barbara_West.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/220?cb=20120616064400

At just one year old, Barbara West Dainton was the eighth-youngest passenger on the Titanic. She wasn’t the youngest Titanic survivor (keep reading to see who it was), but her story is as heartbreaking as any.

She was born in Bournemouth, England, in 1911, to Edwy Arthur West and Ada Mary West and although she was too young to have experienced the RMS Titanic’s sinking firsthand, she had to deal with the consequences for the rest of her life. Barbara’s family woke up when terrified travelers started making a racket outside their door. The family was eventually made aware of the situation by a steward, who also advised them to dress as warmly as possible and vacate the ship. Later, the ship crew had lowered Barbara, her mother Ada, and her older sister into the water as they watched the patriarch of the family, Edwy, stay behind and bid a final farewell, fully cognizant of what his future held.

Just a few months after the Titanic disaster, Ada would give birth to another daughter, whom she would name Edwyna West after her deceased husband.

Attempt To Survive As A Family

With 4 out of 5 males falling victim to the crash, a lot of families on the ship were torn apart by the tragedy. Such was also the fate of the Collyer family were, quite typically for that night, only the young mother and daughter survived.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CJfV3GeCwTY/Vizv5Bxb__I/AAAAAAAAEUc/LHoe4pkUVuw/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/ad.png

Charlotte Collyer, who was battling tuberculosis, and her husband Harvey Collyer, together with their daughter Majorie Collyer, boarded the RMS Titanic in the hopes that relocating to a warmer environment would help Charlotte recover. The Collyers had liquidated all of their properties and withdrawn all of their money, which together amounted to around $5,000, to make the voyage happen.

When the crash occurred, Marjorie Collyer had already gone to bed, but her parents were still up and talking about their trip. They didn’t realize the severity of the situation until they heard the frenzied running and yelling outside their cabin door. When the family reached the top level, one of the first things they noticed was a stoker who had his finger sliced clean off – it was then evident that the ship was going to sink.

Due to the “women and children go first” policy, Harvey wasn’t let onto Lifeboat 15, where the rest of his family were supposed to be placed. Charlotte resisted leaving her husband almost until the final living moments of the Titanic, and only boarded the lifeboat when her daughter was forcefully thrown there. Harvey would not survive the crash.

Anyone Still Alive From The Titanic Survivors

As of 2022, there are no Titanic survivors alive. The youngest and last Titanic survivor, Millvina Dean, died of pneumonia at the age of 97 on May 31st, 2009.

When her family made the decision to relocate from England to Kansas in the United States to operate a tobacco shop, Dean was only two months old. Despite wanting to join another ship, her family was forced to board the Titanic because of the ongoing coal strikes.

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/5/31/1243808751385/Millvina-Dean-001.jpg?width=465&quality=85&dpr=1&s=none

Her father had been awakened by the rumbling brought on by the collision with the fatal iceberg. He quickly told his wife and kids to get dressed because he was weary of what awaited ahead and thanks to that, the family managed to evacuate with relative ease. However, the father, as many men did, stayed behind only to perish. Dean was too little to recall the incidents that took place, but she did recall the tales her mother used to tell.

In a generous act, James Cameron, Kate Winslet, and Leonardo DiCaprio covered her retirement home expenses a month before she passed away.

What Famous People Were Among The Survivors

One of the richest men in the world, a leading fashion designer, and a well-known British countess were among the survivors of the Titanic.

https://images.headstuff.org/2018/03/02191720/margaret_brown-banner.png

Perhaps, the most famous story of a famous person surviving is that of Margaret Brown. A socialite and philanthropist, Brown was known for her dramatic hat taste and commitment to the rights of women and children.

Her bravery that horrible night gained her the moniker “the Unsinkable Molly Brown”, as she reportedly played a vital role in rowing the lifeboat to safety as well as advocating for the lifeboat to come back to the crash site to get more survivors.

Brown’s life was eventually immortalized by the Broadway musical “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” which was also later made into a Hollywood movie.

Titanic Crew That Survived

Only 24% of the Titanic crew survived the crash, as many of them sacrificed their lives to save as many people as possible.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/titanicdatabase/images/b/bd/Violet_jessop_titanic.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120617090245

One of the most notable surviving crew members was Violet Jessop, RMS Titanic’s stewardess. Interestingly enough, before the Titanic crash, she had already survived one close call at sea. She had been on board the RMS Olympic when it crashed with the HMS Hawke, a British warship, less than a year ago, ripping a huge hole in the side of the luxury liner.

Almost a disaster veteran by that point, Violet was told to go to the top deck in order to assist passengers who didn’t understand English as the ship went down. She filled the lifeboats and demonstrated calm, orderly conduct, according to her memoirs, until she was eventually ordered to board Lifeboat 16.

Nicknamed “Miss Unsinkable”, Jessop ended her seafaring career in 1950. Aged 83, she passed away in 1971.

Conclusion

We will always remember those who tragically lost their lives on April 14-15, 1912. Just like we will always remember the survivors of the Titanic who lived to tell the younger generations many tales of courage and self-sacrifice displayed by the perished men and women.

In many ways thanks to James Cameron’s efforts and his Titanic movie, even today, more and more people are looking into the crash’s history, its key figures, and its consequences. And, hopefully, this article will be that one more thing to pass the valuable knowledge ahead, so that the memory of the crash lives on.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

November 21, 2022May 25, 2023

The Addams Family: Discover The Story Of The Spooky Family And Its Family Tree

The Addams Family: its story and a family tree

The History of the Addams Family

What are the Addams Family? We’re glad you asked. In 1938, an American cartoonist Charles Addams developed The Addams Family as a parody of the ideal American family – they are eccentric, affluent, they revel in the macabre and the mysterious, and are completely oblivious to the fact that they look strange to others.

Addams Family Series Overview

The original one-panel comics appeared in the New Yorker in the late 30’s of the last century, and they really caught on. They later spawned a two-season television program (1964-1966), and even though it was short-lived, its influence lasted well past its initial run. The renowned spooky family also made an appearance in a Scooby Doo crossover episode.

In the 1990s, the Addams Family film series of two full-length movies was released (first in 1991, second in 1993). The second film in the series, Addams Family Values, earned positive reviews from reviewers but did not have the same level of box office success as the first film. In 2019 we saw another installment of the spooky family, animated this time, to modest success, and most recently Tim Burton himself has got involved to produce a brand new Netflix TV show, Wednesday, focusing on one Addams family member in particular, Wednesday Addams.

Addams Family Members

There are 9 prominent characters to speak of – let’s get to know them with the help of Family Tree and a Family tree chart maker.

Gomez Addams

Gomez Addams, the family’s patriarch, may have a slightly ominous appearance, but he is a cheerful individual who exudes enthusiasm and wears a bright smile. He also exudes a strong sense of optimism and appears unconcerned (perhaps due to the enormous wealth he has). Given that his investment ideas lack the reasoning and approaches that many investors use, Gomez appears to be pretty lucky his wealth is still intact. Either way, Gomez is undoubtedly the liveliest character of the family.

Morticia Addams

Morticia, the matriarch of the family, seems to be the family’s mastermind and the thing holding the family together. What makes this character so unique is that, despite her cold and unsettling outward appearance, sometimes even resembling that of a ghost, she’s still got a nurturing and loving attitude about her. Morticia definitely makes up for all the weird things her family does by being incredibly dependable and composed. And this is mainly why she is regarded as some of the best parental figures in cinema.

Pugsley Addams

Pugsley The Addams Family Tree — https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/62faca32888dcb1c799a5d52/master/w_2240,c_limit/Wednesday-First-Look-04.jpg

Pugsley Addams is Gomez and Morticia’s son, and, depending on the character’s iteration, he’s either the elder or the younger sibling. His characteristics also change from one installment to another – sometimes he’s shown as a vile deviant child, shown committing various heinous acts, other times he’s much more light-hearted, yet still inventive. What doesn’t change, though, is his signature striped T-shirt.

Wednesday Addams

Wednesday from the Addams Family now enjoys more fame than ever. Unquestionably one of the most beloved characters among fans, she has gained an ever bigger following now that Jenna Ortega will be portraying her in Tim Burton’s upcoming television series. Wednesday is Gomez and Morticia’s daughter and her sarcasm, deadpan demeanor, and sadistic beliefs are what makes her tick.

Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester is a character that is easily recognized thanks to his bald head, bulging eyes, and gigantic black coat with enormous collars. The character is a crucial element to the family because of his eccentric, macabre, and bizarre behaviors, such as keeping falcons on the roof or fishing with dynamite, which adds to the family’s sinister atmosphere while also leaving the audience perplexed.

Grandmama

Arandmama Addams — https://i.pinimg.com/236x/38/7a/8a/387a8a12b845f113f4cf2367f120249d.jpg

Grandmama has appeared in numerous iterations of the Addams Family, and her relation to the family member is a debate, since it’s rarely specified whether she’s Gomez’ or Morticia’s mother. She is a witch that adores making all sorts of potions and casting magical spells. And if that’s not enough, she’s also known to delve into casual knife throwing and fortune telling.

Cousin Itt

Cousin Itt (sometimes spelled as “Cousin It”) is a Gomez Addams’ cousin, though it is uncertain how closely connected the two are. He is short-statured and has long hair that covers his entire body from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. He is notable for speaking in an obnoxious, incomprehensible babble that only his family seems to be able to understand. Cousin Itt is also a parent to a child named What.

Lurch

The gaunt, towering, ghoulish-appearing butler Lurch is another non-family member who plays a significant role in the mythology of this spooky family. He helps around the house, and although he does occasionally fail certain tasks due to his immense size and strength, the Addamses still find him to be quite a find. Most notably, Lurch is exceptional at waxing Uncle Fester’s head and making the kids laugh.

Thing

Thing was originally a creature that was allegedly so scary-looking that only the character’s human hand was shown to save the audience from its terror. However, in the later installments, Thing is just a disembodied hand that, just like Lurch, helps the family around the house – fetching the mail, handing and lighting cigars, changing TV channels are some of Thing’s favorite things to do.

Conclusion

The Addams Family shows us that “normal” is subjective and that appearances can be deceiving. Besides, they give us a chance to embrace our own weirdness, gloom, and the spookier aspects of life, which is a big part of what makes them so entertaining. And even though the Addams family is quite large, each of its members is surely fascinating and memorable.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

October 27, 2022November 8, 2022

Can all people with the same last name be related?

Given how surnames are passed down from generation to generation, it’s easy for a person to speculate that there must be some kind of relationship between them and another person with the same last name. It is a natural question to ask: “Is everyone with the same last name related?”

Intuitively, we understand that this is probably not the case a hundred percent of the time. But all the same in this article, we dive a little deeper into this question. Are people with the same last name related? And if not, why do people have the same last name?

What are the odds of being related to someone with the same last name?

It’s difficult to get a conclusive answer to this question without first setting some parameters. And even then, There are other variables that should be taken into consideration. How common is the name in question? What is the history of the family that has that name? Have they, for example, always lived in more or less the same location? What is the name’s origin? Does it refer to a place, a profession – like Smith, or is it merely descriptive of a person’s physical characteristics – the surname Strong, for example?

The likelihood of sharing a relationship with somebody who also has your surname increases if the name is an uncommon one. This includes common names that have a unique spelling. It’s worth researching your family history to determine the origins of your surname. It often turns out that shared ancestors may have lived in a particular area for a few generations. Go back far enough, and you may just find a link between your two families.

How do unrelated people share the same last name?

The more common or generic the surname – think occupations, common objects, physical characteristics, and so on – the less likely it is that the people who share it are related. Such names may have been given to people in the past without them sharing blood lines.

In contrast to those names that are tied to some sort of location or event in the past – the name of a town for instance, generic names are not necessarily connected by any special event. There’s a whole range of possibilities that could have led to any random person being named Rock, Cook, or Short, without those people actually being related.This makes it entirely possible that two people with no relation to each other could by chance share the same name.

How to find out if you are related to someone with the same last name?

With all the genealogical tools available today, it is easier now to determine the roots of your surname than it has ever been. There are online family origin Finders, surname websites, end books on surname Origins.

Even without specialized tools, you can start with simple things like interviewing your closest relatives and older members of your family to find out whether or not they know what your surname means, and where it came from.

If documentation is available, like a detailed family tree for example, this would also offer a valuable resource in determining the origin of your surname. Bear in mind that centuries ago, spelling may not necessarily have been a forte of those who recorded your family history. So keep an open mind for misspellings and different variations of your surname.

If you’re able to, a surefire way to determine common ancestry is to investigate the question using DNA – genetic genealogy. Since surnames are passed down paternally, ancestors share Y-DNA with their sons. Y-DNA tests would verify this. If you’re female, you would need to have a male relative take the test.

Conclusion

There are many gray areas in genealogical research and determining the history of your surname, and by extension, a possible familial relationship with somebody who shares it, is just one of many questions that always has a wide range of possible answers. However, with the simple tips that we’ve provided here, tracing your ancestry should become a bit more straightforward.

We encourage you to take advantage of the Treemily family tree visualizations tool and commemorate your lineage today.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

October 20, 2022August 8, 2023

The Madrigal Family Tree Guide: Who are its members and what are their gifts?

2021 saw the release of a gem that reminded all of us of all the things we love about Disney animations. Encanto, telling the tale of the Madrigal family, packs everything you expect to find in a Disney animated hit. This heartfelt, sensitive, and well-told family tale will have you sniffling with a lump in your throat in one scene, doubled over in laughter in another, and in the end find yourself seriously pondering deep, existential questions of life – mental health, family, acceptance, finding oneself, and a whole lot more. If you haven’t already done so, we very seriously recommend that you see this enthralling story.

Family Tree Blog Madrigal — https://thedisinsider.com/2021/09/10/encanto-meet-the-magical-madrigal-family/

In this article we look at the centerpiece of the plot, the Madrigal family tree. We look at how the family members are related, what gifts they have, and other bits of information that add spice to the story. That there is also your spoiler warning.

Abuela Alma and Abuelo Pedro Madrigal

The matriarch and patriarch of the Madrigal family. Abuela and Abuelo are actually Spanish words for grandmother and grandfather. So although most viewers from non-Spanish speaking countries will know the matriarch of the family simply as Abuela, her first name is actually Alma.

Their relationship is at the root of the story. Pedro and Alma Madrigal have triplets but unfortunately Pedro dies protecting the family from a gang of bandits not long after the children are born. His sacrifice leads to the creation of an enchanted area with the magical Madrigal family house at the center of it.

Each of the children are blessed with magic powers, which they discover at a ceremony when they come of age.

Julieta and Agustin Madrigal

Julieta is Alma’s first born daughter. Her magical power is the ability to heal people using the food she cooks. It’s a gift that often comes in handy because her husband Agustín is something of a clumsy fellow, and is very accident-prone. Agustín himself does not have powers of his own.

The two have three children, Isabella, Louisa, and Mirabel – the main character of the Madrigal family story.

Isabella, Luisa and Mirabel Madrigal

Isabella is the oldest of Julieta and Agustin’s three children. Her gift is the ability to create plant life, literally instantaneously. Isabella is the proverbial Madrigal family poster child – using her gifts to charm everyone, decorating parties and creating beauty wherever she goes. Unbeknownst to everyone else however, Isabella is struggling under the pressure of always having to be perfect.

Next is Luisa Madrigal. She is blessed with superhuman strength. Inevitably she is asked to do all the heavy lifting for the family, quite literally. This puts her under immense mental pressure, something she has to reckon with by the end of the story.

Mirabel Madrigal is the last born child. However, unlike her Madrigal family sisters, and indeed everybody else in the family with a direct bloodline to Abuela, Mirabel does not have an apparent magical gift. It is clear however throughout the story that Mirabel’s does a lot to tie the family together. Much akin to what her grandmother does.

Pepa and Felix Madrigal

Pepa is Abuela Madrigal’s second child. Her special ability is the power she has over the weather. it isn’t so much power however, as it is influence. Pepa’s moods directly influence the weather around her. Rub her the wrong way, and a storm breaks loose immediately.

Thankfully, her husband Felix’s character acts as a counterbalance for the often destructive power his wife possesses. He is a bubbly character, brimming with optimism, and always happy to calm his wife down.

Pepa and Felix Madrigal also have three children – Dolores, Camilo, and Antonio.

Dolores, Camilo and Antonio Madrigal

First of the three is Dolores Madrigal. She has the unique ability to hear even the tiniest sounds. Her hearing is so enhanced, she is able to eavesdrop on conversations taking place in town while she is sitting at the dinner table with her family. This may seem like an understated ability but it comes into play quite often in the plot as, thanks to her gift, she is privy to several secret conversations.

The mischievous Camilo Madrigal is the second born child and first born son of Pepa and Felix Madrigal. Camilo can shape-shift so well that he can take on the appearance of anyone. The little prankster is all too happy to use his gift to get away with an unending list of mischievous tricks. At one point, he takes on Dolores’s appearance just so he can help himself to a second breakfast.

Antonio Madrigal is the baby of the family. When the story starts, he hasn’t even discovered his gift yet. In fact, the ceremony where he uncovers his gift is a central part of the story. It turns out that his special ability is the power to communicate with animals.

Bruno Madrigal

The mysterious Bruno, last of Abuela Madrigal’s children, and the black sheep of the family. His road to redemption is crucial to the story’s plot. Bruno’s gift is a highly unusual and very unnerving one, giving rise to what is probably the most memorable line in the entire movie: “We don’t talk about Bruno.”

Bruno Madrigal seemingly has the ability to foretell terrible events. It is no wonder then that every manifestation of his gift has brought consternation not only to Abuela, but to the other members of the family too, leading Bruno to exile himself.

It is only Mirabel’s curiosity, rebellion and intervention that eventually coaxes Bruno Madrigal back into the fold. Their actions together help everyone see the true gift of Bruno’s power and how it contributes to the health and protection of the family.

Conclusion

Encanto is a movie that can be enjoyed by all the members of the family, young and old alike. There are lessons to be learned there for everyone. So if you’re looking for an entertaining story you can relate to, one that will give you quality time with other members of your family, while reminding you of valuable lessons about what’s important in life, this is a definite must-watch.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

October 13, 2022

Celebrities who have Royal Blood

They may be royalty on the Silver Screen, behind the microphone, or whatever their claim to fame may be, but it may surprise you to learn that the following big names also have some legitimately royal blood flowing through their veins.

Let’s take a look at some celebrities who are related to royalty.

Ralph Fiennes

Treemily Celebrity with Royal Blood — https://www.broadway.com/buzz/201398/ralph-fiennes-to-headline-world-premiere-of-david-hares-straight-line-crazy-in-london/

Multi award-winning actor Ralph Fiennes is probably best known for his role as the thoroughly detestable Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. Ralph Fiennes is also in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List where he played a Nazi war criminal. There is a string of other successful movies where Ralph Fiennes starred – too many to mention.

It turns out that Ralph Fiennes is also a distant cousin of King Charles III. In fact, with just a casual glance at a picture of the two of them, it’s easy to see the resemblance.

Guy Ritchie

Mainly known Guy Ritchie for directing successful crime comedies like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and more recently, The Gentlemen. Guy Ritchie’s box office hits include Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes A Game Of Shadows.

Guy Ritchie is a sixth cousin of Catherine, Princess of Wales, or Kate Middleton as she is widely known.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt has graced the screen In blockbusters like Troy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, World War Z, and countless more. He’s produced big hits like The Departed, 12 Years a Slave, and Moonlight. As if that isn’t enough to cement his royalty status in Hollywood, Brad Pitt has also been the recipient of several most attractive man alive accolades.

Well, it turns out Brad Pitt is also related to the late Queen Elizabeth II. This is because King Henry II is one of his ancestors. Brad Pitt also shares bloodlines with another powerful political figure, Barack Obama.

Benedict Cumberbatch

The list of celebrities that have royal blood continues with Benedict Cumberbatch. Perhaps best known for playing the legendary detective, Sherlock Holmes, or the enigmatic superhero Stephen Strange in the MCU, Benedict Cumberbatch has starred in many other hits.

What most don’t know however, is that Benedict Cumberbatch is a distant relation of King Richard II.

This other piece of trivia about Cumberbatch has nothing to do with being related to royalty but we decided to throw it in any way. Researchers have found that Benedict Cumberbatch is actually related to the author of the Sherlock Holmes books, Arthur Conan Doyle. Make of that what you will.

Johnny Depp

The legendary Captain Jack Sparrow. Johnny Depp needs no introduction. Surprisingly enough, Johnny Depp is another actor who is related to Queen Elizabeth II. The connection came to light through the show Who Do You Think You Are? It was discovered that Johnny Depp is related to Sir William Gascoigne, who is a descendant of King Edward III, an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie, an iconic actress, has played Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Mrs. Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Maleficent, and many other movies. But away from the Hollywood cameras, Angelina Jolie is equally well-known for her humanitarian activities and has received awards for her efforts in various causes around the world.

It turns out Angelina Jolie is a distant cousin – a 9th cousin to be exact – of Camilla Rosemary Shand. Married to King Charles II, Camilla Rosemary Shand is the Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, and the Commonwealth realms. Angelina Jolie is also cousins with Hillary Clinton, former first lady of the United States.

Tom Hanks

It’s hard to choose a movie for which Tom Hanks is well-known, such has been his success on the Silver Screen. He’s played comedic roles successfully in movies like Forrest Gump, action dramas like Saving Private Ryan, and a string of other award-winning roles in a long, glittering career.

Tom Hanks’ link to royalty is a rather thin one – however stretching back nearly a thousand years. Tom Hanks and Queen Elizabeth share a common ancestor, King John. King John’s reign ended in 1216.

Hugh Grant

British actor Hugh Grant is another one on the list of celebrities related to royalty. He has King George VII in his ancestry. The story doesn’t end there. Hugh Grant is also related to King James IV of Scotland. As if that wasn’t enough, Hugh Grant also has family links with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton. At this rate, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say that if Hugh Grant had been born on the other side of the pond, he might well have found his way into the White House.

Madonna

The Queen of Pop. A well-earned title after topping the music charts decade after decade with award-winning albums like True Blue, Like a Virgin, Ray of Light, Confessions on a Dance Floor – the list goes on and on.

Madonna’s claim to royalty does not end with his storied career in showbiz. Madonna is also related to Camilla, Queen consort of the United Kingdom. The two are distant cousins. They share common 17th century French-Canadian ancestors.

And if you’re wondering, yes, this means Madonna, Angelina Jolie, and Hillary Clinton are all related.

Conclusion

There you have it, some of the biggest stars in the world also carry royal blood, as if fame and fortune are somehow genetically passed down. It may be worth exploring your own bloodlines – shake the tree and see what falls out. Even if it’s just for a bit of fun, you might discover some very interesting revelations about your history.

Here’s a great tool to visualize your blood ties with some prominent cultural or political figures – use Treemily, start visualizing your genealogy now.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

October 10, 2022August 8, 2023

Queen Elizabeth II – Guide to Descendent Family Tree

On the 8th of September, 2022, the news broke that the reign of Queen Elizabeth II had ended. The monarch had passed. For a time, it had almost seemed the world would never see the day. Such was the monarch’s longevity. She’d seen the world slow to a covid-induced stop. She’d been at the helm as Britain went through political upheaval many more times than one can count.

Social commentators had no shortage of comparisons and witticisms for what was a truly unique era in modern history. Some chronicled her reign by comparing it to the number of British prime ministers, US presidents, Catholics popes, and other world leaders who had served in that time.

Others made pop culture references – which actors had played James Bond during her time for example. Another referenced the Batman franchise instead – cheekily pointing out that Queen Elizabeth had even “survived” Ben Affleck’s portrayal of the masked marauder.

If there is one event that justifies the use of the expression “the end of an era”, it is this. As one era ends, another begins. King Charles has been thrust onto the throne. And as the Internet whips up all the attendant memes and snide remarks that you would expect to follow a septuagenarian in his shoes, we thought we’d balance the scales with a bit of information to keep you in the know.

Let’s take a look at the family tree of Queen Elizabeth II. We briefly explore the history of the House of Windsor, and the family trees of Queen Elizabeth’s descendants.

History: the house of Windsor

Family Tree of House of Windsor — https://www.countrylife.co.uk/country-life/100-years-house-windsor-story-british-royal-familys-great-rebranding-149059

The term House of Windsor refers to the dynastic name of the British Royal Family. It previously used to be Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (or Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) until 1917, when Queen Elizabeth’s grandfather, King George V, proclaimed the adoption of the new name.

For context, the House of Windsor took over from the House of Hanover. This name in turn came from King George I, who was the elector of Hanover – one of seven people who could elect the emperor of Germany. The last House of Hanover ruler was Queen Victoria. The name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha came from her husband, who was German by birth. In German, it is Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha in German.

King George decreed that the dynastic name would be changed to the House of Windsor during World War I, in the midst of anti-German sentiment. All British patrilineal descendants of Queen Victoria would bear the name Windsor.

Queen Elizabeth II would, a few decades later in 1952, also declare that her descendants would also adopt the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. Under normal circumstances, they would have taken on Prince Philip’s surname – Mountbatten, which itself had German roots. A 1960 amendment to the decree changed it to affect patrilineal descendants without royal titles.

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and their 4 Children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward

Family of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip — https://news.sky.com/story/queen-elizabeth-the-monarchs-relationship-with-charles-anne-andrew-and-edward-12693076

Queen Elizabeth (Princess Elizabeth at that time) and Prince Philip tied the knot in 1947. Their marriage stood for decades, with the Prince supporting her throughout his life and most of her reign as Queen until he died in 2021.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had four children. Prince Charles (now the King), was born in 1948 – one year after they got married. Their second child, Princess Anne, was born in 1950. Prince Andrew was born ten years later in 1960, and finally Prince Edward in 1964.

King Charles III and His family

King Charles’s first wife was Diana Spencer – the universally adored Princess Diana. They got married in 1981. Prince Charles and Princess Diana had two children – Prince William in 1982 and Prince Harry in 1984. The couple divorced in 1996 and Princess Diana tragically passed on a year later.

Family tree King Charles III and Camilla — https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g19135643/prince-charles-camilla-wedding-photos/

Prince Charles remarried in 2005, almost ten years after his wife’s death. His new marriage was to Camilla Rosemary Shand – a divorcee herself. Her first marriage had ended a year before Prince Charles’, in 1995.

Prince William

Prince William is the older of the two children, making him next in the line of succession. The Prince was born in 1982. He has been married to Catherine Middleton since 2011. The two met at the University of St. Andrew’s. Their marriage has so far produced three children – two sons and a daughter: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Prince Harry

Prince Harry is one of the royals that needs no introduction after his very public (for the Royal Family’s standards) falling out with Buckingham Palace over his marriage to Meghan Markle in 2018. Their union is thought to be frowned upon primarily because, for one thing, she is a mixed race woman, three years older than he is, divorced, and with a child from a previous marriage into the bargain. The couple subsequently decided to leave their royal duties and pursue an independent life away from Buckingham Palace. They have a son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and daughter, Lilibet Diana.

Anne, Princess Royal and Her family

Treemily Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise — https://baxofthings.wordpress.com/2019/11/20/anne-princess-royal/

The Princess Royal, full name Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise was born in 1950. She is Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s only daughter. Anne is known for her love of horses, and has been quite a competitive rider. She won a gold medal in 1971 and two silver medals in 1975, and has the distinction of being the only British royal to compete in the Olympics.

Anne has been married twice, first in 1973 to Captain Mark Anthony Peter Phillips. He too was a horse lover who won an Olympic gold medal for Great Britain. Mark Phillips and the Princess Royal had two children – Peter and Zara. They were born in 1977 and 1981 respectively. The pair divorced in 1992.

The same year, the Princess Royal entered her second marriage, to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy James Hamilton Laurence, becoming the first British royal to divorce and remarry.

Anne and Captain Mark Phillips have five grandchildren.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York and His family

Treemily Prince Andrew, the Duke of York — https://www.insider.com/andrew-wont-lose-prince-title-royal-expert-says-2022-1

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, was born in 1960. He is Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s third-born child. Prince Andrew has, in recent years courted unwanted attention in the saga that had him linked to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender.

He initially had a glittering military resume, serving as a helicopter pilot, and captaining a warship. That was up until he resigned from his roles in 2020 after allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, who said she had been trafficked to him as a 17-year-old – allegations he denied. Queen Elizabeth stripped him of his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages 2022 as the scandal unfolded.

He tied the knot in 1986, with Sarah Ferguson. They went on to have two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, in 1988 and 1990, respectively. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorced in 1996.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and His family

Treemily Prince Edward Earl of Wessex — https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g28679101/prince-edward-photos/?slide=40

Prince Edward was born on the 10th of March 1964 – the last born of Queen Elizabeth’s children. Prince Edward’s life story is perhaps the least colorful among the Queen’s children. He was born at Buckingham Palace, studied at several schools, including a stint in New Zealand. He has a degree in history, served briefly and uneventfully in the Royal Marines. He pursued a career in TV production before becoming a full time royal.

Prince Edward’s wife is Sophie Rhys-Jones. The couple have been wed since 1999. They so far have two children, Louise and James. Louis was born in 2003, and James, in 2007. Prince Edward holds the titles of Earl of Forfar, and Earl of Wessex.

Conclusion

A long, eventful, and historic chapter of the British Empire closed with the Queen’s death on the 8th of September, 2022. As news floods the airwaves regarding the dawn of King Charles III’s reign, you will undoubtedly come across names and royal styles at titles that might leave you bewildered. With the history, family trees, and the family events we have shared here, you should be comfortably acquainted, and well-placed to follow events as they unfold.

You can make your family tree using the Treemily Family Tree Builder to keep the memory of your loved ones for the next generations.

CREATE YOUR FAMILY TREE

September 20, 2022May 25, 2023

The Corleone Family Tree

As far as organized crime stories go, there is none more iconic than Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. It defined an era of gangster movies. The Godfather captured the public’s imagination with the inner workings of the shadowy world of organized crime syndicates in the United States. The novel was published in 1969 and such was its popularity, that just three years later, the story was brought to the silver screen with a film of the same name. The movie was an instant success. It featured heavy hitters like Marlon Brando, a young Al Pacino, and Diane Keaton. It became the highest grossing film of 1972, and for a while, made more money than any before it.

The Corleone Family Tree — https://vinnieh.wordpress.com/2017/04/02/who-is-your-favourite-character-in-the-godfather-trilogy/

In this article, we take a look at the crime family at the center of the story – the Corleone Family. Where did they come from, what was the organizational structure of the mob family, and who were its main characters?

History

Much of The Godfather’s appeal comes from how true-to-life the story is. Mario Puzo is thought to have closely based the characters in the story on real life personalities. In fact, the Corleone family has been compared to the very real Genovese and Bonanno families – two of the five crime families that are said to run organized crime in New York. The five families were founded in the early 1930s, and will have been around for almost four decades by the time Puzo finished The Godfather.

The name Corleone itself comes from a small town of the same name in Sicily, Italy. There was, as it happens, an actual Corleonesi Mafia clan, a part of the Sicilian Mafia. The Godfather characters are, however, based on the New York Mafia, and not their Sicilian counterparts, although the story starts there with Vito Corleone.

Vito Corleone

The founder of the Corleone family. He is smuggled to America after his father, brother, and mother are killed by a local mafia chief. Vito is in fact Vito Andolini, but a clerical immigration error results in his last name being changed to his village.

Carmela Corleone

Vito married Carmela, also a Sicilian immigrant, in 1915. Their marriage lasted until Vito’s death in 1955. In that time, they had three sons – Santino, Frederico, and Michael, and one daughter – Constanzia.

Santino “Sonny” Corleone

Sonny is Vito and Carmela’s first born son. He married Sandra Corleone. They have four children: Francesca, Kathryn, Frank, and Santino Jr.

Sonny also has another child out of wedlock, Vincent, with a woman named Lucy Mancini. Vincent later went on to succeed Michael as the Don.

Frederico “Fredo” Corleone

Not blessed with the cunning, or brutality of his brothers, Fredo plays more of a bit-part role in the story. He married Deanna Dunn-Corleone but had just one son with a woman known as Marguerite Duvall.

Michael Corleone

The last born son and eventual Don. Michael escapes to Sicily after breaking a long-held mafia law not to kill police officers. While in Sicily he marries a girl called Apollonia Vitelli. She is tragically killed in a car bomb that was intended for him.

Michael eventually returns to the US and marries Katherine “Kay” Adams. The two have two children, Anthony and Mary, before their divorce.

Constanzia “Connie” Corleone

Connie is Vito and Carmela’s youngest child and only daughter. She has something of a troubled love life, which, it turns out, is crucial to the plot. Her first husband, Carlo Rizzi, is an abusive one. Nonetheless, they still go on to have two children together – Victor and Michael-Francis.

Carlo’s abusive behavior stokes Sonny’s anger. The situation is used by a rival mob boss to lure Sonny into an ambush when he learns that his sister has, again, been severely beaten by her husband. Carlo is himself later murdered at Michael’s command.

Connie goes through two more failed marriages with Ed Federici and Merle Johnson.

The Corleone Family’s Structure

The Don

This is the person at the top of the hierarchy – the leader of the family. The Don is responsible for the family and all strategic and major decisions go through him.

Underboss

The second-in-command serves as the Don’s right-hand man. This is a trusted position as the underboss takes control if the Don is incapacitated, incarcerated, or otherwise unable to perform his duties.

Consigliere

Not unlike a lawyer or a COO in the corporate world, the consigliere serves in an advisory role, and oversees the administrative management of family’s day to day business operations.

Caporegimes

Caporegimes operate as field commanders, leading their crews to carry out any tasks as agreed by family leadership, and overseeing the day-to-day field activities related to the family’s business operations.

Footsoldiers

Foot Soldiers are typically the muscle of the family. They constituted the workforce of the family, and operated outside the decision-making circles of power. Theirs was to carry out the orders of family leadership, prove their loyalty, and by so doing, work their way up the ladder.

The Life of the Corleone Family

The Corleone family was one of the five main families that comprised the New York Mafia in the aftermath of World War II. The family itself goes back further than that, starting in 1920 when Vito Corleone kills a certain Don Fanucci to take control of an area of Lower Manhattan known as Little Italy. He then sets up an olive oil company that he uses to disguise his criminal dealings.

In a period of about five years, Vito organizes his crime family, and grows enough in influence to challenge and supplant a rival mobster, Salvatore Maranzano, during turf wars dubbed the Olive Oil War over the next few years. Sonny, VIto’s first born son, earns his stripes in these confrontations and becomes a caporegime – a “made” member of the family, put in charge of a crew.

Things take a dramatic turn in 1945, when a drug kingpin – Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo – offers Vito Corleone a narcotics partnership, which he declines. Believing that his son, the now influential Sonny Corleone, would be more open to the deal, Sollozzo makes an attempt on Don Vito’s life. The attempt fails, but Don Vito ends up in hospital while Sonny takes the reins.

A second assassination attempt is made on Don Vito Corleone, setting off a series of violent acts. Sonny has a rival Don’s son killed, and Michael, Don Vito’s youngest son, kills Sollozzo and a corrupt police officer, and escapes to Sicily to let the heat die down.

These actions set off a war between the five families, during which Sonny is killed. Upon his recovery, Don Vito decides to broker a peace agreement between the Five Families. The peace deal holds until his death from a heart attack.

Michael Corleone Family Tree — https://godfather.fandom.com/wiki/Michael_Corleone

Michael Corleone then takes over as Don, and proceeds to consolidate his power by assassinating all the other mafia bosses. He also kills his older brother after he conspires against the family, and a few others to settle scores from past grudges.

Having successfully wiped out the competition, Michael begins to wean the family business off organized crime and into more legitimate business interests. He continued to do so until 1980 when he named his late brother Sonny’s son Vincent, as his successor.

Important Mafia Leaders

The Don

Vito Corleone served as the Don from 1920 to 1955. He was briefly replaced by his eldest son Sonny while he was recovering from an assassination attempt between 1945 and 1946. He went into partial retirement in 1954, while Michael, his youngest son, took on most of the leadership duties until his death in 1955. Michael served until his retirement in 1980, and was replaced by his nephew, Sonny’s son, Vincent.

Underbosses

Sonny Corleone Family Tree — https://celebrity.land/en/godfathers-sonny-corleone-misery-star-was-82/

Sonny Corleone served as the Don’s right hand man from 1940 until his murder in 1946. The Don’s youngest son, Michael, took over until he became Acting Boss after Vito’s partial retirement in 1954.

Fredo Corleone Family Tree — https://nowherebutpop.wordpress.com/2013/07/06/a-brother-like-fredo-corleone/

Upon Michael’s promotion after his father’s death, he appointed his older brother Fredo, in what was mostly just a title role. Fredo was killed on Michael’s orders in 1959 for plotting against the family. Al Neri, the man that killed Fredo, became the next Underboss.

Consiglieri

The family had a string of consiglieres who mostly played a background role in the story. From 1920 to 1945 there was Genco Abbandando until his death. Tom Hagen, the most prominent consigliere in the story, took over until 1954. After him Vito Corleone stepped back from his duties as Don and took on the role to support his son Michael. Tom Hagen reassumed the role after the Don’s death. He served until the seventies when he too died.

The 50th Anniversary

Fifty years on from its release, The Godfather remains one of the highest-rated films in the history of cinema. It inspired a whole new genre of action movies with subsequent successful titles like GoodFellas and The Sopranos following its lead. Today, it remains one of the most respected titles in Hollywood, with a 2014 poll by The Hollywood Reporter quoting 2,120 industry professionals saying it was the greatest film ever.

Conclusion

Few stories have impacted cinema and entertainment quite like The Godfather. Five decades after its release, it still permeates pop culture and is a recognizable title. With the knowledge we’ve shared here about the history of the film, the main characters involved in the plot, and the structure of their enterprise, you will hopefully have learned a thing or two about one of the most riveting stories ever told.