Log in

Latest News Articles

Everyone can read the (free) Standard Edition articles. However,  the Plus Edition articles are accessible only to (paid) Plus Edition subscribers. 

Read the (+) Plus Edition articles (a Plus Edition username and password is required).

Please limit your comments about the information in the article. If you would like to start a new message, perhaps about a different topic, you are invited to use the Discussion Forum for that purpose.

Do you have comments, questions, corrections or additional information to any of these articles? Before posting your words, you must first sign up for a (FREE) Standard Edition subscription or a (paid) Plus Edition subscription at: https://eogn.com/page-18077.

If you do not see a Plus Sign that is labeled "Add comment," you will need to upgrade to either a (FREE) Standard Edition or a (paid) Plus Edition subscription at: https://eogn.com/page-18077.

Click here to upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription.

Click here to find the Latest Plus Edition articles. (A Plus Edition user name and password is required to view these Plus Edition articles.)

Do you have an RSS newsreader? You may prefer to use this newsletter's RSS feed at: https://www.eogn.com/page-18080/rss and then you will need to copy-and-paste that address into your favorite RSS newsreader.

Want to receive daily email messages containing the recently-added article links, complete with “clickable addresses” that take you directly to the article(s) of interest?

Best of all, this service is available FREE of charge. (The email messages do contain advertising.) If you later change your mind, you can unsubscribe within seconds at any time. As always, YOU remain in charge of what is sent to your email inbox. 

Information may be found at: https://eogn.com/page-18080/13338441 with further details available at: https://eogn.com/page-18080/13344724.

Latest Standard Edition Articles

  • Organization Creates Database for Unmarked and Missing African American Graves

    22 Apr 2025 2:40 PM | Anonymous

    Generations of African Americans are buried across the Shenandoah Valley, but many of their final resting places remain unmarked or undocumented. In response, the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project is launching a public database to identify and preserve these burial sites.

    From Winchester to Roanoke, residents are encouraged to share any information they may have about African American graves, marked or unmarked, so they can be added to the digital archive.

    “We want people to use this database as a way of helping them complete their genealogy, for them to know where their folks are buried,” said Monica Robinson, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project.

    The project’s goals are to assist families in tracing their ancestry and to protect historic sites from being lost to time or disturbed by future development. Robinson said when the database goes live, it will note the location of the graves and if they are on private or public property.

    “We won’t open this database and say go out on private property and start looking,” she said. “We document that it’s on private property. If you want to access this graveyard, then you need to go through the property owner.”

    The organization is currently gathering public submissions and will use the data to contact landowners and advocate for preservation. The organization aims to launch the database to the public in the Summer of 2025.

    To submit burial site information, visit the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project website.

  • Georgia Historic Newspapers Update Spring 2025

    22 Apr 2025 2:33 PM | Anonymous

    This past winter, the Digital Library of Georgia released several new grant-funded newspapers to the Georgia Historic Newspaperswebsite. Included below is a list of newly available titles.

    Titles funded by the Burke County Genealogical Society

    Titles funded by the Georgia Public Library Service

    Titles digitized in partnership with Kennesaw State University Museums, Archives and Rare Books

    Titles funded by the Lucy Hilton Maddox Memorial Library Trust

    Title funded by the National Digital Newspaper Program with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

    Titles funded by the University of Georgia Libraries

    Titles made available as part of UGA’s Libraries Digital Newspaper Preservation Project


  • Historical Society of Kent County wins $20,000 Miller History Fund Grant

    22 Apr 2025 2:31 PM | Anonymous

    The Historical Society of Kent County announces receipt of a $20,000 award from the Miller History Fund, a competitive grant program administered by the Maryland Center for History and Culture. This generous grant will support conversion to a standardized cataloging system in the Society's Research Library, to make it easier for scholars, genealogists, schoolchildren, and lifelong learners alike to explore the wealth of information available in the library. 

    The Miller History Fund supports capacity-building projects to ensure long-term resiliency for stewards of historical collections in Maryland. The Historical Society of Kent County is one of 11 recipients selected from across Maryland this year, along with distinguished organizations including historic ships in Baltimore, Goucher College Library and the Alice Ferguson Foundation. 

    The cataloging project enabled by this grant will help build a solid foundation from which to manage and share its research collections. 

    Research Librarian Joan Andersen says “We’re seeing fewer genealogy‑only inquiries and more interest in what daily life was like here long ago. A streamlined catalog will help us answer all those fascinating questions, guide everyone straight to the sources they need, and open doors to new discoveries about Kent County’s story.” 

    The new system will bring immediate benefits, including: 

    A searchable digital database will make it possible to pinpoint materials among 1,200 holdings in moments rather than hours. 

    Easier access to materials will fuel new workshops, exhibits, and collaborations, building new audiences and sparking fresh conversations about the community’s shared past. 

    Standardized metadata will lay the groundwork for digitization and help to keep the research library materials safe and well-documented. 

    Clearly written guides to using the catalog will open up new roles for volunteers and interns to gain hands-on experience and practical familiarity with the Research Library’s collections. 

    Phase One begins later this spring, when the library holdings will be evaluated and an appropriate cataloging plan identified. Later in the year there will be a temporary pause in access to the Research Library to “freeze the collection” and ensure a full and complete cataloging process. The Historical Society will provide ample notice, and will welcome users back to a clearer and more user-friendly catalog. 

    Founded in 1936, the Society collects, preserves, and shares the vibrant story of Maryland’s oldest Eastern Shore county. Our museum, research library, walking tours, and community programs welcome history lovers of all ages. New members enjoy unlimited, by‑appointment use of the Research Library, discounts in our museum shop, invitations to members‑only events, and more. Learn about membership at www.kentcountyhistory.org or email admin@kentcountyhistory.org.

  • DNA Helps St. Cloud Police Crack 34-year-old Murder Case

    22 Apr 2025 2:27 PM | Anonymous

    St. Cloud Police have cracked a decades-old case with the murder arrest of 72-year-old Gene Stuller.

    Police Chief Douglas Goerke announced that Gene Stuller was arrested Monday and charged with second-degree murder in the 1991 death of Julia Sue Wilbanks. He was arrested near his Apopka home with the help of the Orange County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit. He was brought to St. Cloud and taken to the Osceola County Jail.

    Wilbanks’ body was found Sept. 23, 1991 in thick grass off of Neptune Road near Partin Triangle Park, about half a mile west of what is now Old Canoe Creek Road, with as many as 17 stab wounds. While that 1991 investigation included collecting physical evidence and conducting analysis of DNA found on Wilbanks' clothing, no suspects were then identified.

    The break came after SCPD submitted the victim’s clothing – a pair of shorts – and DNA from them were uploaded to a new database by DNA Labs Internation out of South Florida. The new testing – involving using genealogy to track to Stuller, who lived less than two miles from Wilbanks last known address – identified Stuller as the suspect in March.

    Genealogical analysis helped narrow the pool of possible suspects, leading to narrowing down to naming Stuller, who will turn 73 Wednesday, as the primary suspect. Detectives were able to obtain Stuller’s recent DNA from a discarded straw, confirming a match to the DNA from the crime scene. It all led to an arrest warrant being used Friday, and his arrest on Monday.

    “Today marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice,” Goerke said. “The case eventually ran cold, but it was never forgotten.”

    “It is 1.9 trillion times more likely the DNA came from Gene Stuller than an unrelated individual,” Goerke said – repeating it – of the new evidence, leading to an arrest warrant, and Stuller’s detainment. “This case represents not just the power of persistence in science, but our unwavering commitment to honor victims and serve their families, even when justice takes time.

    “Let this serve as a message to the community – the St. Cloud Police Department will never stop seeking justice – cold cases are never forgotten. (Stuller) had been living this life under the radar in Apopka.”

    Wilbanks, 27, who had a number of criminal charges on her record, including possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cocaine, prostitution, aggravated battery and driving with a suspended license. At the time of her death, her last known address was a room at an Orange Blossom Trail hotel, according to a 1991 News-Gazette report.

    Goerke said SCPD has two other cold cases that it is using technology – along with “young and eager detectives” – to continuously apply methods to in order to solve

  • Mystery of Unidentified John Doe Solved After 20 years by DNA Sequencing

    22 Apr 2025 2:20 PM | Anonymous

    between 30 and 55 years old. 

    The Phoenix Police Department followed the standard process of identification — entering fingerprints and a DNA sample into police databases — but had no success for decades. 

    However, after a series of specialist genealogy labs collaborated with authorities on the John Doe case, two living third cousins were identified, and the man has been confirmed as John Thiellesen.

    Mystery of unidentified John Doe solved after 20 years by DNA sequencingJohn Thiellesen.via Ramapo College

    According to police in Toledo, Ohio, who appealed for information on his whereabouts as recently as 2023, Thiellesen was reported missing there by his brother in 2004. Police said Thiellesen suffered from mental health problems and called his sister to say he had "cleansed himself" and was planning on jumping into a river.

    It's unclear how he ended up in Phoenix.

    The breakthrough in identifying Thiellesen came after the medical examiner in Maricopa County referred the case to the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center in New Jersey in September 2024.

    From there, a blood sample was sent to genomic researchers at Genelogue in Georgia, and then to Parabon Nanolabs in Virginia, for bioinformatics research.

    The resulting genotype was uploaded to DNA databases, and undergraduates and staff at Ramapo searched in vain for a match.

    Then, between the last day of the semester and the winter break, the staff found the cousins and Christen Eggers, senior medicolegal death investigator in the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, confirmed it was Thiellesen.

    Eggers said in a statement that the college's work "has become a beacon of hope for individuals and families across the nation" whose loved ones have gone missing.

    "This case showcases the power of investigative genetic genealogy to close longstanding missing persons cases," Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the IGG Center at Ramapo, said. "Every John and Jane Doe is the answer to a family missing a loved one, and we will continue to do everything in our power to keep restoring their names and providing those answers."

    The IGG center has helped solve 28 cases and is currently working on 39 others.

  • More than 50 Years After Police Found the Remains of a Murder Victim, They Now Know His Name

    21 Apr 2025 9:53 AM | Anonymous

    Kansas police have finally identified the remains of a teenager who went missing 52 years ago.

    The Kansas Bureau of Investigation announced on Tuesday that it used DNAtechnology to determine that remains discovered in 1973 belonged to 16-year-old Jimmy Dollison.

    The teenager had been living in Kansas City when he went missing in the autumn of 1972. His family reported his disappearance but never learned what happened to him.

    In April 1973, authorities found Dollison’s unidentified remains three miles southeast of Garnett, Kansas. He was wearing a brown corduroy jacket, a green long-sleeve buttoned shirt, jeans, a black leather belt with a large black buckle, brown hiking boots and a navy blue stocking cap.

    He was also wearing two gold rings with crosses, a ring with the number 78 and a silver chain with a large cross.

    The coroner ruled his manner of death a homicide due to signs of trauma.

    Two decades ago, officials determined the remains belonged to a man with brown hair and a slender build. Police made many attempts throughout the decades to figure out who the remains belonged to, but were not successful.

    In 2024, investigators extracted DNA from the remains for forensic genetic genealogy testing. The testing was conducted by Othram, a company specializing in genealogy to help solve murders. To find a match, the company needed to identify any living relatives of the unidentified person.

    Dollison’s siblings were identified through testing. Police contacted them for interviews and to obtain DNA samples for comparison. Officials later confirmed the remains belonged to the 16-year-old.

    An investigation into the teen’s death continues. Officials are asking anyone with information to call 1-800-KS-CRIME.

  • 25 Alternative Search Engines You Can Use Instead of Google

    20 Apr 2025 3:00 PM | Anonymous

    For over two decades, Google has been the search engine that most people use for everyday searches, product research, and staying up to date on the latest news.

    Because of this market dominance, Google has also been the main search engine of focus for SEO and marketing professionals.

    However, following the introduction of ChatGPT and Bing Chat, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin reportedly returned to take an active role in Google’s plans to add chatbot features to Google Search.

    Shortly after that, around May 2023, Google introduced the chatbot Bard (later renamed Gemini), and after a year, rolled out “AI Overviews” on May 14, 2024, to USA-based searchers.

    OpenAI followed with ChatGPT search in late 2024, transforming the former SearchGPT prototype into a fully integrated search feature within ChatGPT.

    Google does still hold majority market share, but there are several alternative search engines that offer distinct advantages over Google, such as enhanced privacy, specialized content, unique algorithms, and tailored user experiences.

    Here are 25 of the best alternative search engines you can try.

    List of Alternative Search Engines

    1. 1. ChatGPT Search
    2. 2. Google AI Mode
    3. 3. Perplexity.ai
    4. 4. You.com
    5. 5. Yep.com
    6. 6. Openverse
    7. 7. Bing.com
    8. 8. Yahoo.com
    9. 9. Ecosia
    10. 10. KARMA Search
    11. 11. DuckDuckGo
    12. 12. Startpage
    13. 13. Swisscows
    14. 14. Brave
    15. 15. Kagi
    16. 16. Mojeek
    17. 17. X (Formerly Twitter)
    18. 18. SlideShare
    19. 19. Wayback Machine
    20. 20. WolframAlpha
    21. 21. LinkedIn
    22. 22. Baidu
    23. 23. Yandex
    24. 24. Sogou
    25. 25. Naver

  • Aruba’s Digitized Slavery Documents Added to UNESCO’s International Memory of the World Register

    19 Apr 2025 9:53 AM | Anonymous

    The Internet Archive is proud to join in celebrating a major milestone in the preservation of global cultural heritage: documents related to the history of slavery in Aruba have been officially added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MoW) International Register. The digitized documents have been preserved and are accessible online through the Coleccion Aruba and the Internet Archive.

    The registration formally incorporates Aruba’s contributions into the existing entry titled “Documentary heritage of the enslaved people of the Dutch Caribbean and their descendants (1816–1969),”which already included documents from Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Suriname, and the Netherlands.

    These newly recognized documents are held by the National Archives of Aruba (ANA) and the National Library of Aruba (BNA). They offer crucial insight into the lives of enslaved people and their descendants in Aruba, helping to illuminate a shared painful past and its continuing impact on the present.

    The nomination was prepared collaboratively by the Aruba National Committee for UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program (MoW-AW), UNESCO Aruba, ANA, and BNA. With the registration now official, these documents are not only globally recognized as having international significance—they are also more accessible than ever before.

    The historical materials are available online through the Coleccion Aruba digital heritage site, as well as on the Internet Archive, supporting the goals of open access for schools, researchers, and the general public. This achievement underscores the importance of digitization and long-term preservation to ensure that future generations can continue to learn from these vital records.

    The Internet Archive congratulates MoW-AW, UNESCO Aruba, the National Archives and National Library of Aruba, and their partners in Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Suriname, and the Netherlands on this historic achievement. 

    Explore the documents: www.coleccion.aw/mow

  • Spring Hill, Tennessee Recreates Genealogy & Historical Society

    18 Apr 2025 10:29 AM | Anonymous


    The Spring Hill Genealogy & Historical Society has reformed after a 21-year absence, officials announced last week.

    The original Society was formed on March 27, 1999, when the “Genealogy For Everyone” program at the Spring Hill Public Library voted to form the Spring Hill Genealogy & Historical Society. For a total of five years, Helen Dark, Effie Heiss, Mattie Laura Harris, Patricia Spears Thomas, Lois Glasgow and many other members of the society printed a quarterly Spring Hill genealogy and history journal, hosted speakers at their monthly meetings at the library and shared genealogy records any chance they could. Five years later, the society was disbanded due to the loss of many members.

    Now, after 21 years of being gone, the Society held its first meeting on March 5, 2025, at the Spring Hill Public Library. Though the original society focused mainly on genealogy, this society will focus on Spring Hill history and genealogy equally. Board members of the society are Benny Jett, president; Jim Hellier, vice president; Carolyn Jett, secretary; Michael Langley, treasurer; along with Richard Jackson; Tom Powers, Ph.D; Sissy Taylor; Nanette Taylor and Corrine Tomlinson.

    Everybody interested in Spring Hill history and/or genealogy is invited to join the Society. Dues are $25 (individual membership), $35 (family membership), $150 (Naomi B. Derryberry lifetime individual membership) and $200 (Naomi B. Derryberry lifetime family membership).

    The Society will hold gatherings, most often at the Spring Hill Public Library, for everyone to get together, share stories and show pictures of “old Spring Hill” on the first Tuesday of each month starting at 5 p.m. The next gathering will be May 6.

    To join the Society, please fill out a membership form (which can be found on the society’s Facebook page or requested through email) and mail it with your dues to the address listed on the form. Have questions? Feel free to email the Society at springhilltnhgs@outlook.com or visit its Facebook page.

  • Indiana State Police Solve 53-year-old Murder Case

    17 Apr 2025 9:02 AM | Anonymous

    The Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit has identified the killer in the murder of the 1972 killing of 26-year-old Phyllis Bailer. 

    According to the news release, Bailer was traveling from Indianapolis, Indiana to Bluffton, Indiana with her 3-year-old daughter to visit her parents on July 7, 1972.

    Bailer and her daughter left Indianapolis around 8:00 p.m. but never arrived. Her family reported her missing.

    Her car was found abandoned on northbound I-69 in Grant County at around 10:30 a.m. the next day.

    Bailer and her daughter were found in a ditch about an hour later by a woman driving on West Road, north of Schoaff Road in Allen County. 

    Bailer was found dead while her daughter was unharmed. 

    ISP said an autopsy confirmed Bailer had died from a gunshot wound and had been sexually assaulted.

    Years after her murder, the ISP Cold Case Unit utilized DNA testing not previously available to develop a partial DNA profile from Bailer's clothing.

    In 2024, ISP and the Allen County Police Department began working with Identifinders International, a forensic genealogy company in California, founded by Colleen Fitzpatrick. 

    Forensic genealogy was used alongside the DNA profile to identify Fred Allen Lienemann as the killer.

    ISP said Lienemann from Gross Point, Michigan, was 25 in 1972. Lienemann was born in the Anderson, Indiana area.

    Lienemann had no known connections to Phyllis Bailer but had a significant criminal history, ISP said. 

    1973+The+Mississippi+Press+-+Pascagoula+Mississippi+-+Mon+Nov+12+1973.jpg

    Detectives learned that Fred Lienemann was murdered in Detroit in 1985 during their investigation.

    ISP said if Fred Lienemann were alive today, the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office would have charged him with the murder of Phyllis Bailer.

    Colleen Fitzpatrick, founder of Identifinders International is proud to have help get answers for Phyllis Bailer's family. 

    “Identifinders is proud to have supported the Indiana State Police with bringing long overdue answers to Phyllis and her family," Fitzpatrick said in the press release. "This case is an example of still another homicide that would never have been solved without Forensic Genetic Genealogy”.

    ISP said this case demonstrates the Cold Case Unit's commitment to victims and their families.

Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter









































Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software