Meet Greg Maxfield
I started Operation Granny Files because I was tired of genealogy advice that was either too academic for beginners or too shallow to be useful. There had to be a middle ground — practical, progressive lessons that build real skills without talking down to anyone.
I'm a researcher, writer, and lifelong genealogy nerd based in Utah. I've spent decades tracing family lines through census records, courthouse basements, and DNA databases. OGF is my way of sharing what I've learned — one mission at a time.
Meet Granny
Granny is the heart and voice of Operation Granny Files. She's the kind of woman who can decode a Civil War pension file while snapping green beans — warm, sharp-witted, and always ready to help you crack open the next branch of your family tree.
She'll guide you through every mission, celebrate your breakthroughs, and remind you that every name on a census record was a real person with a story worth finding.
Why Missions?
Every OGF lesson is called a "mission" because genealogy research is fieldwork. You don't learn it by reading theory — you learn it by doing. Each mission gives you a specific skill, a downloadable tool to take to the archive, and a clear next step.
Missions build on each other in a progressive curriculum. Start at Mission 1 if you're brand new, or jump to the topic you need if you already have some experience under your belt.
The Curriculum
Genealogy 101
Missions 1–10. Foundation skills: identity records, family interviews, census, vital records, newspapers, and your first capstone project.
Genealogy 201
Missions 11+. Intermediate: DNA testing, immigration, military records, probate, church records, land records.
Genealogy 301
Coming soon. Advanced methodology: Genealogical Proof Standard, conflicting evidence, narrative development.
Genealogy 401
Coming soon. Mastery: complex family scenarios, advanced DNA, publishing your research.
Ready to Start?
Begin with Mission 1 and work your way through, or browse the resource library for the tool you need right now.
Read Mission 1 on Substack Browse Resources