All Missions
The complete Operation Granny Files curriculum: 33 practical genealogy lessons with native case files and downloadable research tools.
Mission 35: The Surprise in the Spit Kit — When DNA Tells You Something the Family Didn’t DNA + Ethics
An unexpected DNA match is a question, not an answer. Learn to verify carefully, reach out gently, and decide who needs to know before you tell anyone.
Mission 34: When the Records Burned — Ireland, Scotland, and What to Do When the Archive Is Gone Methodology
Ireland's archive burned in 1922, but not every record went with it. Learn the substitution method that works in Dublin or a burned Georgia county.
Mission 33: Crossing the Channel — England & Wales: Parishes, Counties, and the Records That Survived Specialty
Find the parish first, then use censuses, civil registration, and surviving parish records to trace English and Welsh roots.
Mission 32: The Machine Reads the Handwriting — Full-Text Search, AI Transcription, and What Just Became Possible Methodology
Use full-text search and AI handwriting transcription to find new leads, then verify every result against the original record.
Mission 31: Her Name Was Lost - Tracing the Women Your Records Tried to Erase Specialty
Recover a married woman's lost maiden name using coverture-era records: dower releases, probate, church registers, children's vital records, and obituaries.
Mission 30: Building a Legacy — Preserving, Sharing & Publishing Your Research Specialty
Preserve, organize, and publish your research so it remains usable for future generations.
Mission 29: Before the Revolution — Colonial & Pre-1850 Research Specialty
Push past the 1850 wall with tax lists, colonial records, pension files, and paleography.
Mission 28: Graveside Intelligence — Cemetery Records & What the Stones Tell Specialty
Read headstones, plot layouts, sexton records, and cemetery symbols as evidence.
Mission 27: Frozen in Time — Photos, Artifacts & Oral History Specialty
Date family photographs, preserve artifacts, and capture the voices behind the records.
Mission 26: Crossing the Ocean — Scandinavian & Nordic Research Specialty
Decode patronymics and follow Nordic families through parish, household, and emigration records.
Mission 25: The Complete Genealogist — Your Volume 1 Capstone 401
Complete a documented research project and proof summary using the full Volume 1 toolkit.
Mission 24: Writing Your Family History — From Research to Narrative 401
Turn research and source documents into an accurate narrative people will want to read.
Mission 23: Advanced DNA — What Your Match List Is Actually Telling You 301
Shared-match clustering, the Leeds method, and chromosome mapping for genetic networks.
Mission 22: Finding Freedom — Tracing Family Through America's Hardest Records 301
Freedmen's Bureau records, cohabitation registers, and a path through the 1870 brick wall.
Mission 21: The Paper Trail of Everyday Life — City Directories, Social Security & More 301
City directories, Social Security, and the records that fill the years between censuses.
Mission 20: Breaking Through Brick Walls — When the Trail Goes Cold 201
Five moves to try when your ancestor vanishes from the record.
Mission 19: Weighing the Evidence — Introduction to the Genealogical Proof Standard 201
Learn to evaluate sources, information, and evidence against the Genealogical Proof Standard.
Mission 18: The Shifting Map — Historical Geography, Gazetteers & Boundary Changes 201
Use gazetteers and boundary-change tools to learn where your ancestor's records moved.
Mission 17: The Courthouse Files — Court Records Beyond Probate 201
Find guardianships, divorces, and disputes in court records beyond probate.
Mission 16: Staking Your Claim — Land Records and the Dirt Your Ancestors Stood On 201
Decode land patents, deeds, and property transfers.
Mission 15: One Iron Skillet, Well-Seasoned 201
Decode wills, inventories, and estate records to reconstruct family relationships.
Mission 14: Reporting for Duty — Military Records and Your Ancestor's Service File 201
Find service records, pensions, and draft registration cards.
Mission 13: The Paper Trail Across the Water 201
Trace passenger lists, naturalization records, and border crossings.
Mission 12: Baptisms, Burials, and the Books That Came Before 201
Navigate parish registers and denominational archives.
Mission 11: The Spit Test — DNA Testing & Genetic Genealogy 201
Use genes as evidence through testing, matching, and interpretation.
Mission 10: Blueprint for Your Own History Project — Genealogy 101 Capstone 101
Turn scattered research into a plan you can actually follow.
Mission 9: The Neighbor Effect — Cluster Research & Community Links 101
Find ancestors through their neighbors, associates, and community networks.
Mission 8: Extra! Extra! - Newspapers That Bring Your Ancestors to Life 101
Use historical newspapers to reconstruct everyday lives and relationships.
Mission 7: Born, Wed, Dead — Vital Records That Map a Life 101
Use birth, marriage, and death records to map a life.
Mission 6: Count Me In — Census Records 101
Decode federal and state census records and work around the lost 1890 census.
Mission 5: File Before You Forget 101
Organize research with durable naming conventions and software choices.
Mission 4: Branch Mapper – Initiate Tree Growth 101
Build a pedigree chart, family group record, and research log.
Mission 3: The Biscuit Tin Dossier 101
Sort, catalog, and preserve family documents, photos, and heirlooms.
Mission 2: Operation Tea & Tattle 101
Interview living relatives and preserve their stories.
Mission 1: Identity Confirmed 101
Start with five practical steps for a sound genealogy research foundation.