A Middle-Distance Genealogy Plan

When I ran track - in the very short period of time during which I ran track - I often ran what was referred to at the Middle- and High- School levels as "middle distance." These were distances that would have been considered sprints in college or professional races, 400 m or so, but they were middle distance to us. And that's the kind of plan I want to create. Not a sprint, which in track translates to "Get this over with as soon as possible!" and in genealogy translates to "How fast can I find this so I can go on to find something new?" Not long-distance, which in genealogy, as in track, is simply too big, too unending to comprehend. (Granted, the space between here and that far-off, unattainable end looks a lot more fun in genealogy than it does on the track!)

I want to organize my thoughts and set some goals, but not either for tomorrow or for the next decade. I just want some plans for what I'd like to see, kinda sorta soonish. Records I want to find, records I've located but not seen, mysteries I'd like to solve, and the places - on the internet, but mostly in person - where I can achieve these things. Here goes.

1. Kings County Courthouse, Brooklyn, NY
I've been here once, but need to go back:

Surrogate's Court
a. I want to browse the indexes for additional family names.
b. I want to see - and it may take a while, given the surname I'm working with - whether there are guardianship records for John and Thomas Murphy, who came to live with the Mulvaneys after their parents died. These could crystallize for me who their parents actually were, as well as, I hope, reveal their sisters' names and what happened to them.
c. I've already filled out a request form for guardianship papers for Margaret Madigan, who was still a minor when her father died, and who I believe simply continued living with her step-mother, Johanna Roche Madigan.

Supreme Court
a. There are announcements in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from the early 1900s that give me reason to believe that Patrick and Julia Mulvaney were involved in a court case (and lost) for failure to pay their mortgage to Mary McKee.
b. If they have indexes there, too, I'd love to browse those and see what other trouble our relatives have caused - or had thrust upon them.

2. NYC Municipal Archives, Manhattan NY
For a while, whenever I needed a record from the NYC Municipal Archives, I ordered it. Then I exhausted the supply of really crucial records (mainly my great-great-grandparents, to learn their parents' names), and recently, their prices have gone up and my income has gone down. So now, instead, I make a list. And one day, I'll visit the Archives. I believe that you can't actually, make copies while you're there unless you pay up for a certified copy. So I'll take notes, maybe take pictures, make transcriptions, and, if I come across anything particularly crucial, maybe I'll pay for a copy.

Death Certificates
1. Matthew Madigan, d. 11 September 1892
2. Matthew Madigan Jr., d. 1892-3
3. Josephine Madigan, d. 1892-3
4. Julia Toner, d. 20 August 1866
5. James Thomas Toner, d. 19 August 1866
6. a Mary Toner, 63, d. 26 Aug. 1899 (#14797)
7. a Mary Toner, 59, d. 13 Aug. 1897 (#13267)
8. Gertrude Mulvaney, 1, d. c. 28 May 1890
9. Raymond Mulvaney, d. 24 Feb. 1906 (#4073)
10. Charlotte Reade, d. 17 July 1918 (#15177)
11. Joanna Madigan, d. 15 Sept 1926 (#18996)
12. Maria Lupo, the woman who was listed as Domenico D'Ingeo's wife when he immigrated in 1917. There are 5 or 6 Maria Lupos who died after that date, and I'd like to see all of their DCs.
13. and to look to maybe find any number of other certificates, like that of Richard Toner

Birth Certificates
1. Martin F. Quinn, b. 29 Mar 1902 (#6395)
2. Terrance B. Quinn, b. 3 Jul 1904 (#14495)
3. and I'll certainly want to look through any indexes they have available to see what other relatives may have filed birth certificates.

Tax Photos
which will cost $35 to order copies of, but which hopefully can be looked at anyway.

Property Tax Assessments

Civil List
for, I hope, more information about Papa's police career.

3. Brooklyn City Register, 210 Joralemon St., Brooklyn
To find documents (deeds, mortgage records) relating to the history of 85 Luquer St.

4. Calvary Cemetary
To find Matthew Madigan's grave, and maybe that of his first wife, Margaret Sullivan, and young children, Matthew Jr. and Josephine. I've also recently come across an 1870 census record for a Matt Maddigan living in Brooklyn in 1870. I'm pretty sure that the Mat Madigan I've seen living in Manhattan in 1870 is actually him - he's got the correct occupation, after all - but if, perchance, the 1870 Brooklynite Madigans are our Madigans, they had a couple older children who would have had to also die young, and seeing whether they're buried at Calvary with Matthew would make that a (closer to) definite yes or no.

5. Holy Cross Cemetary
For any number of graves.

6. The Internet
A brief listing of records that should be online but that I haven't been able to find (yet):
1. 1880 US Census of the Toner family
2. 1892 NYS Census of Julia Toner (I've already found her mother, but she's not there)
3. 1900 US Census of the Mulcahys (For whatever reason, they're not at 85 Luqueer)
4. 1910 US Census of Charles Lanzillotto
5. 1920 US Census of Domenic Gatto
6. 1920 US Census of the D'Ingeo Family
(I don't know to what extent, if at all, the above two records might be only one. Dominic Gatto married Maria D'Ingeo around 1920, I believe, and her father lived with them at times in the next 13 years, before he died.)
7. 1920 US Census of the Quinn Family
8. 1930 US Census of the Quinn Family

Given that I'm only ever in NY on weekends and holidays, I don't see that any of this, other than the internet and maybe the cemetaries, will come to fruition anytime soon. But there's always Christmas break!