12 William Tanners? A new record for confusion

This post is a continuation of the problems outlined in these previous posts:

• An Extreme Example of the Same Name = Same Person Problem -- Part Two
• An Extreme Example of the Same Name = Same Person Problem -- Part One

Continuing my research, I now have twelve possible candidates for my ancestor named William Tanner in Rhode Island in the last part of the 1700s and the early to middle part of the 1800s. Here is the list with the source references for each of the candidates.

William Tanner #1 who signs deed in 1680 as witness

Wife ? Tibbett, daughter of Henry 1685 Stonington, Connecticut

Wife Mary Babcock (Badcock) b 1692 Stonington, Connecticut Marriage before 1715

From Ancestry Database New England Marriages Prior to 1700

William Tanner #2 who dies in 1757 in South Kingstown

Wife Elizabeth, Children 

William

Palmer

Grandson Stephen

Francis (could not have been born before 1736)

Hannah

Mary

Deborah

Elizabeth

Avis

Henry

See Will attached to Francis Tanner

William Tanner #3

Married to ?, Daughter

Mary who married Jonathan Reynolds in 1745

"Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F8KV-WTH : 6 December 2014), William Tanner in entry for Jonathan Reynolds and Mary Tanner, 04 Sep 1745; citing Civil, North Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, reference 2:2B...

William Tanner #4 Exeter

Wife Susannah 

Son William Tanner born 1752

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8ML-1HT : 6 December 2014), William Tanner, 25 Aug 1752; citing Exeter, Washington, Rhode Island, reference p162; FHL microfilm 932,361.

Son William Tanner born 1760

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8QN-VN5 : 6 December 2014), William Tanner, 06 Aug 1760; citing HOPKINTON,WASHINGTON,RHODE ISLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 908,271.

William Tanner #5 North Kingstown

Wife Hannah, son

William 1712

Benjamin 1714

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F87K-VQN : 6 December 2014), William Tanner in entry for Benjamin Tanner, 16 Jun 1714; citing NORTH KINGSTOWN,WASHINGTON,RHODE ISLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 908,270.

William Tanner #8 North Kingstown, b. 1712

Son of William Tanner and Hannah

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F87K-JJN : 6 December 2014), William Tanner, 22 Sep 1712; citing NORTH KINGSTOWN,WASHINGTON,RHODE ISLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 908,270.

William Tanner #6 Hopkinton, b. 1769

Son of Abel Tanner and wife Phebe

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8QN-VNY : 6 December 2014), William Tanner, 08 May 1769; citing HOPKINTON,WASHINGTON,RHODE ISLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 908,271.

Maybe the William Tanner listed in the Rhode Island 1782 Census in Hopkinton, Rhode Island

William Brown Tanner, Hopkinton b. 1772

Son of William Tanner and Ruth

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8QN-VJM : 6 December 2014), William Brown Tanner, 13 Oct 1772; citing HOPKINTON,WASHINGTON,RHODE ISLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 908,271.

William Tanner #7, Hopkinton b. 1772

Son of William Tanner and Nappie

Maybe the same as William Brown Tanner but there is an Elizabeth Tanner listed as a widow

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8QN-VJ3 : 6 December 2014), William Tanner, 13 Oct 1772; citing HOPKINTON,WASHINGTON,RHODE ISLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 908,271.

Maybe the William Tanner (Jr.) listed in the Rhode Island 1782 Census in Hopkinton, Rhode Island

William Tanner #8, Charlestown, b. 1727

Son of John Tanner and Susannah

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8QJ-JF3 : 6 December 2014), William Tanner, 28 Feb 1727; citing CHARLESTOWN,WASHINGTON,RHODE ISLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 908,271.

William Tanner #9 North Kingstown 1747

Appears in the Ancestry.com. Rhode Island, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1740-1890 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

William Tanner #10 b. 1750 Rhode Island

Godfrey Memorial Library, comp.. American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 1999. Heads of Fams. at the first U.S. census. RI. By U.S. Bureau of the Census. Washington, 1908. (71p.):43-4 Gen. Column of the " Boston Transcript". 1906-1941.( The greatest single source of material for gen. Data for the N.E. area and for the period 1600-1800. Completely indexed in the Index.): 14 Jul 1924, 2012; 29 Sep 1924, 2012; 7 Oct 1932, 5381; 25 Jan 1933, 5878

William Tanner #11 b. 1760 Rhode Island

Gen. Column of the " Boston Transcript". 1906-1941.( The greatest single source of material for gen. Data for the N.E. area and for the period 1600-1800. Completely indexed in the Index.):

William Tanner #12 b. ?

Rhode Island 1782 Census in Hopkinton, Rhode Island

Popek, Daniel M. 2016. They "...fought bravely, but were unfortunate": the true story of Rhode Island's "black regiment" and the failure of segregation in Rhode Island's Continental Line, 1777-1783. No page number reference below

I am still doing research, but you can probably tell that none of the sources referenced are, as yet, conclusive of the identity of the father of the three brothers; Francis, Nathan and Benjamin. 

This may serve as an example of what happens when you do a lot of research about one person and don't just grab the first candidate with the same name as you believe to be your ancestor's name to be.