Bonnie Wade Mucia | Untangling the Darling Web: Advanced Strategies for Same Name Resolution

What do you do when five men named Peter Darling live in the same area—at the same time—with overlapping families? This advanced session addresses the real-world challenge of resolving identity conflicts when multiple individuals share the same name in records. Using a published case study from Rhode Island Roots (Vol. 50, No. 4, Dec. 2024), attendees will walk through the analytical process that separated the Darlings of 18th- and 19th-century Cumberland, Rhode Island. Learn how to build identity profiles, construct timelines, correlate evidence across jurisdictions, and write proof arguments that hold up to genealogical standards. If you’ve ever encountered a same-name mystery—or need tools to prove which ancestor is yours—this session will sharpen your skills and strengthen your conclusions.