It is likely that he may have been the child of a earlier marriage, and had been cared for by relatives when Brittain went to Dutchess Co, or that he may have left his father's house in Dutchess Co and returned to Dartmouth where his father and mother were married and he had many relatives. The family dissatisfaction over the will seems further evidence of some irregularity there.
His intention to marry is recorded Jan 8, 1774. He is referred to as William Jr. to distinguish him from another William then living in Dartmouth.
At a town meeting at the Dartmouth Townhouse on 21st of March 1776 William Tallman was chosen Selectman for the year. He was appointed a commissary of forces stationed at Darmouth, MA by the House of Representatives on 28 Mar 1776. Was a real estate and ship owner, but much of his property was destroyed by the Tories, due to his stand on Independence (this is too similar to the story of Capt Elihu Akin, Rhoda’s father, to be a coincidence - could it have been a confused family story).
A 1790 census listing for Wm Tallman in Dartmouth shows:
male 2 < 16, 1 > 16 and 6 females
which would match with the ages of his known family at the time.
About 1796 he moved to Saratoga, New York and later to Herkimer County, New York in the Mohawk Valley, where he settled.
An 1810 census listing for Wm Talman in Schuyler, Herkimer Co shows:
male 1>10, 2=10-16, 1>45 female 1=16-26, 1>45
The history of the three counties lists his name as Ebenezer. His name appears with two service records for the War of 1812 ("French War") in 1814, and family tradition says this is how he died.
It seems as if not only did the Wayne Co history confuse his name with his son, Ebenezer, but got the war story attached to the wrong person as well. See Ebenezer’s notes and those of Rhoda’s father, Elihu Akin.