Daniel F. Bakeman

Daniel Frederick Bakeman (October 9, 1759 – April 5, 1869) was ostensibly the last surviving veteran of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). He was born in Schoharie County, New York and at the age of twelve married Susan Brewer (who was fourteen and a half) on August 29, 1772. Their marriage, at 91 years and 12 days, is the longest claimed on record and also the only marriage claimed to have exceeded 90 years. Together they had eight children: Phillip, Richard, Christopher, Betsey, Margaret, Susan, Mary and Christine. Susan died on September 10, 1863 at the age of one hundred and five years.

Records have shown that in 1825 the Bakemans settled in Arcade, New York, in a home on the north side of the County Line Road. In 1845 he moved to Freedom, remaining there until his death.

Later life and death
On February 14, 1867, the United States Congress passed a special act which granted a Revolutionary War pension to Bakeman. The act was required because Bakeman could not prove that he had served in New York. While on a four day trip from central New York to Albany, New York for wheat and other supplies, Bakeman's home burned down with nothing salvagable. This would occur two more times in his life. At the time, the longest surviving veterans who were on the pension rolls were Lemuel Cook of Clarendon, New York (d. May 20, 1866), and Samuel Downing of Edinburgh, New York (d. February 19, 1867). They resided for over 42 years in Herkimer County, New York, and part of the time in the town of Stark, New York where he owned a farm. George Fruits also claimed to be the last surviving veteran of the Revolutionary War (by the Daughters of the American Revolution), but was never on the pension rolls.

Bakeman died six months before his 110th birthday on April 5, 1869 and is buried in Sandusky Cemetery, Freedom, New York.