Daniel Frederick Bakeman- recognized as the last surviving pensioner of the American Revolution.
A Revolutionary War veteran with ties to Cattaraugus County.
Biographical Details
Born: Circa 1759/1760 near the Delaware River, New Jersey (Dutch ancestry).
Died: April 5, 1869, in Freedom, Cattaraugus Co., N.Y., at the age of 109 years, 6 months, and 21 days.
Wife: Susan Brewer (1758–1863). They were married for 81 years; she lived to be 105.
Children: Philip, Richard, Christopher, Betsey, Margaret, Susan, Mary, and Christine.
Military Service
Enlistment: Enrolled in 1777 in a company commanded by Capt. Van Arnum and Col. Marinus Willett (New York Militia).
Service: Participated in the skirmish at Fort Plain and later served as a teamster during the last four years of the war.
Pension: In 1867, at age 107, he was granted a special pension of $500 per year by an act of Congress.
Residency & Legacy
During the Revolution, his family resided in the Mohawk Valley, N.Y.
He later lived in Arcade (Wyoming Co.) before settling in Freedom (Cattaraugus Co.) in 1845.
His grave was marked by the Olean Chapter of the D.A.R. on June 17, 1915
Burial & Grave Marker
Location: Sandusky Cemetery, Freedom, N.Y.
D.A.R. Marker: On June 17, 1915, the Olean Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) placed an official bronze marker at his grave.
Tombstone Inscription:
"DANIEL F. BAKEMAN DIED APRIL 5, 1869 AE 109 Y. 5 M. 26 D. SUSAN HIS WIFE DIED SEPT. 10, 1863 AE 105 Y. 8 M. 8 D. He was a Revolutionary soldier and his last days were rewarded with a pension of five hundred dollars a year during his life."
Historic Path of Cattaraugus County
Other References
Heitman—Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, rev. ed. 1914.
Munsey’s Magazine—August 1898, p. 689, "The pension problem," by H. Clay Evans, Commissioner of Pensions.
Personal Records: Letters from descendants, interviews with great-grandchildren and neighbors, and records gathered by Maud D. Brooks.