Talk:Lemuel Cook

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Last surviving Rev War veteran?

I am looking through this fascinating book that references Cook, "Last Men of the Revolution", and I am sorry to burst the claim that he was the last survivor, but I am seeing that another of the men featured, Samuel Downing, died on February 19, 1867. The original 1864 portion of Hilliard's book ends by noting that 5 were then alive, and the words "One of these five men will be the last survivor of the American Revolution. Which will it be?" The 1968 annotated version goes on to say,

It is an ironic circumstance that the best historic evidence suggests that "the last survivor of the American Revolution" was unknown to both Hilliard and Tomlinson: "The LAST SOLDIER OF THE REVOLUTION. In the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Pensions for the year 1874 appears the following paragraph; 'With the death of Daniel T. Bakeman, of Freedom, Cattaraugas County, N.Y., April 5, 1869, the last of the pensioned soldiers of the Revolution passed away'" (Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, Washington DC., 1914, p. 61).

In case that is unclear, the 1968 editor, Garrett, is quoting Heitman (1914) who is quoting a 1874 pension report, with the info that Bakeman was the last surviving Rev War vet. So on this basis, I am going to remove the claim. Til Eulenspiegel (talk) 17:44, 14 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Yea the family wants to think he is the last, and they should be proud of his service, but he was not the last. Bakeman was, but if you say you must have proof, and over 6 months of service, then ok. Bakeman and Gray are not the last - Then Samuel Downing becomes the last. (PershingBoy)63.3.10.1 (talk) 06:31, 15 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Could someone enter a bio. of Samuel Downing? on wikipedia

SAMUEL DOWNING, who died as aheady(?) announced, at his home near Northville, in Saratogh County, on Monday, Feb. 19: "He was born in Newburyport, Mass., Nov. 30, 1761. He was therefore in the 106th year of his age when he died--his precise age being 105 years, 2 months and 21 days. He entered the army of the Revolution when he was 16.

This is from a New York Newspaper of 1867. Also his grave can be located. Do a search. (PershingBoy)63.3.10.1 (talk) 07:18, 15 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Civil War

Perhaps obvious from the above discisions of competing dates of death of the oldest, verifiable Revolutionaty soldiers...But it seems they alll survived the next great war....the Civil War. Curious if they had any public comments recorded. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dosware (talk • contribs) 05:53, 16 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed, that is the theme of the book The Last Men of the Revolution that came out in 1864. It featured interviews and photographs of the seven last surviving veterans of the Continental army, and the Civil War was certainly on everyone's mind. In the case of Lemuel Cook, we read:

Speaking of the present war, he said, in his strong tones, at the same time bringing down his cane with force upon the floor, "It is terrible; but, terrible as it is, the rebellion must be put down!"

Another, William Hutchings, said he was praying for Grant, had lost four or five grandchildren in the war, and regarding slavery, he declared "God will never suffer it to exist in this country."

But the most colorful remarks on the subject belong to the above-mentioned Samuel Downing. The interviewer asked him what he thought George Washington would say "if he was here now." He replied:

"Say? I don't know, but he'd be mad to see me sitting here. I tell 'em if they give me a horse I'll go as it is. If the rebels come here, I shall sartingly take my gun. I can see best furtherest off."

He also said that Washington would have hanged the rebels, and that he wished to live long enough to see them defeated. (Downing finally did go to rest in February, 1867) Til Eulenspiegel /talk/ 19:33, 31 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

File:Lemuel Cook.jpeg