His last name is mainly spelled with only one “T”, but sometimes with two. It is as yet unclear when and under what circumstances he migrated from Canada to New York.
"Daniel, a restless man, never remained in one place very long. When last heard of he was living in New York State. Married, and had a family." (Haight, 1899 p.70).
"There is the suggestion that Daniel married for a second time but no proof. By 1865, he had become a naturalized citizen of the United States. He was a private (musician) in I company, 14th New York Infantry (during the Civil War). He resided in Lewis County, New York; the state of Georgia; and Rodman Township, Jefferson County, New York." (Ruttan, 1986 p.38).

Based on birthplace of his children, he and Melissa apparently moved to Georgia (1846-1854) and back to New York for some reason. After being married in 1844 in New York, he is listed in the 1850 census for Gwinnett Co, GA as Daniel H. Rootan (31) a farmer, with his wife Melissa (31) and sons Levi (6 NY) and Charles (2 GA).
By 1860, he had moved the family back to Martinsburg in Lewis Co, NY where he is listed as a farmer, with his wife and 5 children. However, the data on their birthplaces seems quite jumbled; showing he & his wife born in Connecticut and kids in NY.
He was recruited by Capt. H. R. Sahee at Lowville, NY to serve two years in the Union Army of the Civil War. Served in Co I, 14th Reg of New York Volunteers from 6 May 1861 to 23 May 1862. He was described as a farmer, 42 years old, 5’ 10” tall, dark complexion, black eyes and brown hair, born in Lewis Co, NY.
His military records list him under both Ruttan and Rutan; and show him as a musician from May thru August 1861, then a Corporal until Nov 20 when he was reduced to the rank of Private and assigned as a Nurse/attendant at the Brigade Hospital in Fort Monroe, VA. He was reported there thru May 1862 when he was given a disability discharge by order of Gen. Wool for “imperfect vision, great age, and general debility”. He apparently was injured shortly after joining the army at Miner’s Hill, VA with a rupture of his left side and while riding in a carriage to Washington City (DC) a cinder was thrown up from the road and lodged in his eye. It became swollen and infected and his eyesight was impaired.
He was described as 5’10”, dark complexion, light hair and blue eyes.
By 1865, he had become a naturalized citizen of the United States.
He is listed in the 1870 census for Rodman, NY as a farmer (53) with $4,500 of land, with his wife Melissa (52), son Charles (22) and daughter Mary (15).
He spent over 10 years (from 1886 to 1897 when he died) trying to collect on a disability claim. Seems that Government bureaucracy was alive and well in the late 1800s. Appears as though he ended up back in New York around 1892 or so (Bath, Steuben Co) trying to find some medical records to bolster his claims. There is one affidavit showing him living in Lyons Falls, Lewis Co, NY in Nov 1896 just before he died.
The various affidavits list him as being in Lyons Falls, Lewis Co, NY and Evansville, Washington Co, AR prior to 6 July 1886; Valley Springs, Boone Co, AR as of 15 Jul 1890; and Tobucksy Co, Indian Territory living with Joshua Goddard either before or after that.