24 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Jam. 
MEMOIIi OF JUDGE BUEL. 
Among many distinguished individuals who may have 
justly earned the title of benefactors of our country, 
the memory of none is cherished with more lively re¬ 
spect and gratitude, by the Agricultural community, 
than that of Jesse Buel; and though the history of 
his career may not be new to some of our readers, we 
Are convinced that the deep interest which is felt in 
©ne whose life was in so great a degree devoted to the 
public good, will be regarded as a sufficient reason for 
presenting the following brief memoir, which we have 
illustrated with a portrait of the Judge, and a view of 
fehe monument erected to his memory, by his family, in 
the cemetery of the Middle Dutch Reformed Church.* 
Judge Buel was one of the noblest specimens of 
self-made men. Destitute of even the advantages 
now afforded by our common schools, he became, by 
his own unassisted efforts in the attainment of know- 
ledge, one of our most eminent, useful, and honored 
citizens. Born at Coventry, Conn., on the 4th of Jan¬ 
uary, 1778, he removed, at the age of twelve years, 
with his parents, to Rutland, Vt., where, at the age of 
fourteen, he was apprenticed to the printing business. 
After devoting himself with great assiduity t,o his trade 
for four years, he succeeded in buying the remaining 
three years of his time, and went to New-York, where 
he commenced work as a journeyman printer. He 
subsequently worked in this city, and was for a short 
time at Lansingburgh and Waterford. When in his 
20th year, he, in connection with Mr. Moffat of Troy, 
established the u Troy Budget,” one of the few papers 
of that day which has been continued to the present 
time. In Sept., 1801, he removed to Poughkeepsie, 
where he and Mr. Joiner, commenced a weekly paper 
*The New-York State Ag. Society, proposed to the family of 
Jndge Buel, last year, to purchase a lot in the new eemetry on the 
.Troy road, and to remove the remains and the monument, to that 
beautiful burial place; but the proposition was declined, they pre¬ 
ferring to have them remain in the family cemetery. 
called “ The Guardian.” This paper was eontmroJ 
but a year, when he formed another co-partnership, and 
commenced another weekly paper called the * f Political 
Banner.” This proved an unfortunate concern; and in 
about a year, through the mismanagement or dishon¬ 
esty of others, involved him in total bankruptcy. 
Nothing discouraged by his misfortune, he pressed on¬ 
ward, and as early as 1803, we find him once more lo¬ 
cated, and establishing another journal. This was 
“ The Plebian,” at Kingston, Ulster county. Here he 
resided for ten years, and by his industry and frugality, 
succeeded in retrieving his losses, and acquiring con¬ 
siderable property. During his residence at Kingston 
he held, for several years, the office of Judge in the 
Ulster county court. In 3813, having become favora¬ 
bly known as an editor, he was induced, through the 
influence of Judge Spencer, to remove to Albany. 
Here he established the Cl Albany Argus,” and the 
next year, 3814, was appointed State printer, which 
office he held till 1820, when he sold out the Argus, 
and retired from the printing business. Through all 
this period, his industry, application and study, were 
unremitting. 11 It is worthy of remark,” says Prof. 
Dean, 11 that while engaged in this business, he always 
performed, himself, the labor essential to its successful 
prosecution. He.was always the setter of his own 
types, and until he came to Albany, the worker of his 
own press.” 
But it was as an agriculturist, and by his efforts to 
improve the condition of the agricultural interest of 
the country, that Judge Buel became pre-eminently 
useful. He very early in life manifested a deep interest 
in rural pursuits, and while editor of the Plebian at 
Kingston, and of the Argus at Albany, frequently de¬ 
voted a column or two of those papers to agricultural 
and horticultural affairs; and on his retirement from 
the latter paper in 1820, he determined to devote him¬ 
self to those pursuits. That he might the better ex- 
