Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-12-25

Among the extraordinary men whose names
are associated in my memory with the early his
tory of Troy would name Benjamin Covel.
ESD. commonly known as Uncle Ben" don't
know precisely where he came FROM but he was
free to say (and he seldom or ever went back to
an earlier orign) that he "was old Gen. Put
nam servant at The battle of Bunkers Hill =
and boosted also that he began life in building
store fences and digging cellars, &c. His ca
reer at Troy commenced as a merchant. and he
enjoyed Il reputation OF great wealth when he
gave up business or, to use his own language,
he Swan in silver and gold" lie was OF a
light complexion, with tlaXen hair and an active
and expressive sharp blue eye.
He was man of great industry and cndur-
ance, but not Of method and accuracy; he was
in a word 'harum scarum" man--ful of odd
conceits and withal Of great eccentrcty and
rough humor. On leaving off trade he had re-
naming unsold in his store sundry articles which
were not only un-aleabe becaus Of their extrav-
agant cost, but untitled to the customs and usa-
ees of the times, and one ofhis concets was TO
use them himself Hence at times he might be
seen with an eXtravagant pair of Spanish mas
slNe silver spurs, which covered the whole heel
and most OF the ln>iea of his boot-just such
spurs as might be seen in au old picture of Don
Qui"otte. Al another time, on lis farm lust be.
low Troy, called "Coyel's folly" he might be
seen as an amateur poughman. following two
Wild looking horses, Qor everything about him
was OF Il wild. odd character) guiding Il plough
which required the utmost activity TO hold on To.
and wearing beautiful and line silk stockings,
with elaborate clocks On being incrrogatcd
once by Judge T.. whose farm adorned the folly
farm as to his extravaganza Of silk, and how
he managed to guard against his toe nails cut
ting his silk stockings IN such trough and tum-
bic" work, his answer was that he pulled all his
toe nails out by the roots for the express purpose
of wearing silk stockings with economy and i'm
punity, and advised the Judge TO try the expert
melt.
Irecollect this anecdote from the circumstance
Of It's having been made charge AGAINST I'm
Gle Dens" sanity. on subsequent occasion,
when an attempt was made 70 pat his property
under guardianship: and the roar of laughter in
Court when Judge Spencer asked the witness
(Nho testified to the fact that Cncle Ben did 20
assert and advise in rc"1rd 10 toe nails whether
he bsiicyed Uncle Ben really was in earnest. By
some strange hallucination lie took it into his
head once that "Onondagi hollow was the re-
sort of bad SPIRITS but this was long before canal
or railroad lad penetrated that quarter, and il was
in that day sort Of terra iucognita." A per-
son came to Troy from there. and by some acct
dent incurred his displcasure. Uncle Ben OPEN
y assaied this individual and charged him with
crimes that ought to hang him "wtIout beneti,
OF clergy a quiet, digniied person (wlom
Uncle Ben much rcspccted) rebukcd him for this
eXtravagant charge, and added--"See now, Mr.
Coyel, huig gal would be that mans fate 70 die
in his sin and not have the benefit Of clergy Il,
that last hour. Where would he CO. think You
Would he not go down to-" Not he,' in.
terrupjcd Uncle Ben; "catch him at that-no
no. deacon, that fellow knows better; if YOU
hang him in Troy to-day, I'll wager my spurs OF
solid silver that YOU will find the id rascal
coming up next week in Onondaga hollow"
Among his amusements was that of harness.
ing up on Saturday a wild runaway looking
horse, with ragged mane and tail. in an old rick.
ETY. chaise with long grasshoprer springs, anc
driving rapidly along down River street by hi.
row OF houses in Troy, called "Covcl's row. and
at the top of his voice calling to his tenants to
turn out and come to the farm" designating
each man by some popularity of his trade -
"Come along, Graves, Ohe baker, and brine
some of your biscuit and crackers alono viii
YOU, but see that You count 'em out riGlt ~
"Hillow, Cooper let the baker have a Iiouo,
cask, well coopered, to put his crackers in o,
they will leak out" Come I.archer. throw
down your goose and shears and come to IN,
farm. Come along all Of you" And thus hi,
welcome invitation would run, and at the farm ;
gathering of all sorts OF people would follow, an,
The entertainment there was Characteristic :
Plenty of every thing, from iced punch to col,
pork, provided and his only injunction was. ga
and drink all you can, but pocket nothing"
When "Uncle Ben" was in his best trim. es
pecially on Sunday, (lor with all his oddities h,
was constant and regular attendant at church
his appearance was very striking-vellOw ton
boots and splendid cloak of fine blue lined will
BRIGHT crimson veve' and long gold chain a