By Richard Kaufman on Patch on April 25, 2025
GUILFORD, CT — An installation ceremony for a “Witness Stone” honoring Cuff, a former enslaved resident at the Henry Whitfield House, will be held at the Henry Whitfield State Museum on Saturday, May 17, at 11 a.m., according to an announcement from the town.
Cuff was enslaved at the Whitfield House from 1772 to 1775 by Joseph and Sarah (Ruggles) Pynchon. He was a gardener and teamster and may have served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, the town noted in an announcement. Cuff was researched and remembered by Elizabeth C. Adams Middle School students this year.
Speakers at the installation ceremony will include Patricia Wilson Pheanious, executive director of the Witness Stones Project (WSP) and a former Connecticut state representative. Pheanious’ ancestors were among the first to be memorialized with witness stones in Guilford.
WSP’s mission is to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who helped build communities. Dennis Culliton, WSP co-founder and director of education and special projects, will share Cuff’s story and the research involved in uncovering it.
The installation ceremony is free and open to all and will be held rain or shine. Following the program, attendees are invited to tour the Whitfield House and visitor center exhibit galleries.
