Cuff Capeny was one of the roughly 400 African Americans
from Connecticut who fought in the Revolutionary War.
Other African American soldiers from Waterbury included
Joseph Munn, Castor Freeman, Lemuel “Pete” Peters,
Shelton (no last name given), and an unnamed man (possibly
Grigg) belonging to John Trumbull. Capeny served as a
private in Capt. Theophilus Munson’s Company, enlisting
on May 26, 1777.
Concerned about the risks of warfare, Cuff Capeny wrote
out his will on June 2, 1777, leaving 5 pounds each to
“my friend Timothy a Negro man living with Isaac
Newton [of Waterbury]” and to “Silence, a servant
of...Joseph Hopkins.” In addition, Capeny gave £10
to Stephen Bronson, £6 to Moses Cook, a “caster”
hat to Asa Hopkins and a beaver hat to Joseph Hopkins,
Jr. The remainder of his estate, consisting of “clothing,
notes of hand,” and wages owed to Capeny, was left
to his executor, Joseph Hopkins.
Capeny died the following year. The war records indicate
that he “mustered dead” in March 1778.
back to Waterbury's African Americans List
