In 1786, when he was “about 10 or 11years” old, a boy named Cyrus was sold to James Brace of Harwinton for the sum of 40 pounds. The bill of sale was signed by Josiah Butler and Nathan Brace in the presence of Margaret Brace and Nathan Brace. Nathan and James Brace were brothers and Margaret Brace was the wife of Josiah Butler. Nothing is known about Cyrus’s parents or earlier years. Federal census records show that in 1790 both James Brace and Josiah Butler had enslaved people in their households.. By 1800, James Brace no longer enslaved anyone, but he had a free Person of Color living in his household. It is unclear whether that person was Cyrus. By 1820 there were no Persons of Color, free or enslaved, in Brace’s household. The records do not tell us where Cyrus went.