EAST HADDAM, Conn. -- Historians and others gathered Tuesday morning in an ancient graveyard in East Haddam to reinstall a once decaying headstone of a former slave.

Monument experts replaced the headstone of former slave, Meg Smith, the wife of Venture Smith, an African prince.

Venture Smith was taken from his country and put into slavery, but bought his way out of slavery along with his family.

The 18th century gravestone sits in the Smith plot in a Colonial-era cemetery at the First church of Christ in East Haddam.

“To me, it speaks to the human spirit to preserve boldly against all odds,” said historian Douglas Jones.

Jones said Venture Smith overcame odds; he was taken into slavery at the age of 6 from Guinea, Africa. He was the first son of the king. He toiled hard and bought his way out of slavery.

Jones said Venture Smith lived the American dream before there was a United States, and he became prosperous and bought waterfront land in East Haddam. The land was once known as the Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Power Plant.

The Smith’s family plot is not far from where they lived and farmed.

The 200-year-old brownstone tablet that marks Meg Smith’s burial site was badly deteriorated and had to be painstakingly restored.

The Zito Monument Firm cleaned the ancient marker, and prior to reinstalling it, the Rev. Heath Terry, of South Norwalk, blessed the ground.