1763 Grave Marker

1763 Grave Marker in Trinity Church courtyard/graveyard
500 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia
circa 1763

Here is my find of the day in my Urban Lettering Project & Topography Quest near the Tidewater Community College | Visual Arts Center | 340 High Street.

This stone memorial is set in a serif typeface. I don't know anything about this one. In fact I can hardly read it.

But on looking at it longer and closer maybe:
The top line is the name, I can almost make out 'Alex P. Scot', now was the last name Scot or was he a Scot, both could be true in Virginia.
'Merch" with the little T could be short hand for Merchant.
The next word I think is Norfolk, with the word being broken onto two lines (between the O and the L)
obt may stand for Obituary.
Then I think I see the word Gosport, again broken onto two lines. which could stand for Gosport, UK near Portsmouth Bay.
Tyhe next piece I am not sure about it -- IAN? don't know what this means.
The small 'R' might stand for 'rest'.
and the date. 1763.

My guess might be that this typeface is a version of whatever the mason chiseler knew how to make. This example is pretty standard of a handful of this type of headstones in the little courtyard. All of them equally readable by me (not).

I think the reason I am spending time in the this little cemetery is because on October 4th a teacher who taught at TCC died. It was unexpected by us; he was in his thirties. In fact, all three of my girls had taken Art History with him, and LOVED him. In fact one is currently in the class, he just didn't show up for class one day; and she was only taking it because he was teaching it - she did not need that class. He was so unconventional, fun and really knew his stuff. In fact, he could take kids who didn't even like the subject and by the end, they were 'talkin' the language' ~ and that is huge. So things here have been a little 'low', each of the girls are taking the news in their own way, and for me, the graveyard seems like a good place to be.

Appreciate those who are around you; for you never know when they will be gone.


Other urban topography & lettering photos in this series:

In Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia
All Saints Chapel : 500 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Historical Placard Q 8A : 500 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
1763 Grave Marker : 500 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Two Crosses : 500 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
FOOTE Memorial Stone : 500 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Bangel Law Building : 505 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Portsmouth Public Library : 606 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Pythian Castle : 600-612 Court Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Chapman Building : 310 High Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Coffee House Facade : 300 High Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Towne Bank Building : 200 High Street, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA

In downtown Norfolk, Virginia
Martin Building : 300 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Velvet Lounge : 332 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Madison Hotel : 345 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
The Fontaine Room : 345 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia, USA