Olde Towne in Portsmouth, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Capt. James Hamilton

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones, June 3, 2026

1. Capt. James Hamilton Marker

Inscription. Sacred
to the memory of
Capt. James Hamilton
a native of Scotland
Born on the 5th of August 1760 Educated by pious parents & bound to the sea.
Became a citizen of the United States
at the close of the Revolutionary War.
Still following the sea, he became a Shipmaster
and on a voyage from Baltimore to
Denmark he converted to God through
the instrumentality of his mate who was
a Methodist. July 1790
Returning to Baltimore, he joined the Methodist
Episcopal Church which his friend was a faithful member
and worthy of imitation in piety, integrity & charity.
He lived among friends and died in
Portsmouth, Va. on the 12th May 1835 in the
75th year of his age in full hope of a
happy immortality.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Religion & Religious Structures • War, US Revolutionary • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is May 12, 1835.

Location. 36° 50.239′ N, 76° 18.121′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is in Olde Towne. It can be reached from Glasgow Street east of Dinwiddie Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 425 Glasgow Street, Portsmouth VA 23704, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads,

specifically in Coastal Virginia,

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Founding of the Nation (here, next to this marker); William Porter (here, next to this marker); Glasgow Street Park (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Glasgow Street Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Pre-Fabricated Houses (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Watts House (about 400 feet away); The Yellow Fever of 1855 (about 400 feet away); The Founding of Edmarc (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portsmouth.

Additional commentary.
1. About the dedication
While most tombstone dedications do not serve as historical markers, this one does. It shares details of the life of Capt. James Hamilton at length.

— Submitted June 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 3, 2026

2. Capt. James Hamilton Marker

Several grave stones on display on the grounds of Glasgow Street Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 3, 2026

3. Several grave stones on display on the grounds of Glasgow Street Park

Credits. This page was last revised on June 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 7, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.