He left a memorial for future Masons unique in America. He built his stone house to be used as a Masonic meeting hall, then he personally incised it with many Masonic signs and symbols so he could examine and entertain visiting brethren.
But he left no portraits of himself for future generations as many early American leaders did. So historians assembled his descendants to reconstruct his countenance digitally. The photograph you see here is a carefully blended combination of full-face portraits of descendants that included John Montgomery Belk, late president of the department store chain.
Betty Nisbet was a direct descendant who remembered the faces of many of her relatives. She claimed to remember “the look” of the Alexanders from personal experience. When she first saw the photograph published here, she immediately said, “That’s it.”
It was used as the model for the statue that stands outside the Hezekiah Alexander house today.
This intermediary composite photograph of several descendants of Hezekiah Alexander shows their remarkable facial resemblances.
The final photograph refines ears and hairline and adds authentic 18th century Charlotte clothing.
Produced by the public relations committee of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of Masons in North Carolina,
2921 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27628 MMVIII
Author/editor: Walter J. Klein wklein(at)carolina.rr.com
