PORTSMOUTH — If you’ve been to Town Hall recently, you may have seen something different inside the south entrance.

It’s a model of the brig Random that was built by Capt. Alfred Southwick Chase (1822-1900) of Portsmouth, a mariner who was listed as the ship’s master in an 1855 registry.

David Chase, Capt. Chase’s great-great-great uncle, donated the model to the Portsmouth Historical Society, which in turn loaned it to Town Hall. The model was restored by Den Holmes of Ship Model Restoration of Abbottstown, Penn., and the display case was handcrafted by David Chase.

Capt. Chase became a sailor at age 19 and become owner and master of several ships in the Newport area, including Random, which was built in 1847. The brig’s registration was canceled in 1856 after the vessel was wrecked in Cuba.

Capt, Chase, one of the last survivors of the Newport Marien Society, took up farming in the latter part of his life and passed away in 1900, according to Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr.

“He was one of the best-known sea captains sailing in this area and is buried at St. Mary’s,” Rainer said.