Thomas C. A. Buxton VIRNELSON^[1]

1834 - 1906  (71 years)

• Name	Thomas C. A. Buxton VIRNELSON
  Birth	12 Nov 1834	Nansemond Co, VA   [1]
  Gender	Male
  CWSV	See "Commentaries" below.
  EULO	Portsmouth City, VA   [2]
  	Columbus Clinton Virnelson submitted a poetic eulogy to a Portsmouth newspaper in remembrance of his brother Thomas.
  Occupation	1857	Portsmouth, Norfolk Co, VA   [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  	year by year info is from Norfolk City Directories, but I need the citation Thomas worked as a ship carpenter prior to the Civil War. Upon his return to Portsmouth after the War and until the early 1880's, he made his living as a general carpenter. When Seaboard Air Line Railway was created in the early 1880s, he secured employment with them as a car inspector. His employment with Seaboard continued until 1895 when he returned to the carpentry trade.
  Will	11 May 1905	Portsmouth City, VA   [8]
  	Thomas' will appointed his daughter, Claudine, as executrix. He signed his will on 11 May 1905. His signature was witnessed by Norman Cassell and Lucien M. Bailey.
  Death	31 Oct 1906	Portsmouth City, VA   [3, 9]
  	He died during the evening of 31 October 1906 at his Portsmouth home, following an illness of two years. Thomas was 12 days shy of his 72nd birthday at the time of his death.
  funeral	2 Nov 1906	Portsmouth City, VA   [3]
  	Rev. D. P. Harris, pastor of Park View Baptist Church conducted the 3:00PM funeral from the Herbert residence at 1211 Glasgow Street. He was assisted by Rev. Bascom Dey, pastor of Park View Methodist Episcopal Church and the Rev. T. H. Potts, pastor of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church.
  Burial	2 Nov 1906	Portsmouth City, VA   [2, 3, 9]
  	Thomas' body was interred in his family plot at Cedar Grove Cemetery.
  will probated	7 Nov 1906	Portsmouth City, VA   [8]
  	Thomas' will was proved by the oaths of Norman Cassell and Lucian M. Bailey in the clerk's office of the Court of Hustings for the City of Portsmouth, Virginia on 7 November 1906, and ordered to be recorded.
  Person ID	I70	mason
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Father	William S. VIRNELSON,   b. 23 Nov 1806, Virginia d. 15 Jun 1851 (Age 44 years)
  Mother	Telitha Bacon JAMES,   b. 4 Jan 1813, Norfolk Co, VA d. 31 Jan 1888, Portsmouth City, VA (Age 75 years)
  Marriage	29 Dec 1831	Portsmouth, Norfolk Co, VA   [1]
  	The couple was married in Portsmouth, Virginia by the Rev. Thomas Webb on 29 December 1831.
  Family ID	F16	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Harriet Ann HERBERT,   b. 7 Sep 1836, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co, VA d. 19 May 1901 (Age 64 years)
  Marriage	6 Jun 1857	Portsmouth, Norfolk Co, VA   [10, 11]
  	The couple was married in Portsmouth later that day by Rev. Robert J. Taylor. Their marriage register entry noted that both the bride and the groom were residents of Portsmouth and that Thomas made his living as a ship carpenter.
  Children	1. Clerewood LeClere VIRNELSON,   b. 4 Jun 1858, Portsmouth City, VA d. 25 Mar 1938 (Age 79 years)   2. Claudine Herbert VIRNELSON,   b. 7 Aug 1861, Portsmouth City, VA d. 20 Apr 1952, Richmond City, VA (Age 90 years)   3. Herbert Lee VIRNELSON,   b. 24 Jul 1867, Portsmouth City, VA d. 22 Sep 1867, Portsmouth City, VA (Age 0 years)   4. Leon Herbert VIRNELSON,   b. 27 Dec 1870, Portsmouth City, VA d. 25 Nov 1947, Portsmouth City, VA (Age 76 years)   5. Elizabeth Langley VIRNELSON,   b. 27 Aug 1874, Portsmouth City, VA d. 10 Nov 1909, Virginia (Age 35 years)
  Family ID	F9	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Thomas C. A. Buxton Virnelson, c.1859. Clear glass ambrotype in leather pinch case.
  		Thomas C. A. Buxton Virnelson, c.1863/1865
  		1900 US Census / Virnelson, Thomas C. 445 Glasgow Street, Portsmouth, VA
  		Thomas B. Virnelson eulogy (1906). Portsmouth, Virginia.

  
  

  Histories

  The Civil War Service of Thomas C.A.B. Virnelson

  
  

• Notes

  Resided: 20 Jul 1860, Portsmouth City, VA [S1009]

  
  

• Sources

  [S3009] "William S. Virnelson Prescription Book". [S1007] Thomas B. Virnelson eulogy (1906). [S1006] Thomas Buxton Virnelson obituaries, Virginia Pilot, 2 & 3 November 1906. [S1008] 1870 US Census / Virnelson, Thomas B. [S1009] 1860 US census / Herbert, Francis C. [S1010] 1880 US Census / Virnelson, T.C.A.B. [S1011] 1900 US Census / Virnelson, Thomas C. [S4206] Thomas B. Virnelson will (1906), Portsmouth City, VA Will Book 3, pp. 295-296. [S5362] Cedar Grove Cemetery burial registers, Portsmouth, VA. information obtained August 2005. [S1860] Thomas C.A.B. Virnelson - Hattie A. Herbert wedding announcement, Richmond Whig & Public Advertiser, (Richmond, VA) 12 June 1857., Film 144. [S2958] Thos. Vernelson - Hattie Herbert, Norfolk Co, VA marriage register entry (1857).