Stringfield, Thomas

Stringfield, Thomas, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Kentucky in 1796. He embraced religion when only eight years of age, and in his twelfth year removed to Alabama. In the War of 1812 he became a soldier under Gen. Jackson, and maintained his Christian character throughout. He joined the Tennessee Conference Nov. 10, 1816, and when the Holston Conference was set off he became a member of it. In 1825-26 the Gallagher controversy was at its zenith, and Mr. Stringfield felt called upon to defend Methodism against the caricatures and slanders of its enemies, which he did at the expense of great labor and of thousands of dollars. In 1828 he obtained leave to be without an appointment, owing to feeble health. From 1829 to 1832 he was agent for the Holston Conference Seminary, and in 1836 was elected editor of the Southwestern Christian Advocate, and filled that office until 1841. He was agent of the American Bible Society from 1844 to 1849. In 1852 he was agent for the Strawberry Plains College. He was made supernumerary in 1853, effective in 1854, superannuated again in 1856, and thus continued until his death, July 12, 1858. See Minutes of Annual Conferences of the M.E. Church, South, 1858, p. 25.