Rev. Thomas Stringfield

Sarah King Williams married Rev. Thomas Stringfield, another North Carolina transplant in 1826. Stringfield was the founder of the local Methodist Church. His family also donated land for the railroad and Strawberry Plains College in 1848. He and Sarah had eight children. His wife Sarah died in 1842. He later married Mrs. Mary H. Cockrill. Rev. Stringfield was a remarkable man who was described by William Rule in his history of Knoxville as, “a man of large ability, good education, and wonderful powers of endurance.” In his later years Thomas Stringfield served as the depot agent at Strawberry Plains. He died in and is buried in the Stringfield Cemetery at the Hamilton Fort.

The Stringfield Family Graveyard, maintained by the Methodist Church. Four names appear on each side of this monument.

Sarah Stringfield, wife of Rev. T. Stringfield, Born January 6, 1812, Died April 5, 1842

Mary H. Stringfield, wife of Rev. Thomas Stringfield, born Dec. 21, 1795, died Oct. 20, 1867.

Son, John Soul Stringfield, born Nov. 18, 1828, died Aug. 9, 1848.

Rev. Thomas Stringfield, born Feb. 12, 1797, died June 12, 1858.

Several other unmarked graves are located in this cemetery.

The Stringfield Cemetery is located on the Hamilton Fort overlooking the Holston River and the Railroad bridge. The fort was used during the Civil War to guard against enemy attacks on the bridge.

Rev. Thomas Stringfield’s son, William Williams Stringfield (1837-1923) was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but spent much of his youth in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. 

He also served as depot agent for the railroad. During the Civil War, Stringfield served in various Confederate units and became a Major.  His brother,James K. Stringfield became a minister in Venezula and had much to do with the land dispute settlement between the United States and Venezuela.