STRINGER BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri
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STRINGER, Joseph E.
source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - 
page: 568
residence: Leesville Twp

Joseph E. Stringer, Union veteran and retired farmer of Leesville township, is one 
of the old settlers of Henry County who has lived on his fine farm of eighty acres 
in eastern Leesville township for the past fifty years. He has, during this long 
period, built up a very pretty country place which is the acme of comfort for his 
declining years. Mr. Stringer was born near the city of Alton, Madison County, 
Illinois, April 26, 1842. He is the son of Levi and Louisa (Donnegan) Stringer, the 
former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter of whom was a native of 
Georgia. Their respective parents were pioneer settlers in Madison County and 
were there reared, married and spent all of their lives. Hearkening to the first 
call of President Lincoln for troops with which to quell the rebellion of the 
Southern States, Joseph E. Stringer enlisted in May, 1861, in Company I, 9th 
Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served for nearly two years in some of 
the hardest fought campaigns of the Civil War. He was severely wounded in the 
left elbow at the battle of Corinth, Mississippi, October 3, 1862, and crippled for 
life. He lost from his left elbow the so-called "funny bone" or point of the elbow 
and twenty-one pieces of bone were taken from his arm. The result was what is 
termed by science as a complete "ankelosis" and the arm has never been of much 
use. He fought at the great battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing, 
prior to receiving his wound. Returning home he found conditions not to his liking 
as many thousands of returned veterans discovered on going back to the old home 
place after years of warfare. His health was impaired and he determined to heed 
Greeley's advice to "Go West." He came West, traveled over Kansas and Missouri, 
and like his old neighbor, Andrew D. McQueen, found the likable and health giving 
spot, the Leesville neighborhood. He bought eighty acres of land and placed all of 
the improvements upon it. This fine farm has been his home for half a century and 
he has never regretted coming to Missouri and Henry County, the garden spot of 
the West. In November of 1867 Joseph E. Stringer and Miss Louisa Edwards were 
united in marriage. Mrs. Louisa Stringer was born in 1840 and departed this life 
in 1908 a well beloved and faithful wife and companion of Mr. Stringer for over 
forty years of happy wedded life. She was born in Illinois, the daughter of Louis 
B. Edwards, who was a pioneer of Henry County. Two children blessed this union; 
Effie L., her father's housekeeper, and Leora, wife of Robert Wilson, who operates 
the Stringer home place. Mr. Stringer has always voted the Republican ticket and 
has filled local township offices, always having taken a warm interest in civic 
affairs. When a young man he knew Abraham Lincoln personally and was his warm 
supporter in the great emancipator's political campaigns in Illinois. He has 
visited in Lincoln's Illinois home and saw his body after his assassination when 
the entire state of Illinois and the Nation did honor to his remains. He is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Dan McCook Post Grand Army of 
the Republic.

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