THE STRINGFELLOW FAMILY
Further information about the Stringfellow Family and
those buried at the Stringfellow Moore Cemetery
those buried at the Stringfellow Moore Cemetery
Grapevine Springs area was a settlement in itself. Early settlers here were John and Sara Carroll Stringfellow. This couple donated an acre of land to establish Coppell’s first place of worship. Originally named Grapevine Springs Chapel, it became Grapevine Methodist Episcopal Church South September 17, 1879.
In the early years of this congregation a building was erected and used jointly by both Baptist and Methodist congregations. Lumber for the building was brought to Coppell by teams of horses and oxen from sawmills in East Texas. The pier foundation was constructed by sturdy oak and bois d’arc timbers. Today that location in Olde Coppell is the northwest corner of South Coppell Road and West Bethel Road. Charter members of the first congregation included Sterling Stringfellow, Sallie Stringfellow, and Mr. And Mrs. J. M. Stringfellow.
The Baptist Church was built across the street and dedicated in 1902. The original Methodist church building was replaced in 1936 in Olde Coppell. In 1979, the now First United Methodist Church was relocated on the corner of Heartz Road and Bethel School Road. As the church grew, a private preschool was founded, and the name became Stringfellow School.
Stringfellow -Moore Cemetery is located near the Grapevine Springs area where the family first settled. It is located in a residential area on Christi Lane, off Moore Road. Thomas Jefferson ’T J’ Stringfellow (1866-1949) & Amanda ’Mandy’ E. Moore Stringfellow (1864-1906) are buried here along with many extended Stringfellow relatives. TJ was the son of John & Sarah Stringfellow shown above. Mandy was the daughter of Henry Clay Moore. George William ’Green” Stringfellow 1879-1915 was born in Coppell and is buried in Grapevine.
The Stringfellow name still has a presence in Coppell. Stringfellow Street is a residential street in north Coppell. After a new church was constructed, the fellowship hall was named Stringfellow Hall. Today, the First United Methodist Church, Coppell, has Stringfellow decedents as members.
In 1894, just two years after the town changed its name from Gibbs to Coppell, John Stingfellow’s youngest daughter, Edna Jeanette, married John Marion Kirkland. In 1904, they built Kirkland House which is Coppell’s oldest home and is located at Coppell Heritage Park in Old Town Coppell. One of their eight children born there was Stringfellow Kirkland (1908-1971) is buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO. He and his brothers William Hubert (Bill) and Carroll fought in WWII. Carroll was killed in action and is buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium.