Dr. Sheldon Stringer  was born in North Carolina on November 18, 1834.  In the early 1840's Sheldon's older brother, Alexander, moved to Florida where he settled and homesteaded 160 acres under the Armed Occupation Act.  Alex was among the earliest settlers of Hernando County and by 1843 he had tried his hand in local politics by running for Clerk of the Court for Hernando County, he lost this election to Issac Garrison.  The property settled by Alex was located in a "deep bend in the Annatuligua Hammock on the northeast side." While Alexander was homesteading property in Hernando County, Sheldon was attending school back in North Carolina with the rest of the family.  Upon graduating from school in North Carolina, Sheldon elected to further his education in the medical field and he set out for a school in New Orleans.  According to the A.M.A., it was in 1859 when Sheldon Stringer had completed his classes and graduated from the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. After graduating from medical school the new doctor set out for the Florida frontier.  In 1860 Dr. Sheldon Stringer was living in Tampa where his grandfather had built a boarding house in 1843, today this home still stands and is among the oldest structures in Ybor City.  In 1860 Mary Stringer was operating the Stringer Boarding House in Tampa while Dr. Sheldon Stringer and his sister, Laura, where occupying two rooms; it is believed that Mary was actually Sheldon's mother.  While Sheldon was living in Tampa in 1860 he had made a purchase of 160 acres of property in Hernando County where his brother, Alexander, was living.  The property that Sheldon had purchased was an unimproved section of property that contained no building or homes. At the start of the Civil War Dr. Sheldon Stringer did not enlist for services.  However, in 1862 his services were requested and he was commissioned for service with the Confederate States Army.  On February 13, 1862 Dr. Sheldon Stringer was commissioned and appointed to the position of Surgeon on the Medical Staff of General Joseph Finnegan, who was commanding Confederate Troops in Florida.  Dr. Sheldon Stringer was appointed to this position by none other than Confederate President Jefferson Davis.  According to military records, in February of 1862 a communication was sent to the Congress of the Confederate States from President Jefferson Davis.  In that communication President Davis writes, "I nominate the officers on the accompanying list to the rank affixed to their names, respectively, agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War.... signed Jefferson Davis."  Further Jefferson Davis names Sheldon Stringer of Florida for the rank of "Surgeon". After being appointed to the Medical Staff of General Finnegan, Dr. Stringer took charge of the hospital in Fernandina [Jacksonville] where he worked until being transfered.  Dr. Stringer's transfer finally sent him to serve as the Post Surgeon in the Lake City Hospital.  In 1865 Dr. Stringer treated the wounded who had been brought from the Battlefield of Olustee, where many Hernando County Confederates were wounded.  While treating the wounded of Olustee, Dr. Stringer dressed the wounds of Hernando County resident Frank Elmore Saxon.  While treating the wounded of the Civil War Dr. Stringer witnessed death at its worst, treating some of the most horrific wounds that could be inflicted upon the body. Dr. Stringer completed his service with the Confederacy and was discharged at the close of the war in April of 1865.  Upon being discharged from service Dr. Stringer came to Hernando County where he had previously purchased property and where his brother Alex was living.  In addition, by this time, Laura and Mary had purchased property in Hernando County.  By 1869 Dr. Stringer had purchased an additional 80 acres adjoining to his previous 160 acres, he now owned 240 acres total.  Dr. Stringer's 240 acres is further described as being located in section 3, township 22, range 19; north of Brooksville.  While Dr. Stringer was purchasing more property he had not yet built a home here as this property is recorded as having no improvements, its believed that at this time he lived in Brookville where his sister, Laura, owned a lot and home. Sometime around 1867 Dr. Sheldon Stringer had taken over the medical practice started only a fews years prior by Dr. Howell T. Lykes of Hernando County.  By means of one horse and a carriage that the doctor owned, he made house calls and tended to the early medical needs of most Hernando County residents.  Dr. Stringer proved to be successful in this early practice from which he was able to add to his property holdings in Hernando County.   By 1872 Dr. Stringer had increased his property holdings in Hernando County significantly and is recorded as owning 1140 acres.  In addition the doctor had acquired another horse now owning two, as well as two mules, which were likely used to farm a portion of his 1140 acres.  Dr. Stringer had also purchased a home and a town lot in the small town of Pierceville.  It was also at this time that Dr. Stringer made purchase of a piece of property situated in section 9, township 24, range 20, located in an area that would become Pasco County. On February 19, 1874, at the age of 39, Dr. Sheldon Stringer was married for the first time.  It was at a small ceremony in the Spring Hill Community where Dr. Stringer took the hand of Margaret Elizabeth "Betty" Lykes.  Margaret was the sister of Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes, whose practice Dr. Stringer had taken over 8 years prior; Howell and Elizabeth were the children of pioneer resident, Frederick Eugene Lykes of Hernando County.  The following year in 1875 Dr. Stringer and Betty had their first child, a baby boy.  This first child was named after Margaret "Betty's" father and he received the name Frederick Lykes Stringer. Dr. Stringer and his wife continued to live in Hernando County where the doctor would expand his interest and his practice.  In addition to his own interests, Dr. Stringer also saw the importance of early education and contributing to his community.  In 1877 Dr. Stringer took the position of Superintendent of Public [County] Schools.  It was in this capacity that Dr. Stringer improved the already existing public education system in Hernando County.  After serving his term as Superintendent, Dr. Stringer assumed the position of School Board secretary in 1880. By 1880 Dr. Stringer was also engaged in farming and had improved a portion of large property holdings in Hernando County.  Throughout the 1880's Dr. Stringer continued to increase his property and he purchased several more large tracts from the State of Florida.  Among these purchases was 80 acres of property situated in the small coastal community of Hudson, Florida in Pasco County.  On February 17, 1881 Dr. Sheldon Stringer received full title to this coastal property, which is further described as being located in section 28, township 24, range 16.  While Dr. Stringer owned several large tracts of property he continued to live with his family in the Spring Hill Community of Hernando County. By 1883 Dr. Stringer had turned his attention to one school in Hernando County and served as the trustee of Brooksville School.  The Brooksville School was one of the largest schools in Hernando County at the time and it served the education needs for all of Brooksville.  In this position Dr. Stringer sought out ways to improve education in the Brooksville School.  It was also in 1883 that Sheldon and "Betty" had their third child, Sheldon Stringer Jr. who was born in June of 1883; this was the last child born to the Stringer's. In the later part of 1884 Dr. Stringer made an inquiry to the United States Bureau of Animal Industry regarding a "Disease among Horse In Florida."  In a letter dated December 29, 1884 Dr. Stringer describes a disease that was affecting the horses in Hernando County.  The disease described by Dr. Stringer affected the hooves of a horse causing an oozing of a watery blood fluid.  If undiscovered the disease would burrow deep in and around the feet lock or leg, the disease would even penetrate the joints and sometimes would perforate the abdomen killing the horse.  In addition the disease would attack the palate of the horse causing it to honeycomb destroying life in only a few months.  The doctor further noted that horses contracted this disease in the heat of summer while grazing on meadows known as Florida prairies.  The disease was more apt to occur during the rainy season, while some horses seemed to be unaffected others would contract the disease within one day of grazing on the prairie.  The people of the area called the disease "leeches", however it sounds to be the hoof and mouth disease we now know today.  Dr. Stringer extracted and studied a sample of tissues from one of his infected horses, which he then sent to the Bureau with his description.  The Bureau further published his finding in a report which they generated.  Further Dr. Stringer had one horse which had suffered from the disease for nearly 6 months, he unsuccessfully operated on the horse unable to rid it of the disease. In 1887 Dr. Stringer attended the International Medical Congress, 9th Session.  The Medical Congress was an association of medical doctors who attended a meeting each year allowing their colleagues to share new medical techniques and discoveries.  At this medical meeting Dr. Stringer presented a well organized presentation and speech which he titled "A Rational Method of Relieving Asphyxia in the Newly Born Infant."  In his speech Dr. Stringer makes reference to the uses of a "human incubator" or an apparatus in which a baby could be placed if not fully developed upon birth.  It was the belief of Dr. Stringer that if such apparatus could be contrived that life of a fetus could be sustained and probably reach a period in which the organs could sustain life itself.  In his speech Dr. Stringer made reference to medical procedures and equipment that we now use today. In 1890 Dr. Stringer was appointed and served as President of the Florida Medical Association, which oversaw the medical practices in Florida.  While Dr. Stringer was apart of many associations outside of Hernando County, he retained his interest at home and remained loyal to the needs of his community.  In the late 1880's and early 1890's Dr. Stringer owned and operated the City Drug Store in downtown Brooksville.  Dr. Stringer carried all the name brand and popular medicines of the day including Ayers, Simmons, Harter's and McLane's.  The doctor also stocked a variety of toileter articles, paints, oils, varnish, brushes, syringes, tobacco, cigars and many "Fancy Articles" as he wrote in a local advertisement.  If not on hand Dr. Stringer would have it ordered for you!! By 1897 Dr. Stringer had become a member of the 15th International Congress of Hygiene.  Like the Medical Congress the Hygiene Congress was a group of doctors who attend an annual meeting to discuss and share new ideas in hygiene.   This would be the last association that Dr. Stringer would serve. Dr. Sheldon Stringer died on April 6, 1903 while living in Hernando County.  In his life Dr. Stringer rose from the ranks of Post Surgeon in the Civil War to the leading physician of Hernando County where he was well liked and well known among all residents of the county.  At the time of his death Dr. Sheldon Stringer was interred in the Lykes Family Cemetery, which his father-in-law had started.  In Sheldon's memory the Stringer Family erected a very large headstone. (Research by Jeff Cannon- Copyright © 2008)