Isaac O. Stringer
(1866-1934)

Isaac Stringer was born on April 19th in Bruce County, Ontario. His early education took place in a one-room schoolhouse. He attended high school in Kincardine and, in 1888, attended Wycliffe College where he was active in student organizations.

In 1892, during a visit from Bishop Reeve of the Mackenzie River Diocese, Stringer responded to an appeal to leave within a few months to minister to the Inuvialuit of the Arctic coast. He was ordained Deacon on May 15th just before his departure. In July of the following year he was ordained priest at Fort McPherson.

Stringer was first based in Fort McPherson, but travelled extensively, visiting Rampart House, Kittigazuit, other Inuvialuit communities and camps in the Mackenzie Delta and on the coast, and Herschel Island.

He married Sarah Ann Alexander in Ontario 1897, and the two returned to the north, eventually moving to Herschel Island, where they lived and ministered to the people there until 1901.

That year, due to health problems (snow-blindness), Isaac accepted an invitation from Bishop Bompas to take on the congregation of Christ Church in Whitehorse. When Bompas resigned in 1905, Isaac was elected his successor.

Stringer remained the Bishop of Yukon until 1931.