Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow (1816–1891)

Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow (born June 6, 1816, in Culpeper County, Virginia; died April 27, 1891, in Atchison, Kansas) was a prominent pro-slavery activist, lawyer, and proslavery militia leader in the Bleeding Kansas era. He was a key figure in efforts to establish Kansas as a slave state.

Stringfellow received a legal education and moved to Missouri. His fervent belief in states' rights and the necessity of preserving slavery led him to become deeply involved in the political struggles over the Kansas Territory. He played a leading role in organizing and leading proslavery forces, often crossing into Kansas from Missouri to influence elections and intimidate Free-Staters. He was a vocal advocate for the Lecompton Constitution, a proslavery constitution drafted for Kansas.

Stringfellow's activities and rhetoric contributed to the violence and instability that characterized Bleeding Kansas. He viewed the abolitionist movement as a direct threat to the Southern way of life and was prepared to use force to defend his beliefs.

Following the Civil War, Stringfellow remained in Kansas, practicing law in Atchison. While his influence waned significantly, he never recanted his proslavery views. He is remembered as a controversial figure whose actions significantly shaped the early history of Kansas.