The records of the lives of the preachers of Holston Conference constitute an important part of the history of Holston Methodism. Those who read Methodist history, dwell lovingly upon the stories of the preachers who have consecrated their lives to seeking and shepherding the Church of God.

In preparing these short sketches, the effort has been made to perpetuate the memory of all of the men who have given their lives to the itinerant work in Holston Conference. In one hundred and sixty years they have multiplied to nearly seven hundred.

The Minutes of the Conference have preserved the memoirs of the preachers from the beginning until the present time. From these memoirs and from such other sources as have been available, these sketches have been prepared. It is deeply regretted that it has been necessary to omit mention of the charges served by each one of the preachers; and of the names of other members of the family beside the wife. Wherever possible to secure information the wife of each married preacher has been included in the sketch of her husband.

Memoirs of the wives of preachers began to be published in the Southern Conference in 1892. A memoir of Mrs. R. G. Waterhouse was read in the memorial service in 1891, but was not published in the Annual. The first of such memoirs was that of Mrs. Timothy Sullins, who before her marriage was Miss Mary W. Rogers of Knoxville.

Many of these sketches are very brief owing to lack of information concerning details. These are the men who shall forever live in the memories of the Methodists of Holston Conference.