REV. JOSEPH ALEXANDER LAND, JR. 
& MARY ANN (WADDLE) LAND

Joseph Alexander "J. A." Land. Jr. was a Baptist preacher who served  early Baptist churches in Hamilton County.  In 1878 J. A. Land was pastor of the 18-member Hamilton Baptist Church, now First Baptist Church of Hamilton.  In 1878 the preacher population was sparse,  and Hamilton County Baptist Association had many needs, hence each pastor had to serve a wide area, traveling by horseback.  The 1878 minutes indicated that J. A. Land  organized the following churches that year:

Hills Dale  - in Lampasas County.  The post office of this church at various times was listed as both Izora and Townson Mill

Mt. Pisgah - in the Pottsville area.  Actually this church had been established in 1874 when it was admitted first to the Bosque River Baptist Association, and then the Comanche Baptist Association.

New Hope - located north of the village of Hamilton in the same community as Manning School.

Shiloh - Townson Mill/Adamsville--now First Baptist Church Adamsville.

J. A. Land was pastor of Little Cow House Baptist Church in 1878 and 1879.

J. A. Land was pastor of the Cow House Baptist Church at Pottsville in 1879.

J. A. Land was the first pastor of the Blue Ridge Baptist Church when it was organized July 10, 1880.

Joseph Alexander Land was born 18 March, 1830, Giles, TN.  On November 16, 1859, he married Mary Ann Waddle.  J. A. and Mary had 8 children:

        John A.  Land, b. 11/08/1860
        Mary Ann Land, b. 09/23/1862
        Andrew Martin Land, b. 08/17/1864
        Frances Eldorah Land, b. 09/20/1866
        Samuel D. Land, b. 09/09/1868
        Levina Belle Land, b. 02/28/1870
        Jesse E. Land, b. 01/04/1872
        Josephine Ellen Land, b. 01/04/1872

Joseph Alexander died 23 November, 1908, in Milborn, McCullough County, TX.  He was interred in Cox Cemetery, McCullough County, TX.

 Source for family Information:  Leo V. Byrd, great-grandson