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