Robert Ryland, who was pastor of Newcastle church a short time, is a son of Josiah Ryland, and was born in King and Queen county, Virginia, March 14th, 1805. He united with the church at Bruington, and was baptized by Robert B. Semple, August 1, 1824. He was licensed to preach September 4, 1825, graduated at Columbian College, D. C., in 1826, was ordained to the ministry April 27th, 1827, and immediately accepted a call to the church at Lynchburg. On the 4th of July, 1832, he became principal of the Virginia Baptist Seminary, located in Richmond. Under his management, this seminary grew into Richmond College, and he continued to preside over it until 1866, when he resigned, and, in 1868, moved to Kentucky. He was pastor of the First African church in Richmond,

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[p. 444]
Virginia, twenty-five years. This church greatly prospered under his ministry, and was probably, for a number of years, the largest Baptist church in America. Since Mr. Ryland came to Kentucky, he has conducted female schools in Shelbyville, Lexington and Newcastle. He has usually served one or more churches as pastor. He has recently returned to Virginia.
=========== [From J. H. Spencer, History of Kentucky Baptists, Volume I, 1885; rpt. 1984, pp. 443-444. — jrd]

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