Robert Ryland, D.D., a distinguished minister and educator, was born in King and Queen Co., Va., March 14,1805; was baptized into the fellowship of Bruington Baptist church in 1824, licensed to preach in 1825, and ordained in 1827. After studying the Latin and Greek languages, he entered Columbian College, Washington, D. C., where he graduated in 1826. The next year he became pastor of the church at Lynchburg, and filled the position for five years. In 1832 he took charge of the manual labor school at Richmond, Va. This institution developed into Richmond College, which was chartered in 1844, with Dr. Ryland as president. In 1866¹ he resigned and was made pastor of the First African Baptist church, in Richmond, serving it for twenty-five years, during which time he baptized into its fellowship over 3800 persons. In 1868 he removed to Shelbyville, Ky., where he taught a female school and preached to several country churches. He has since been similarly engaged at Lexington, and is now president of a female seminary, and preaches to the church at New Castle, Ky. ==================
Note
^1. This date is incorrect concerning his pastorate in Richmond; he pastored the First African Baptist Church from 1841 until 1865. He died in Lexington, KY in 1899. - jrd

[From William Cathcart, Editor, The Baptist Encyclopedia, 1881; rpt. 1988, p. 1018. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]

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