Xenophon Ryland

As printed in 1910

XENOPHON RYLAND.

The life of Xenophon Ryland presents many unusual and remarkable features. He was born on the old homestead, known as "Forest Hill," near Lexington, Missouri, June 1, 1844, and was the son of Judge John F. and Elizabeth (Buford) Ryland. His early education was at the ''old log house in the field." Later he entered Masonic College, which unfortunately closed its doors in his fifteenth year. Subsequently he read Latin and Greek under the direction of Rev. G. K. Dunlop, of the Episcopal church and who was afterwards bishop of New Mexico. The Civil war intervened. When his father, Judge John F. Ryland, and his brother. Judge John E. Ryland, were made prisoners by the Confederate forces in 1861 on account of their prominence as Union men and their loyalty to the government of the United States, Xenophon Ryland went to the fort at Lexington and was engaged in raising a company of volunteers for the United States service. He was with Colonel Mulligan at the surrender of Lexington to General Price in 1861. When the

Enrolled Uniform Militia was organized in 1862 he was a member of Capt. John F. Euebug's company, of which he was soon made first lieutenant at eighteen years of age, and served as such in Company D, Seventy-first Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia, from August to December, 1862. In 1863 he was made first lieutenant of Company C, in the Fifth Provisional Regiment of the Enrolled Missouri Militia, in which he served until the company was disbanded. He was also captain of a company of citizens organized in Lexington for the preservation of order during those troublous years. The Civil war interrupted his studies, and after reading law in his father's office in 1863, at nineteen years of age he was admitted to the bar. In 1880 he was Democratic elector for the seventh congressional district and cast his vote for Hancock and English, Democratic nominees. In 1882 he was appointed by Governor Thomas T. Crittenden judge of the probate court of Lafayette county. He was selected to fill out the unexpired term and was again elected to the office, holding same until January 1, 1891.

Shortly after he united with the Presbyterian church at Lexington, Missouri, he having joined in early years the Baptist church, of which his mother was a member. Judge Ryland was elected deacon, serving in that capacity till October, 1872, when he was elected elder, and after ordination filled that office until November 10, 1892.

During the year 1890 the synod of Missouri of the "Southern Presbyterian church," popularly so called, became aroused on the subject of evangelistic work and appointed a committee, of which Judge Ryland was a member, to raise funds to prosecute the work. Most of this labor devolved upon him. Without compensation, he carried it to a successful conclusion, which resulted in the appointment of six presbyterian evangelists and one synodical evangelist, and Judge Ryland was added to the force as chairman of the executive committee to raise funds to continue the work and, being a good singer, to accompany one of the evangelists.

Just at this juncture came to Judge Ryland a crisis in his life, such as does not often happen to the lot of man. The circumstances, the hesitation, the deliberation and final decision are well worth pondering, for they are a key to the character of the man. After the state election of 1890, his name was brought prominently before the people for the office of governor of the state of Missouri. Widely known and popular, the proposed candidacy presented most promising features. Judge Ryland, at the age of twenty-nine years, had presided as grand high priest over the grand chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Missouri in 1873 and in 1876 was grand master of the grand lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Missouri. The governorship of Missouri is something which appeals to the ambition of her sons. But the church, through the synodical committee, likewise made her call for his services, which meant the abandonment of his legal and professional as well as any political ambition he might have. He those to accept, at forty-seven years of age, the call of the church. In January, 1891, he entered into the work of an evangelist and on November 10, 1892, at Lexington, Missouri, was ordained to the full work of the ministry as an evangelist by the presbytery of Lafayette. He remained in this work, with the whole state as his field of labor, till January 1, 1899, when the evangelistic work in Missouri closed for him. He was, early in 1899, called by the synod of Arkansas to organize the evangelistic work of that body. He entered upon the work March 17, 1899, and, without changing his residence, conducted this cause in the neighboring synod until April 1, 1902, when he was recalled to the work in Missouri. After six months' work he took charge of and supplied the small churches of Gower and Walnut Grove, in Upper Missouri presbytery, which work he relinquished to accept the pastorate of the church at Higginsville, Missouri. He was installed as pastor of this church the 9th day of January, 1904, having entered upon the work in December, 1903, and which he now continues, serving the people who have known him from boyhood. He has been honored by his church. He was moderator of the presbytery of Lafayette; moderator of the synod of Missouri and Arkansas; he has represented his presbytery three times as commissioner in the general assembly of the Presbyterian church in the United States, in St. Louis in 1875, Memphis in 1896 and at Birmingham, Alabama, in 1907. He also was a delegate of the general assembly from the synod of Missouri to the Pan-Presbyterian Council which met at Toronto, Canada. Judge Ryland was united in marriage to Carrie Forster Fora, January 31, 1866. To this union there was born a family of eight children, seven of whom are living, some in Missouri and some in Utah, Nebraska and Idaho. He was married a second time January 22, 1907, to Effie Lee Mason. Judge Ryland, as he is still called, though a preacher of the gospel, has always resided at Lexington, Missouri, until 1904, when, as a pastor of the church to which he was called, he removed to Higginsville, Missouri, which is now his home. Though not in years, he is in office the senior past grand high priest of the grand chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Missouri, and the senior past grand master of the grand lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Missouri.

As printed in Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.