Submitted by: Rachel Szuliman, 09 July 2009
Copyright: Rachel Szuliman 2009
Picture from Buffalo River Review Wednesday August 13, 1980,
taken from The Gospel Advocate in 1930
The following is a list of various sources about E.A. Land’s life
A note from Rachel:
My Grandfather lived on the “Cane” Land farm when he and my grandmother first married. Some called him “Kanner” but we always called him Squire Land or Cane Land. Their first born child a little girl is buried in this cemetary. We have erected a little wooden marker with her name – Lula Mamie Rodgers. Boyd Warren did most of the write up for EA Land and some was taken out of books. In later years, my brother Argel Harper purchased the house where Mr. Land lived. His widow still owns the farm.
BLACKSMITH and ordained minister and father, (E.A. as he was known) was born March 28, 1827 in Hickman County, Tennessee, son of Cooper B. and Hannah Anderson Land and died April 07, 1915 in Perry County, Tennessee. He married Nancy Barber June 06, 1844 in Hickman County. She was born October 02, 1830 in Tennessee and died December 31, 1907 in Perry County, Tennessee. Nancy died first and is buried with an individual stone in the Old Barham Cemetery on lower Brush Creek, Perry County, Tn. E.A. has a larger stone. The death date is not chiseled in the stone, but from ground depression, he is buried here.
Many researchers have been involved in writing about the life of E.A. (Kaner), a Preacher known to put the fear of Damnation in such terms, as to be easily understood, by every person in his following!….
Preacher Land’s final days were spent at the home of his daughter Nancy Donnie Land Downey and her husband Thomas James Downey until his death. His stone reflects very well this man’s travel amongst his faithful following. The last line on the stone…Read 2nd Tim C4 v 1 through 9. This is the way he wanted it.
Please read article from tne “Gospel Advocate” in 1930. CLICK the following URL http://www.myfamily.com/exec?c=Content&htx=View&siteid=ealB&
contentid=ZZVRJ3JI&contentclass=PICT&categoryid=4867527
From Lest We Forget. . . Churches of Christ in Hickman County, Tennessee Across 150 Years, by Edward Dotson and Paul Rogers, 1986: Pages 7-9: “Early Congregations: In October 1868, Theodrick W. Miller deeded one acre of land on Piney Fork of Beaverdam Creek. ‘For the love I entertain for the Church of Christ and interest I feel for education of the young of this vicinity I give to the Christian Church to erect a house of worship and schoolhouse. Said house to be under the supervision of the Elders of a congregation of disciples of Christ which is to be organized in said house, and said house is to be free to the various surrounding denominations when not otherwise in use by the Christians.’ . . . Many of the denominational churches experienced division and frustration during the Civil War period and as a result lost many of their members. The Churches of Christ did not suffer this division due to the fact that the New Testament Church is based on local congregational rule. As a result, the Churches of Christ in this county experienced even greater growth in the period immediately following the war. . .Several of the earlier churches in the county used what was called ‘Union Houses.’ In 1890, Liberty Church on lower Beaverdam was built as a union house by members of the Church of Christ and Primitive Baptists. . .As the population in that area shifted from Whitfield to Coble, the members of the church built a new two-story building at Coble in 1905-06 and abounded their claim to the Liberty Church. . .Gospel Preachers: E.A. ‘Cane’ Land, who was born on Cane Creek in either Hickman or Perry County, was a great preacher during the Civil War Period.”
“Union Congregation” [Beaverdam], pages 11-12: (This church’s minute book was furnished by Marie Stevens, Brownwood, Texas). “Church record of the Union congregation of the Church of Christ who met at the Union meetinghouse on the Piney Fork of Beaverdam, Hickman County, Tennessee. 1. The Church of Christian Union was organized January 31 A.D. 1871, E.A. Land and O.D. Gibson being present acting as Elders, S.F. Halbrook was ordained elder. 2. State of Tennessee, Hickman Co. – To the faithful Brethren in Jesus Christ worshipping upon the Bible alone, ‘Greetings.’ We command unto you our beloved Bro. D.R. Rivers as and Evangelists of Jesus Christ, who was ordained Sept. 14, 1872. Done by order of the Church of Christ at Christian Union. S.F. Halbrook, Elder, S.F. Halbrook, Clerk. 3. The Church at Union on Beaverdam and Flat Rock on Cane Creek were united by mutual consent March 23, 1983. 4. Sept. 9, 1876 – To all whom it may concern, ‘Greetings.’ This is to certify that J.R. Brown is this day set apart by the congregation of Bros. and Sis’s at this place for the work of the ministry. He is in good standing and in full fellowship with the Bro’s and Sis’s at this place. We further state his walk is worthy of imitation. We also recommend his as a Teacher of the Gospel and worthy of being in the Ministerial service. Done by order of the members of the Church of Christ that meet at Union, Hickman Co., Tennessee. S.H. Harder, Elder; C.t. Brown, Deacon. 5. May 12, 1877 – Union, Hickman Co., Tenn. To all whom it may concern ‘Greetings.’ This is to certify that S.H. Harder is this day set apart by the congregation of Bro’s and Sis’s at this place for the work of the ministry. He is a member of Christ Church at this place. He is in good standing and in full Fellowship with the Bro’s and Sis’s at this place. We further state that his walk is worthy of imitation. We also recommend him as a Teacher of the Gospel and worthy of being in the Ministerial service. Done by order of the members of the Church of Christ that meet at Union, Hickman Co., Tennessee. J.R. Brown, Elder; C.T. Brown, Deacon. 6. On March 21st 1880 T.W. Miller, Simon Smith, and W.H. Downey were appointed Treasures of the congregation of the Disciples at Union, Hickman Co., Tennessee. Done by the order of the Congregation. J.R. Brown, Clerk. 7. The Members of the Decibels at Union, Hickman Co., Tenn., moved their membership from Union to Salem in Lewis Co., Tenn., on the 3rd Lord’s Day in March 1884. Said organization being moved form Union to Salem by Mutual consent of members. J.R. Brown, Clerk.
“The Life of E.A. Land,” by H. Leo Boles, pages 45-48: “E.A. Land was born in Hickman County, Tennessee, March 28, 1827. Little is known of his forbears. He grew to manhood in his native county and suffered the hardships incident to that country. He was born in poverty and reared with very meager means of livelihood. There were no advantages for an education in that county at that time. Young Land read such books as he could borrow. Neither he nor his people had money enough to buy books. Few men have been reared with such scant means and so few opportunities as was E.A. Land.
On June 6, 1844, Brother Land was married to Nancy Barber. He was only seventeen years old when he married, and his wife was only fourteen years and eight months old. He assumed the responsibilities of a husband early in life and shouldered the burdens of a husband and father before he grew out of his ‘teens.’ Young Land and his child wife began married life without any money and without any property. Perhaps no other couple ever began housekeeping with fewer material things than did this couple. Brother Land leased a small tract of land and cleared it of all the timber the winter after he married. His young wife helped him in the forest during the daytime and ran the spinning wheel at night to make the garments for both of them to wear. She was skillful with the spinning wheel and the loom, so she spun and wove all the cloth that was needed for their clothes. Both husband and wife were industrious and economical. They had no time for idleness and no worldly goods or money to squander. They learned the valuable lessons of honest toil and frugal living. In after years, Brother Land looked back on these days with pleasure, for he had learned well the lesson of sacrifice and service.
It seems that Brother Land and wife gave but little attention to the spiritual side of their nature at first. They had but little preaching and had not studied the Bible much. In the providence of God, old Brother R.B. Trimble passed through Hickman County and preached the gospel. He was called by the ignorant and prejudiced people ‘a Campbellite preacher.’ Young Land and his wife did not know what this meant. They had never heard of such a preacher before, and through mere curiosity they heard R.b. Trimble preach one sermon. They did not know enough about the Bible to know whether he was preaching the truth or not, and they were not very much concerned about that. Later they heard it talked that this ‘Campbellite preacher’ belonged to the ‘New Lights.’ This was as new to them as was the preacher. The next year old Brother Johnston went into Hickman County and began preaching in the neighborhood where young Land lived. Brother Johnston was preaching on Beaver Dam Creek, in Hickman County. Here E.A. Land and wife heard him, became interested and before the meeting closed both were baptized into Christ. From that time henceforth E.A. Land not only became a humble follower of Christ, but a courageous defender of the faith.
Brother Land began an earnest, prayerful study of the Bible soon after he became a Christian. There were few preachers in that county of any kind, and there were none who preached the simple gospel as revealed in the New Testament. Brother Land felt that he should do all that he could for Christ, since Jesus had died for him. He soon began to take an active part in the little congregation at Beaver Dam. It was not long until his zeal for Christ and his knowledge of the truth were recognized and his services in great demand. He developed into a strong gospel preacher. The prejudice of the denominations was high against him. The religious complexion of his community was strongly Baptistic. The Baptist Church had a strong foothold in Hickman County. Their strongest preacher was Elder S.F. Casey. He was of the Primitive Baptist faith and a strong debater for that country. He challenged Brother Land for a discussion. Brother Land feared no man and was armed with the truth. They met in a debate in 1886 at Enon, in Perry County. This debate was success for the church at that place. He had another debate with a Baptist preacher named ‘Park.’ In July, 1880, he had a debate with W.H. Bailey, a Presbyterian preacher at Mount Carmel, in Benton County. Mr. Bailey claimed to be a Greek scholar and challenged Brother Land for a debate. Brother Land agreed to meet him on the one condition that he confine his arguments to the English language. Mr. Bailey accepted this agreement and signed propositions for an eight-day debate. When the time arrived for the debate to be given, Mr. Bailey asked Mr. Park, the Baptist preacher with whom Brother Land had debated, if Land was a good debater. He asked: ‘What ability has Land as a debater?’ Mr. Park smiled and said to Mr. Bailey: ‘I do not know whether you know anything about farming, but I do know that you are going to tackle the hardest piece of land (Land) you ever undertook.’ The debate began with a very large crowd. It was estimated that there were eight hundred people present the first day. On the third day, at the noon hour, Mr. Bailey said to Brother land, ‘Do you see that farmhouse across the field yonder? I am going over on my horse to get a hot cup of coffee.’ Mr. Bailey rode away, and he never returned to continue his part of the debate. They had agreed to continue the debate eight days and had now engaged in the debate only two and one-half days. This was another great triumph for the truth. Brother Land’s preaching was confined in the most part to Hickman, Perry, Wayne, Lewis, Humphreys, Benton, Lawrence, Hardin, and Maury Counties in Tennessee. He preached some in Mississippi, Kentucky, and Alabama. His travels were all on horseback. He baptized many hundreds of people and encouraged the churches much in the counties where he preached.”
From Glimpses of the Past, 1800-1900, by James E. “Uncle Jim” Chessor: Part Three, Seed-Sowing and Harvest (1865-1900) [regarding the organization of the Sulphur Creek Church of Christ & sister churches in Southwestern Hickman County]: Pages 187-188: “A full list of the preachers who held meetings or services in the old church [Liberty Church on lower Beaverdam?], from its founding up to 1900, is impossible. The church kept no record or history. Below will be found scattered information concerning the ministers, their meetings, baptisms, and a few brief sketches of some of those noble men of God who sowed ‘the seed of the Kingdom’ in that community. . .Early Preachers: Hosea Gibbons (first, so far as tradition gives it), Jackson Blackwell (1816-1909), James Brown (1854-1893), E.A. LAND (1827-1915), Joe Halbrook (see sketch in Boles’ ‘Biographies’), Steven Halbrook, Daniel Rivers, Samuel Chessor, Thomas Cagle, Sr. . . . E.A. LAND and Joe Halbrook: E.A. (‘Cane’) Lane and Joe Halbrook are known to have jointly held a meeting at Liberty soon after the new church house was built there, in the 1890s. Often the ministers held meetings together, especially when one or both were young and inexperienced. On the first Sunday (perhaps in 1897) both ministers (they were now old in the service) spoke from the same text – Rom. 8:1f. No doubt when they had finished, that text in Paul’s sublime letter to the Romans was elucidated so that the simplest could understand it. ” Page 197: “Beaverdam Springs: Thomas Cagle is the planter of this congregation. He preached there often; but it was not until Brother C.N. Hudson came, in the 1920s, that a strong congregation was organized. at the present time [1947] they, jointly with the rural school, have one of the most comfortable houses for worship in the entire county . . . Brushy Fork of Beaverdam: I am of the opinion that the Halbrooks brothers, Joseph and Steven, sowed the good seed which sprang up in after years to form, not only the Brushy Fork congregation, but the congregation at Aetna as well. Associated with them was the beloved Daniel Rivers, who, with the Halbrooks brothers, as young men met together on a night in the week for prayer and the study of God’s word, neither one of three expecting ever to preach. Later each baptized hundreds of converts in various parts of the county. Brother Rivers told this on his last visit to the Sulphur Creek congregation, in 1907, and saying, in addition: ‘I came down here with Brother Joe Halbrooks one Sunday, Uncle Sam Chessor having invited us, to talk. We both made a talk, and there was a conversion. Brother Joe turned round to me – I was sitting in the pulpit behind him – and said, ‘What will we do, Brother Dan?’ ‘Why, baptize the candidate!’ which was done.'” Pages 198-200: “Below will be found a few biographical sketches of some of the evangelists and ministers who held meetings here [Liberty? Southwestern Hickman County?] before 1900, or soon thereafter, and whose labors were for the most part in that period of the church’s greatest growth, from 1885 to 1900. In H. Leo Boles’ book, titled ‘Pioneer Preachers and Biographical Sketches,’ will be found sketches of E.A. LAND, and J.P. Lytton (information furnished the author by H.N. Mann, Riverside, lifelong friend of Brother Boles), and my reader is here referred to that book for better sketches of those he selected in this section. . . E.A. (‘Cane’) LAND, 88: Information here furnished by H.N. Mann. E.A. LAND was born on Cane Creek, in Hickman County, on March 28, 1827; died in Hohenwald on April 7, 1915, age 88 years. He married Nancy Barber on June 6, 1844; she died on October 31, 1907, age 70 years and three months. They were parents of four children. Soon after marriage Brother LAND and brother-in-law worked as partners in a blacksmith shop, and made enough the first year to pay for their tools! Soon he began to preach at Flatwoods, Mill Creek, Cedar Creek, Tom’s Creek, and elsewhere. He subscribed for the Gospel Advocate in 1858, and read the paper weekly the rest of his life. He held debates in 1868 for eight days with Parks, a Baptist minister. When Parks asked a man what sort of fellow was ‘Cane’ LAND, the reply was, ‘I don’t know whether you are a farmer or not, but I say to you that you will find in him the hardest piece of Land that you ever undertook to cultivate.’ Back to his physical labors: He bought out his brother-in-law and cultivated it; Sister Land ran the spinning and loom, worked in the garden, churned, and the two lived frugally and well. She made all the clothing for her family. He heard his first gospel sermon somewhere on Beaverdam; his next sermon in Williamson County. The sermon was delivered by Brother Bob Trimble on ‘The Plan of Salvation.’ Three weeks later he heard the same young man who preached the first gospel sermon he had ever heard, Brother W.A. Johnston, and he accepted the call of the gospel and was immersed. Soon thereafter he began his active ministry, which never lagged – protracted meetings in summer, monthly appointments through the winter, funerals, marriages, debates – which kept him very busy. His faith was strong. He was an able debater. He often preached on Sulphur Creek. For many years he lived on Brush Creek, in Perry County, and the old congregation there is noted because of this fact alone. Brother Lee Downey, elder in the Centerville Church and formerly an elder and leader in the Pleasantville Church, is one his grandsons. For more exact information, see Boles’ ‘Sketch of E.A. LAND.'” Pages 209-211: “E.A. LAND (Additional Information): The following is culled from much material sent me by Brother H.N. Mann, who conducted Brother LAND’s funeral: E.A. LAND was born in Hickman (some say Perry) County, March 28, 1827; died in Hohenwald April 7, 1915, age 88 years. Funeral conducted by H.N. Mann; burial at the old home, Brush Creek, Perry County. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife (Nancy Barber Land), and two children, Mrs. Mary Godwin and Mrs. W.H. Downey. Brother and Sister LAND began married life very young and without money or property. He worked in a shop and on the farm. Sister Land ran the spinning wheel and loom to clothe the family. The obeyed the gospel under the preaching of W.A. Johnson, on Beaverdam Creek, Hickman County. After hearing only two sermons they were convinced – sermons preached by a man who claimed to be only a Christian, although the sectarians called him and his people ‘New Lights.’ Brother LAND and wife and a few others at once began work for the Lord. He developed into a strong preacher and debater, having firm convictions, fearing no man who opposed the truth. As a result of his preaching, he baptized hundreds of people in Perry, Hickman, Wayne, Lewis, Humphreys, Benton and other counties. Among some of those he baptized were the beloved R.W. Pace, who often praised ‘Cane’ LAND, John A. Jones and wife, and Pleas Walker, all of Hickman County. Once a Methodist preacher said to Brother LAND, ‘When you (Land) go into a neighborhood, you get the best material, and leave me the trash!’ He held at least three successful debates. One was at Aenon, Cane Creek, in 1886, with S.F. Cayce. After that, he could never get Cayce to meet him. Another was with a Mr. Park, Baptist. Still another was with a Mr. Bailey, Presbyterian. Mr. Bailey thought Brother LAND a hillside farmer, and so made no preparation. However, as the time approached for the debate, he began to feel a little nervous. He got on his horse and went to see Mr. Park. He wanted to find out, he said, LAND’s strength. Mr. Park then replied in the words quoted in a preceding page. This debate started the people to bring lunches for dinner. There were about 800 people present for the first day. The debate was scheduled to last for eight days. On the fifth days (Friday), Mr. Bailey said to Bro. LAND, ‘I’m going to ride over to that farm house yonder and get a warm cup of coffee.’ Brother LAND never saw him any more! Whether he stopped for the coffee is not known, but he did not return to the debate. Brother LAND heard of him going on through Erin, Tenn., toward other lands. The small wood-and-iron shop which he operated on Brush Creek cleared him $21.00 the first year, enough to buy out his partner. There was very little iron to be had those days, and the timber used in the shop was usually hewn, as sawed timber was not plentiful in times before the coming of saw mills. Yet the preacher hammered and sawed, riveted and bolted the wagon parts together, made the V-harrow, put handles on plows; cleared and fenced land and plowed and cultivated it. Meanwhile, he was developing a spiritual nature and heart that would meet any task. His preaching was strong, his logic good, his reliance upon a ‘Thus saith the Lord’ for everything he taught and practiced in religion and life, rendered him a unique Christian character and preacher. He was respected, if feared by sectarians. His own brethren he would persuade and reprove, as they needed it. Methinks we need more men like him today – blacksmiths and farmers in the pulpit. More men like H.N. Mann, the strict, kind-hearted merchant; like Thomas Cagle, the busy miller. Such men were never evil spoken of. No one could say they preached for ‘hire’ or ‘filthy lucre.’ (J.E.C.) The following was written by W.H. Downey, August 26, 1930. He was born and lived in Perry County the greater part of his life. In his later days he lived in Hohenwald 10 or 12 years. I think he began to preach during the Civil War. He held a debate with the old man S.F. Cayce at Aenon about 1881 or 1882. Brother LAND had four children, three girls and one boy. (W.H. and N.F. Downey.) He died in the faith. May those he turned to righteousness abide therein, and his reward not fail. (1 Cor. 3:14; Dan. 12:3.) The reader is requested to read this following the sketch on page _____ and follow with the better sketch in Brother Boles’ book. Years ago, when I was young, I heard the older church members on Sulphur Creek often speak of the doughty debater and preacher of former days, that giant in the faith, ‘Cane’ Land, who lived on Brush Creek, in Perry. He had often preached on Sulphur Creek. S.L. O’Guin told many anecdotes concerning him. He was then known by every one. At present [1947] only Sidney T. O’Guin, one of the elders, remembers him. Yet his influence abides!”
Please e-mail me if you have any of this information, for any church (past or present) in Perry County. Thank you. Contact Jerry L Butler, your Perry County TNGenWeb coordinator.
My grandmother, Lessie Parnell Warren is a descendant of E A Land but I would like to know exactly where she was in his family listing.