James Ireland

James Ireland was born in Scotland in 1748. He and his family immigrated to Virginia when Ireland was a young man. In his younger years he rejected religion until he found his calling in the Baptist faith to become a preacher. It did not take long for his gospels to reach members in the Established Church who fiercely opposed his teachings. Preaching without a license Ireland was arrested and imprisoned in Culpeper County. Although he was incarcerated Ireland continued to preach through the bars of his cell window which drew large crowds. Ireland was one of thirty Baptist preachers imprisoned in Virginia between 1768 – 1770.