Ayers Family Papers
MS248
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
English
0.21
Linear Feet
1 half-document box, 1 microfilm reel
1918
1981
1918
1947
This collection contains photographs and other memorabilia from Thomas Willburn Ayers and Sanford Emmett Ayers, a father and son who were both doctors and missionaries in China. The photographs were taken between the years 1918 and 1949. Several are photographs of the hospital T.W. Ayers opened with his wife Minnie Skelton in Hwanghsien, China. The microfilm reel contains family history and writings by T.W. and Sanford Ayers.
Biographical Note
Dr. Thomas Willburn Ayers was born in Habersham County, Georgia in 1858. He graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Baltimore, Maryland in 1886. From there he conducted medical and missionary work in Hwanghsien, Shantung, China where he was the founder and superintendent of Warren Memorial Hospital. It was the first foreign mission hospital of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Ayers was married to Minnie Skelton in 1878 and they had five children.
The collection includes papers and photographs from both Dr. T.W. Ayers' missionary work in China as well as his son's work, Dr. Sanford Emmett Ayers.
Collection Overview
The Ayers Family Papers includes photographs and personal papers (1918-1949) from both Dr. Thomas Willburn Ayers and his son Dr. Sanford Emmett Ayers. The collection documents their time spent in Hwanghsien, China where they were medical missionaries. The papers provide an interesting insight into missionary thinking in the early phases of the Sino-Japanese war and in the immediate post-war period. The photographs enhance the picture of their time in China, often times depicting the hospital and the staff, and the students Dr. and Mrs. Ayers taught. The microfilm reel contains biographical information about the Ayers family by Frank Henning and writings of T.W Ayers and Sanford related to their mission and medical work.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into three main series: Photographs, Writings: Ayers, Sanford Emmett, and Writings: Ayers, Thomas Willburn. Two of these series, the writings, are on the same microfilm reel.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The photographs and other physical materials were donated by Winnie B. Ayers, Sanford E. Ayers' wife. The microfilm was donated by Mr. William Ayers in 1983.
Missionaries, Medical -- China
Missions, Medical -- China
PhotographsT.W. Ayers with friends19001900circa 190011Asian countryside1937193712Leaving Hwanghsien, China19371937circa 193713Farewell Reception from Chengchow, China, for Dr. and Mrs. S.E. Ayers19351945circa 1935-194514First graduates from medical class, Hwanghsien19001900circa 190015S.E. Ayers and building with holes from bomb fragments1935193516T.W. Ayers medical class, Hwanghsien19001900circa 190017S.E. with hospital staff, Changchun 1947194718Doctors T.W. and Sanford E. Ayers1949194919Doctors T.W. and Sanford E. Ayers19491949110Welcome back to China after furlough19181918111Last picture before evacuation19391939112Hospital, Kweilin (Guilin), before Communist control19481948113Hospital staff, Changchou19351935114Hospital staff19351948circa 1935-1948115T.W. Ayers Monument, Baptist church, Hwanghsien116Baptist Hospital, Kweilin (Guilin)117Writings: Ayers, Sanford Emmett"Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China: A Survey of Needs," report to the SBC Foreign Mission Board, including supplement and letter194719511947, 19511"Crisis of Medical Missions in China," report to SBC Foreign Mission Board with a supplement, "Memo on Communist Attitudes Toward Missionaries and Medical Work" by W.S. Flowers194919491"Shantung Doctor," biography of Thomas Willburn Ayers, manuscript195119511"History of Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China," draft19491949circa 19491"History of Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China," draft with introductory section, "The Effects of Communist Victory"19461949circa 1946-19491"Medical Missions in South China, Part 1"undated1Yocum, A.W., letter with enclosure, "Medical Work at Lai Chow"19401940circa 19401Working materials regarding medical missions in Chinaundated1Notes and addresses regarding China and medical missions in China, typescripts and manuscripts193919501Writings: Ayers, Thomas Willburn"Memories," typescript, 53 pagesundated1"China and Her People," typescript, 20 pagesundated1"Medical Missionary; 25 Years in China," diary, possibly related to his book <part>Healing and Missions</part>, (1930)undated1The Chu Family194719471947 December 251Hwanghsien Hospitals annual report192019201T.W. Ayers business card118Warning letter from Japanese regarding bombing, dropped onto the Baptist compound, Chengchow19371939circa 1937-1939119Henning, Frank. <part>Some Ayers and Heirs</part>, 122 pages198119811981 March1