?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> ?xml-model href="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SAA-SDT/EAD3/master/ead3.rng" type="application/xml" schematypens="http://relaxng.org/ns/structure/1.0"?> ms248 Ayers Family Papers 1918-1981, 0.21 linear feet Processed by Paige Horton Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives PO Box 7777 Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109 http://zsr.wfu.edu/special/ 2011 MS248 Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives English L/languagedeclaration> dacs Describing Archives: A Content Standard completed 2023-08-14T12:04:02-04:00 ArchivesSpace v3.0.1 This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on Monday August 14, 2023 at 12:04 2017 March Revised by Stephanie Bennett 2023 Revised by Stephanie Bennett; update to acquisition note info (JW) from relative 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 Photographs T.W. Ayers with friends 1900 1900 circa 1900 1 1 Asian countryside 1937 1937 1 2 Leaving Hwanghsien, China 1937 1937 circa 1937 1 3 Farewell Reception from Chengchow, China, for Dr. and Mrs. S.E. Ayers 1935 1945 circa 1935-1945 1 4 First graduates from medical class, Hwanghsien 1900 1900 circa 1900 1 5 S.E. Ayers and building with holes from bomb fragments 1935 1935 1 6 T.W. Ayers medical class, Hwanghsien 1900 1900 circa 1900 1 7 S.E. with hospital staff, Changchun 1947 1947 1 8 Doctors T.W. and Sanford E. Ayers 1949 1949 1 9 Doctors T.W. and Sanford E. Ayers 1949 1949 1 10 Welcome back to China after furlough 1918 1918 1 11 Last picture before evacuation 1939 1939 1 12 Hospital, Kweilin (Guilin), before Communist control 1948 1948 1 13 Hospital staff, Changchou 1935 1935 1 14 Hospital staff 1935 1948 circa 1935-1948 1 15 T.W. Ayers Monument, Baptist church, Hwanghsien 1 16 Baptist Hospital, Kweilin (Guilin) 1 17 Writings: Ayers, Sanford Emmett "Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China: A Survey of Needs," report to the SBC Foreign Mission Board, including supplement and letter 1947 1951 1947, 1951 1 "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. Flowers 1949 1949 1 "Shantung Doctor," biography of Thomas Willburn Ayers, manuscript 1951 1951 1 "History of Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China," draft 1949 1949 circa 1949 1 "History of Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China," draft with introductory section, "The Effects of Communist Victory" 1946 1949 circa 1946-1949 1 "Medical Missions in South China, Part 1" undated 1 Yocum, A.W., letter with enclosure, "Medical Work at Lai Chow" 1940 1940 circa 1940 1 Working materials regarding medical missions in China undated 1 Notes and addresses regarding China and medical missions in China, typescripts and manuscripts 1939 1950 1 Writings: Ayers, Thomas Willburn "Memories," typescript, 53 pages undated 1 "China and Her People," typescript, 20 pages undated 1 "Medical Missionary; 25 Years in China," diary, possibly related to his book , (1930) undated 1 The Chu Family 1947 1947 1947 December 25 1 Hwanghsien Hospitals annual report 1920 1920 1 T.W. Ayers business card 1 18 Warning letter from Japanese regarding bombing, dropped onto the Baptist compound, Chengchow 1937 1939 circa 1937-1939 1 19 Henning, Frank. , 122 pages 1981 1981 1981 March 1