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Ayers Family Papers (MS248)

Finding Aid & Inventory

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.

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Biographical and Historical 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.

Collection 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.

Collection Inventory

  • Photographs
    • T.W. Ayers with friends (circa 1900) box 1 folder 1
    • Asian countryside  (1937-1937) box 1 folder 2
    • Leaving Hwanghsien, China (circa 1937) box 1 folder 3
    • Farewell Reception from Chengchow, China, for Dr. and Mrs. S.E. Ayers (circa 1935-1945) box 1 folder 4
    • First graduates from medical class, Hwanghsien (circa 1900) box 1 folder 5
    • S.E. Ayers and building with holes from bomb fragments  (1935-1935) box 1 folder 6
    • T.W. Ayers medical class, Hwanghsien (circa 1900) box 1 folder 7
    • S.E. with hospital staff, Changchun   (1947-1947) box 1 folder 8
    • Doctors T.W. and Sanford E. Ayers  (1949-1949) box 1 folder 9
    • Doctors T.W. and Sanford E. Ayers  (1949-1949) box 1 folder 10
    • Welcome back to China after furlough  (1918-1918) box 1 folder 11
    • Last picture before evacuation  (1939-1939) box 1 folder 12
    • Hospital, Kweilin (Guilin), before Communist control  (1948-1948) box 1 folder 13
    • Hospital staff, Changchou  (1935-1935) box 1 folder 14
    • Hospital staff (circa 1935-1948) box 1 folder 15
    • T.W. Ayers Monument, Baptist church, Hwanghsien box 1 folder 16
    • Baptist Hospital, Kweilin (Guilin) box 1 folder 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) reel 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) reel 1
    • "Shantung Doctor," biography of Thomas Willburn Ayers, manuscript  (1951-1951) reel 1
    • "History of Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China," draft (circa 1949) reel 1
    • "History of Southern Baptist Medical Missions in China," draft with introductory section, "The Effects of Communist Victory" (circa 1946-1949) reel 1
    • "Medical Missions in South China, Part 1" (undated) reel 1
    • Yocum, A.W., letter with enclosure, "Medical Work at Lai Chow" (circa 1940) reel 1
    • Working materials regarding medical missions in China (undated) reel 1
    • Notes and addresses regarding China and medical missions in China, typescripts and manuscripts  (1939-1950) reel 1
  • Writings: Ayers, Thomas Willburn
    • "Memories," typescript, 53 pages (undated) reel 1
    • "China and Her People," typescript, 20 pages (undated) reel 1
    • "Medical Missionary; 25 Years in China," diary, possibly related to his book Healing and Missions, (1930) (undated) reel 1
    • The Chu Family (1947 December 25) reel 1
    • Hwanghsien Hospitals annual report  (1920-1920) reel 1
  • T.W. Ayers business card box 1 folder 18
  • Warning letter from Japanese regarding bombing, dropped onto the Baptist compound, Chengchow (circa 1937-1939) box 1 folder 19
  • Henning, Frank. Some Ayers and Heirs, 122 pages (1981 March) reel 1

Summary Information

Repository
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
Title
Ayers Family Papers
ID
MS248
Date [inclusive]
Date [bulk]
Quantity
1 half-document box, 1 microfilm reel
Extent
0.21  Linear Feet

Administrative Information

Publication Information
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, 2011
Revision Description
Revised by Stephanie Bennett, 2017 March
Revision Description
Revised by Stephanie Bennett; update to acquisition note info (JW) from relative, 2023
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use. 

Controlled Access Headings

Subject(s)

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