Frederick Ayer records

The Reverend Frederick Ayer was a veteran missionary from the American Missionary Association (A.M.A.) who came to Atlanta in 1865 to begin formal educational work for newly freed slaves. His first pupils were from a class formerly taught by two ex-slaves, James Tate and Grandison B. Daniels. Ayer taught his first classes at two locations, in an old church building, and in a boxcar purchased by the American Missionary Association. The boxcar was located on a plot of land obtained by African Americans who were former members of the (white) First Baptist Church, but withdrew their association to form Friendship Baptist Church. When these facilities proved inadequate, Reverend Ayer, acting on behalf of the A.M.A., purchased property and a building that was formerly used as a Confederate Commissary on the corner of Peachtree and Houston Streets. In 1866, the A.M.A. replaced Ayer as it's superintendent of schools for this section of the state so that he could focus on building and maintaining new facilities. His was one of eleven names signed to the Atlanta University Charter. He died in September 1867.