Conditions Governing Use

The materials from Washington and Lee University Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with the source. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the Head of Special Collections.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation: [Identification of item], Letitia Pate Evans Papers, WLU Coll. 0498, Special Collections and Archives, James G. Leyburn Library, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA

In some cases the citation format may vary. Please contact Special Collections' staff to verify the appropriate format.

Scope and Contents

The Letitia Pate Evans Papers consist of both originals and copies of documents and letters between Letitia (Lettie) Pate (Whitehead) Evans and Washington and Lee University administrators and their contacts regarding the initial development of her philanthropic relationship with the school. Mrs. Evans, of Bedford County, Virginia, married Joseph Brown Whitehead in 1895 and together they were key in developing the Coca-Cola Company's early bottling facilities. After Joseph's death, Letitia sold the family's independently run bottling facilities to the Coca-Cola Company for Coca-Cola stock. She became a major shareholder of the company and was ultimately elected to the Coca-Cola Company's board of directors, thus becoming the first American woman to be director for a major national company. Letitia remarried Arthur Kelly Evans in 1913 and they resided in Hot Springs, Virginia. Washington and Lee University benefitted from numerous financial gifts of the Letitia Pate Evans Foundation. Correspondents include W&L president Francis Pendleton Gaines.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Coca-Cola Company
• Evans, Letitia Page, 1872-1953
• Gaines, Francis Pendleton
• Washington and Lee University