Lettie pate biography

Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans

A native of southwest Virginia, Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans was one of the first women to serve on the board of directors of a major American corporation, the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company. One of the country’s most generous philanthropists, she also set up charitable foundations to share her family’s vast fortune with others.

Early Life and Marriage

Letitia “Lettie” Pate was born into a prominent family, to Elizabeth Stagg and Cornelius Pate, on February 21, 1872, in the Bedford County village of Thaxton, in the far reaches of the Virginia Piedmont. Her father was an enterprising merchant, and she grew up in a community of large extended family. Raised in the Episcopal Church and privately educated, she exhibited early in life an inquiring mind, an acute interest in business, and an empathy for elderly female members of her family struggling financially in hard times.

In 1894 she married an adventurous young attorney, Joseph Brown Whitehead, of Oxford, Mississippi. The couple settled in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Jose

Lettie Pate Evans: Her History and Involvement with EHS

Lettie Pate Evans: My Goal

I have gone to Episcopal High School for three years now, and I was never educated on who Lettie Pate Evans was and her amazing achievements. I had no idea that I was even living on the dorm dedicated to the women who broke so many gender stereotypes, gave back to so many communities, and made a huge difference in young girls' lives. When I dove into my research about Lettie Pate Evans, I was honored to be able to learn about her and educate my peers, teachers, administrators, and community members about such an instrumental person in your school's past, present, and future. In this Omeka site, I hope you enjoy learning about Lettie Pate Evans' biography, the history of Coca-Cola and her involvement, her foundation, and how she has made an impact on our very own campus. 

Credits

created by Charlotte Head `23

Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans

Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans

Born

Letitia Pate


(1872-02-21)February 21, 1872

Bedford County, Virginia

DiedNovember 14, 1953(1953-11-14) (aged 81)

Hot Springs, Virginia

Spouses

Arthur Kelly Evans

(after 1913)​
ChildrenJoseph Brown Whitehead Jr.
Conkey Pate Whitehead
Parent(s)Cornelius Pate
Elizabeth Stagg Pate

Letitia "Lettie" Pate Whitehead Evans (February 21, 1872 in Bedford County, Virginia – November 14, 1953 in Hot Springs, Virginia) was an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She was the first woman to be on Coca-Cola's board of directors.

Early life

Evans was born in Bedford County, Virginia to Cornelius Pate and Elizabeth Stagg Pate,[1]

Personal life

She married Joseph Brown Whitehead, an attorney, in 1895, and the couple moved to Chattanooga shortly thereafter. They had two sons, Joseph Brown Whitehead Jr., and Conkey Pate Whitehead.

The Whiteheads' successful business careers began in 1899, when Joseph Wh

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