Cove Lithia Spring Records 1888-1948

Access and use

Location of collection:
Wytheville Community College
F.B. Kegley Library
Wytheville Community College
Smyth Hall, Room 103
1000 East Main Street
Wytheville, VA 24382
Contact for questions and access:
POC: William A. “Bill” Veselik
Phone: (276) 223-4876
POC: George Mattis
Phone: (276) 223-4744
Fax: (276) 223-4745

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Records were found amongst papers of Wytheville attorney William Crockett Thomas. They are arranged in two folders, correspondence and deeds.

Biographical / historical:

Heralded as a late nineteenth century source of medicinal water, Cove Lithia Spring, a tract of sixty-nine acres in Crocketts Cove, Wythe County, was initially owned by William G. Crockett and his sons. Crockett marketed the water through pharmacist A. S. Haller in 1884. In October 1888 William G. Crockett sold the property to Crockett, Thomas and Company.

In April 1890 the Cove Lithia Spring Corporation was formed with R. E. Withers as president and Charles Benton Thomas as secretary/treasurer. The company bottled, shipped, and distributed water from the spring, touting is as "Nature's Specific Remedy." A few months later in August 1890, the property was sold to R. D. Bohannan and G. V. Litchfield by William G. Crockett and Emily Crockett, Charles B. Thomas and Elizabeth Pierce Crockett Thomas, A. G. Crockett and Mary Crockett, and Crockett, Thomas, and Company.

In 1903, Bohannan purchased the interests of G. V. Litchfield. According to Rush Crockett, from his collection at the Wythe County Historical Society, Bohannan paid $5000 for the spring property and erected three buildings at the cost of $10,000, and never realized a profit. On 2 April 1908 the property was deeded to his widow, Florence Short Bohannan and his step-daughter Mary M. Bohannan. Florence and Mary Bohannan resided in Columbus, Ohio.

Judging from a 1935 lease agreement with F. M. Crockett of Glade Spring, Florence Bohannan and her daughter perhaps leased the property between 1908 and 1935. By 1941, however, Bohannan was losing money from the property and asked Thomas about selling the property. Thomas replied that the property was overgrown, the road impassable, the spring weak, and the water contained sediment.

Bohannan continued her efforts to sell the property in 1942 and 1943; she sold the property to G. C. Roberts for $703.70 in June 1948.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Mary B. Kegley in 2008; part of the Mary B. Kegley Collection.
Physical description:
.