Eva Adams
Encyclopedia
Eva Bertrand Adams was the Director of the United States Mint
from 1961 to 1969.
on September 10, 1908, the daughter of Verner Lauer Adams and his wife Cora (Varble) Adams. Her father worked for mining
magnate George Wingfield, and was responsible for setting up hotels, commissaries, and bars
in Wingfield's mining camps. As such, the family moved around from camp to camp for several years before Adams' mother insisted the family settle down and they settled in Reno, Nevada
. Adams graduated from Reno High School
at age 14. She then attended the University of Nevada, Reno
, graduating in 1928, at age 19.
After graduating from college, Adams moved to Las Vegas, Nevada
to become a teacher at Las Vegas High School
. During this time, she became involved with the Clark County
Democratic Party
and was introduced to Pat McCarran
.
Adams then attended graduate school
at Columbia University
, receiving a master's degree
in English
in 1936. She also went on to obtain an LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center
and an LL.D. from American University
.
She returned to Nevada
in 1940 to briefly join the English
department of the University of Nevada, Reno
; shortly thereafter, Pat McCarran
, by now United States Senator for Nevada, invited her to move to Washington, D.C.
to become his Administrative Assistant. She worked for Senator McCarran until his death in 1954. She then worked for McCarran's successor, Ernest S. Brown
, in 1954, and then Alan Bible
from 1954 to 1960.
In 1961, President of the United States
John F. Kennedy
named Adams Director of the United States Mint
, and Adams subsequently held that office from October 1961 until August 1969.
Upon retiring from government service in 1969, Adams worked for Mutual of Omaha
for a while, before returning home to Reno.
Adams died in Reno on August 23, 1991.
Director of the United States Mint
The Director of the United States Mint is the head of the United States Mint. The position is currently vacant following the resignation of Edmund C. Moy in January 2011....
from 1961 to 1969.
Biography
Eva Adams was born in Wonder, NevadaWonder, Nevada
Wonder, Nevada, was a town in Churchill County, Nevada, approximately miles east of Fallon at an elevation of . Today Wonder is a deserted ghost town.-History:...
on September 10, 1908, the daughter of Verner Lauer Adams and his wife Cora (Varble) Adams. Her father worked for mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
magnate George Wingfield, and was responsible for setting up hotels, commissaries, and bars
Bars
-Plurals:*Dessert bars*Parallel bars or uneven bars, apparatus in men's or women's gymnastics, respectively*The quality of the reception on a mobile phone-Place names:*Bars County, a former Kingdom of Hungary county in present-day Slovakia...
in Wingfield's mining camps. As such, the family moved around from camp to camp for several years before Adams' mother insisted the family settle down and they settled in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. Adams graduated from Reno High School
Reno High School
Reno High School is a public secondary school in Reno, Nevada that is a part of the Washoe County School District. The school mascot is the Husky, and the school's colors are red and blue. Their teams are known as the "Reno Huskies."-History:...
at age 14. She then attended the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
, graduating in 1928, at age 19.
After graduating from college, Adams moved to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
to become a teacher at Las Vegas High School
Las Vegas High School
Las Vegas High School is a public high school in unincorporated Sunrise Manor, Nevada, United States, and a part of the Clark County School District. It is the oldest high school in Las Vegas, originally opening in 1931 on what was originally the outskirts of town...
. During this time, she became involved with the Clark County
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and was introduced to Pat McCarran
Pat McCarran
Patrick Anthony McCarran was a Democratic United States Senator from Nevada from 1933 until 1954, and was noted for his strong anti-Communist stance.-Early life and career:...
.
Adams then attended graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, receiving a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in English
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
in 1936. She also went on to obtain an LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
and an LL.D. from American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
.
She returned to Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
in 1940 to briefly join the English
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
department of the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
; shortly thereafter, Pat McCarran
Pat McCarran
Patrick Anthony McCarran was a Democratic United States Senator from Nevada from 1933 until 1954, and was noted for his strong anti-Communist stance.-Early life and career:...
, by now United States Senator for Nevada, invited her to move to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to become his Administrative Assistant. She worked for Senator McCarran until his death in 1954. She then worked for McCarran's successor, Ernest S. Brown
Ernest S. Brown
Ernest S. Brown served briefly as a United States Senator from Nevada in 1954.Born in Alturas, California, he moved with his family to Reno, Nevada, in 1906 and attended the public schools. He graduated from the University of Nevada at Reno in 1926, and was admitted to the bar in 1927, commencing...
, in 1954, and then Alan Bible
Alan Bible
Alan Harvey Bible was a Nevada politician of the Democratic Party who served as a United States Senator from 1954 until 1974.-Biography:...
from 1954 to 1960.
In 1961, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
named Adams Director of the United States Mint
Director of the United States Mint
The Director of the United States Mint is the head of the United States Mint. The position is currently vacant following the resignation of Edmund C. Moy in January 2011....
, and Adams subsequently held that office from October 1961 until August 1969.
Upon retiring from government service in 1969, Adams worked for Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha is a Fortune 500 mutual insurance and financial services company based in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was founded in 1909 as Mutual Benefit Health and Accident Association.- History :...
for a while, before returning home to Reno.
Adams died in Reno on August 23, 1991.