Charlotte Elizabeth Battles (October 11, 1864 - December 17, 1952) was an American bank executive known for defying a presidential order to close her bank during the 1933 banking holiday.
Charlotte Elizabeth Battles | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 11, 1864 |
| Died | December 17, 1952 (aged 88) |
| Other names | C. Elizabeth Battles Libbie Battles Miss Charlotte Battles |
Biography
editBattles was born in fall of 1864,[1] and her parents were Rush S. and Charlotte Battles.[2] She earned a degree from Mount Vernon Seminary in 1886.[1] When her father died in 1904, Battles was promoted to bank president thereby becoming an early example of women bank presidents in the United States to serve as a bank president.[1] She ran the bank until it closed in 1946.[3]
In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered banks to close as part of the Emergency Banking Act. Battles refused to close her bank because it was a private bank, and the bank remained open during the banking holiday.[4][5] In a letter to Roosevelt, Battles indicated that "We're minding our business, you mind yours".[6]
Battles lived in Girard, Pennsylvania[2][7] until her death in December 17, 1952.[8] Her house, once known as the Charlotte Elizabeth Battles Memorial Museum,[3][9] is part of the Hagen History Center.[10] In 2021, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission agreed upon a historic marker to honor Battles, the marker is placed in front of the building that previously served as the Battles Bank.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c Battles, R.W. (December 2003). "Charlotte Battles Defied FDR. It Was History in the Making". U.S. Banker; New York. Vol. 113, no. 12. p. 57.
- ^ a b Danilov, Victor J. (2005). Women and museums : a comprehensive guide. Internet Archive. Lanham, MD : AltaMira Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-7591-0854-7.
- ^ a b Vila, Bob (1993). Bob Vila's guide to historic homes of the Mid-Atlantic. Internet Archive. New York : Lintel Press : Quill/W. Morrow. pp. 248–249. ISBN 978-0-688-12494-6.
- ^ "PRIVATE BANK STILL OPEN.; Girard (Pa.) Institution Functions as Usual Despite Holiday". The New York Times. 1933-03-11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ Domowicz, Geoffrey L. (2003). Girard: A Canal Town History. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-2454-2.
- ^ Hilburn, Jessica (2019-08-05). Hidden History of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4671-4145-1.
- ^ "Presbyterians in court case about old peoples home". The Kane Republican. 1953-12-21. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ "Religious bequests". Warren Times Mirror. 1953-01-08. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ "Erie's Historic Buildings". www.eriebuildings.info. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ "Girard Campus". Hagen History Center. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ "Women's History Month: Female banker Charlotte Elizabeth Battles to receive Pennsylvania historical marker in Girard". Erie Times-News. Retrieved 2021-07-30.