Charlotte Elizabeth Battles | |
---|---|
Born | October 11, 1864 |
Died | December 17, 1952 | (aged 88)
Other names | C. Elizabeth Battles Libbie Battles Miss Charlotte Battles |
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.
Battles 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]
Charlotte Elizabeth Battles | |
---|---|
Born | October 11, 1864 |
Died | December 17, 1952 | (aged 88)
Other names | C. Elizabeth Battles Libbie Battles Miss Charlotte Battles |
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.
Battles 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]