Born in 1864, Charlotte Elizabeth Battles defied society’s standards for women by getting a college education, owning her own home and being a successful business woman. “She was well beloved by the whole town and really a woman before her time,” said Executive Director of the Hagen History Center, George Deutsch.
After her father’s death in 1904, Battles assumed the presidency of the RS Battles bank in Girard, becoming one of the first female bank presidents in the country. “It was one of those old style banks where everybody knew everybody. If you couldn’t pay your interest, they’d let you pay in produce,” said Deutsch.
At the height of the Great Depression in 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an order for banks across the country to close. Battles refused to close her banks doors and responded with a telegram to FDR saying “Mr. President, we’re minding our business, you do the same.”
The Battles Bank was one of the only banks able to remain open throughout the depression.
“In reality, she stepped up to the job and again was very successful and very important in what she did for the economic health of the west county,” said Deutsch.
The Hagen History Center is working to have a state marker placed in front of the R.S. Battles Bank in her honor. “We thought that Charlotte was deserving of one because of her story, and there’s very few markers out in the west county interestingly enough,” said Deutsch.
This week, the proposal goes before the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission. If it’s approved, the marker will be erected this summer.
“Charlotte is just one of those women who’s not particularly well known outside Girard anymore, but had a real interesting contribution to our region and frankly the national dialogue in 1933,” said Deutsch.
Born in 1864, Charlotte Elizabeth Battles defied society’s standards for women by getting a college education, owning her own home and being a successful business woman. “She was well beloved by the whole town and really a woman before her time,” said Executive Director of the Hagen History Center, George Deutsch.
After her father’s death in 1904, Battles assumed the presidency of the RS Battles bank in Girard, becoming one of the first female bank presidents in the country. “It was one of those old style banks where everybody knew everybody. If you couldn’t pay your interest, they’d let you pay in produce,” said Deutsch.
At the height of the Great Depression in 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an order for banks across the country to close. Battles refused to close her banks doors and responded with a telegram to FDR saying “Mr. President, we’re minding our business, you do the same.”
The Battles Bank was one of the only banks able to remain open throughout the depression.
“In reality, she stepped up to the job and again was very successful and very important in what she did for the economic health of the west county,” said Deutsch.
The Hagen History Center is working to have a state marker placed in front of the R.S. Battles Bank in her honor. “We thought that Charlotte was deserving of one because of her story, and there’s very few markers out in the west county interestingly enough,” said Deutsch.
This week, the proposal goes before the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission. If it’s approved, the marker will be erected this summer.
“Charlotte is just one of those women who’s not particularly well known outside Girard anymore, but had a real interesting contribution to our region and frankly the national dialogue in 1933,” said Deutsch.