When I was in fifth grade, we were assigned to do a research paper on a significant figure from the early days of the United States. For this project, we had to choose one book out of about 50 that were provided to us. Out of that collection of books, I chose one book that stood out from the rest; the only one written about a woman.
Early in my life, I noticed a huge disparity in history textbooks. We always seemed to be learning about men, and it would stand out when a woman’s name was mentioned in the book. The older I get, the more I have found myself gravitating towards learning women’s history and what contributions they have made over the course of time.
To honor Women’s History month, here is a story about a woman from my small hometown of Girard, Pa. whose history should be celebrated and shared.
Charlotte Elizabeth Battles was born Oct. 11, 1864 and was the only surviving child of her parents. Her parents, Rush S. and Charlotte Battles, were prominent figures of a small town in West Erie County, Pa. named Girard.
She was a woman ahead of her time, being a college graduate, philanthropist and serving on the boards of several charities and educational institutions within her community. After traveling through Europe and graduating from the Mount Vernon Seminary School in Washington D.C., she was briefly married before moving back home and parting ways from her husband.
After the passing of her father in 1914, who was a farmer and bank owner in Girard, Battles assumed his position as president of the R.S. Battles Bank in town. It is important to note that she was the first woman to ever hold the title and position, and at this time, women had still not gained the right to vote.
In the 1930s, with the burdens of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered all the banks to close as part of the Emergency Banking Act. When news of the Presidential Order was received, Battles decided it was not necessary for her bank to close and kept it open while almost every other bank in the country closed.
Battles’ decision to keep her bank open made it all the way up to the “New York Times” where they published a story about her defiance. She justified her choice to remain open because R.S. Battles Bank was a privately owned bank and not under the control of the government.
When the leaders of Washington D.C. heard about her unwillingness to comply, she wrote a letter in response that read:
“Mr. President, since I do not presume to tell you how to run the country, don’t you presume to tell me how to run my bank. We’re minding our business, you mind yours. C. Elizabeth Battles.”
The R.S. Battles Bank was the only bank to remain open during the bank closures of the Great Depression, and its investors did not lose any of their money during that time.
Later on in her life, Battles remained a pillar of the Girard community. She served on the library board, the garden club, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Traveler’s Club and as a cofounder of the Civic Improvement Association. She lived out her later years with her good friend Georgianna Reed.
She left both her house and her parents’ estate to Reed, who later left the Battles Trust to the community to be turned into a historical museum, which is used today both for research and to host community events.
Charlotte Elizabeth Battles’ story is an important one when recognizing the contributions of women throughout history. Her defiance during the Great Depression not only protected the financial security of her customers but also challenged the status quo of female leadership in business.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I hope her story inspires you to continue uncovering the achievements of remarkable women from your hometown whose histories may be overlooked or undocumented.