Charlotte Elizabeth Battles is a name you probably haven’t heard but she made history back in her day.

Born in 1864 to a family that owned the R.S. Battles Bank in Girard, Pennsylvania, she was educated, worldly and strong. Her father was Rush Battles, a farmer, lawyer and banker whose bank had been a local staple since 1859. When her father died, she was promoted to fill his shoes as bank president. The year was 1904 and she was one of the first women to serve as a bank president.

She ran this bank until it closed in 1946.

Let us pause here for a moment. Women didn’t get the vote until 1920. She successfully ran a bank for years before she could walk into a ballot booth.

But I digress. She gained fame in 1933 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered American banks be closed as part of the Emergency Banking Act and she refused to comply.

As a privately owned institution, she believed they were not governed by the state or federal government. In a letter to Roosevelt, Battles said “We’re minding our business, you mind yours”.

They remained open as they always had, placing no restrictions on deposits or withdrawals, but they did serve only existing customers that week.

The Erie Times News published a story about the incident under the headline “Girard Bank Says ‘Pooh’ To State And U.S. Edict.” The funny thing was that it wasn’t even big news back then. The story ran on page 11.

If you visit the Hagen History Center in Erie, PA, you will find a room dedicated to this pioneering business woman who thumbed her nose at the feds.

The exhibit tells the story of her life as a banker but also that of an artist, a world traveler, a gardener and what appeared to be a woman who embraced life fully.

She died in 1952 and her home in Girard is now owned by the Hagan History Center. That’s less than 30 minutes from the Hagen Center in Erie.

This museum has some amazing exhibits including maritime history, Frank Lloyd Wright’s field office, art and stunning mansions to tour. Go visit!