Thomas Hall Battle was born on August 2, 1860 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Battle was a prominent businessman and public servant in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He served as president of Rocky Mount Mills, solicitor of Edgecombe County (1882-1885), as mayor of Rocky Mount (1886-1896), as alderman (1896-1917), and as chairman of the school board (1885-1919).