”THE OLD WATERVILLE BANK.

The banking history of Waterville dates from 1814, in which year the old Waterville Bank was organized and its charter granted by the legislature of Massachusetts. This was the first banking institution commencing business above Augusta on the Kennebec river and served besides Waterville, Skowhegan, Norridgewock and other up-river towns. At the first meeting of its directors, held at the dwelling-house of Nath’l Gilman, Esq., on the 21st day of March, 1814, Mr. Gilman was chosen president and served in this capacity for the nineteen years of the bank’s existence. A small, one-story, wooden building was erected for the use of the bank, its location being just south of Ticonic Row on lower Main street. The original bank building was occupied also by the Ticonic Bank, the successor of the Waterville until 1865. This building afterward was moved to Ticonic street and was used as a dwelling-house until destroyed by fire.

The first board of directors of the bank consisted of Mr. Gilman, Asa Redington, Samuel Redington, Thomas Rice and Daniel Cook. Among others who later served as directors were Asa Redington, Jr., Lemuel Paine, Timothy Boutelle, Jonathan Farrar, Moses Appleton, Joseph Southwick, Calvin Selden, Thomas B. Coolidge, Samuel Weston, James Stackpole, and John Ware of Norridgewock, great uncle of John Ware of this city.”

Reference Data:

The Centennial History of Waterville, Kennebee County, Maine, by Edwin Carey Whittmore, 1902, page 360