First Ottawa Bancshares (FOTB) 10-K 2002 FY Annual report

Exhibit 24.1

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned, being a director or officer, or both, of FIRST OTTAWA BANCSHARES, INC., a Delaware Corporation (“First Ottawa”), does hereby constitute and appoint JOACHIM J. BROWN and DONALD J. HARRIS, with full power to each of them to act alone, as the true and lawful attorneys and agents of the undersigned, with full power of substitution and resubstitution to each of said attorneys to execute, file, or deliver any and all instruments and to do all acts and things which said attorneys and agents, or any of them, deem advisable to enable First Ottawa to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any requirements or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with First Ottawa’s filing of an annual report on Form 10-K for First Ottawa’s fiscal year 2002 including specifically, but without limitation of the general authority hereby granted, the power and authority to sign his or her name as a director or officer, or both, of First Ottawa, as indicated below opposite his or her signature, to the Form 10-K, and any amendment thereto; and each of the undersigned does hereby fully ratify and confirm all that said attorneys and agents, or any of them, or the substitute of any of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Power of Attorney as of the 28^th day of March 2003.

/s/ Joachim J. Brown
JOACHIM J. BROWN	Director and President/Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive and Financial Officer)
/s/ Bradley J. Armstrong
BRADLEY J. ARMSTRONG	Director
/s/ John L. Cantlin
JOHN L. CANTLIN	Director
/s/ Patty P. Godfrey
PATTY P. GODFREY	Director
/s/ Thomas E. Haeberle
THOMAS E. HAEBERLE	Director

/s/ Donald J. Harris
DONALD J. HARRIS	Director and Executive Vice President, Cashier, and Trust Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ Erika L. Schmidt
ERIKA L. SCHMIDT	Director
/s/ Thomas P. Rooney
THOMAS P. ROONEY	Director
/s/ William J. Walsh
WILLIAM J. WALSH	Director

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