Exhibit 24
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                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that each of the undersigned  officers
and/or directors of Peoples Bancorp Inc. (the "Company"), which is about to file
with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  Washington,  D.C.,  under  the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  a Registration  Statement
on Form S-4 for the  registration  of certain of its common  shares to be issued
pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Acquisition and Merger, dated
as of October 24, 2000,  between the Company and The Lower Salem Commercial Bank
and Peoples Bank, National  Association,  hereby constitutes and appoints Robert
E. Evans and Charles R.  Hunsaker as his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and
agents, with full power of substitution and  resubstitution,  for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities,  to sign both the Registration
Statement on Form S-4 and any and all amendments and documents  related thereto,
and to file the same, and any and all exhibits  thereto,  and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and The Nasdaq
Stock Market,  and grants unto each of said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  and
substitute or  substitutes,  full power and authority to do and perform each and
every  act and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done  in and  about  the
premises,  as  fully  to all  intents  and  purposes  as he might or could do in
person,  and  hereby  ratifies  and  confirms  all  things  that  each  of  said
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of them or his or  their  substitute  or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  each of the undersigned has hereunto set his hand
this 14th day of December, 2000.


 /s/ ROBERT E. EVANS                     /s/ ROBERT W. PRICE
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Robert E. Evans                         Robert W. Price

                                         /s/ PAUL T. THEISEN
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Carl Baker, Jr.                         Paul T. Theisen

 /s/ GEORGE W. BROUGHTON                 /s/ THOMAS C. VADAKIN
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George W. Broughton                     Thomas C. Vadakin

                                         /s/ JOSEPH H. WESEL
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Frank L. Christy                        Joseph H. Wesel

 /s/ WILFORD D. DIMIT                    /s/ JOHN W. CONLON
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Wilford D. Dimit                        John W. Conlon

 /s/ REX E. MAIDEN                       /s/ MARK F. BRADLEY
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Rex E. Maiden                           Mark F. Bradley