EXHIBIT 99
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NEWS RELEASE
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           Contact:   John W. Conlon
- ---------------------                      Chief Financial Officer
April 20, 1999                             
										(740) 373-3155

	
                PEOPLES BANCORP ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF
                 $30 MILLION TRUST PREFERRED OFFERING
             _____________________________________________

MARIETTA, Ohio - Peoples Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: PEBO) today announced that
it had sold, through PEBO Capital Trust I, a newly formed subsidiary, $30.0
million of 8.62% Capital Securities.  The proceeds will be used by the Trust
to purchase, from Peoples Bancorp Inc., Junior Subordinated Debentures due
May 1, 2029.  Peoples Bancorp used Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P. as
underwriter of the trust preferred offering.

Peoples Bancorp plans to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes,
including additional investments in its subsidiary banks and the repurchase
of some of its outstanding common shares.  Currently, the Company plans to
invest approximately $10 million of the proceeds in its largest banking
subsidiary, The Peoples Banking and Trust Company.

Robert E. Evans, Peoples Bancorp's President and Chief Executive Officer,
commented, "We had a tremendous opportunity to leverage our solid financial
position.  Current market conditions allowed us to obtain attractive
long-term financing to support our future growth plans."

Evans continued, "Sandler O'Neill and our management team should be
commended for their efforts to complete this offering in a timely manner."

Peoples Bancorp Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Marietta,
Ohio, with over $870 million in assets.  Peoples Bancorp operates 35
financial service locations in the states of Ohio, West Virginia, and
Kentucky.  Peoples Bancorp's banking subsidiaries include The Peoples
Banking and Trust Company with offices in Ohio and West Virginia; The First
National Bank of Southeastern Ohio with three Ohio offices; and Peoples Bank
FSB, with four Kentucky offices.  Through its subsidiaries, Peoples Bancorp
offers complete banking services and makes available other financial
services, such as trust services, and investment and insurance products.
Learn more about Peoples Bancorp at www.peoplesbancorp.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, that involve risk and uncertainty.
It should be noted that a variety of factors could cause actual results to
differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations
expressed in the Company's forward-looking statements.  The risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the growth of the economy,
interest rate movements, timely development of technology enhancements for
its products and operating systems, the impact of competitive products,
services and pricing, customer-based requirements, Congressional legislation,
and similar matters.  Readers of this release are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on forward-looking statements which are subject to influence
by the named risk factors and unanticipated future events.  Actual results,
accordingly, may differ materially from management expectations.  Peoples
Bancorp Inc. does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to
publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any
forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or
unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
	
                             END OF RELEASE