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��Banks and Bankers of Concord.

��parents were Calvin aud Sarah Wheeler (Fiske) Thayer. Mr. Calvin Thayer was for many years a leading and in- fluential citizen in Rockingham county, serving for a long time as county treasurer, and holding successively the principal town offices of Kingston. He was the son of Rev. Elihu Thayer, d. d., who for more than thirty years was the pastor of the Congregational church of Kingston, and who for many years was the president of the New Hampshire Home Missionary Society. Mr. Thayer moved with his family to the village of Meriden in 1855, where, at Kimball Union Academy, his son, William F. Thayer, received his edu- cation.

At the age of seventeen years Mr. Thayer came to Concord, and for a short time was employed in the store of C. C. Webster, aud then accepted a position as clerk in the post-office, Robert N. Corning being at that time post-master. He soon gave evidence of his business ability, and became chief clerk, a position he held for four years. After leaving the post- office, he spent a few months in the West, and upon his return to Concord entered the counting-room of the El- well Furniture Company, where he remained about eight months. He then became a clerk in the First Na- tional Bank of Concord, where his strict integrity, conservatism, and financial ability won for him speedy promotion. He was appointed assist- ant cashier in 1873, cashier in 1874, and president in January, 1885.

That the directors of the First Na- tional Bank of Concord should entrust to Mr. Thayer the presidency and the executive management of the finances

��of the institution was not only a de- servedly high compliment to the young president, but was an evidence of the astuteness and discriminating judg- ment of the directors, a body collec- tively and individually of high repute for financial and executive ability. The board of directors consists of that veteran financier, Thomas Stuart, William M. Chase, a leading lawyer of Concord, Colonel Solon A. Carter, state treasurer, Hon. Edgar H. Wood- man, mayor of Concord, William P. Fiske, treasurer of the New Hamp- shire Savings Bank, and Colonel Chas. H. Roberts, well known in financial aud political circles. The confidence of the community in the bank is shown by a deposit of over three quarters of a million of dollars. The capital stock of the bank is $150,000 ; the surplus fund, $150,000; the un- divided profits, over $25,000. The bank has dealt very largely in gov- ernment and municipal bonds and other safe securities, and now holds over $300,000 in United States bonds. In fact, in financial circles it is con- ceded that the First National Bank of Concord is the strongest bank in the state.

The exceptionally high financial condition of the First National Bank is largely due to the management of its former cashier and present presi- dent, William F. Thayer. He is a keen and well balanced banker, pos- sessing a natural aptitude for grasp- ing financial questions and solving them by his foresio;ht. He is at once conservative and cautious, yet pro- gressive and bold in his plans. Thoroughly' familiar with banking operations, from the most trivial de- tails to heavy transactions, he com-

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