                                     LIMITED
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Charles R. Hunsaker and Donald J. Landers , signing singly,
the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

     (1)    Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
            capacity as an officer and/or director of PEOPLES BANCORP INC.
            (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section
            16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
            thereunder;

     (2)    Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
            undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
            execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5, complete and execute any
            amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such form with
            the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
            exchange or similar authority; and

     (3)    Take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with
            the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may
            be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by,
            the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed
            by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to
            this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain
            such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in
            such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

     The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such
attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted.

     The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming,
nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply
with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 17th day of August, 2004.



                              /s/ RICHARD FERGUSON
        ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                   [Signature]

                                Richard Ferguson
        ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                 [Printed Name]

        ================================================================



         On this 17th day of August, 2004, did appear Richard Ferguson, a person
known by me, and he acknowledged that he did sign this Limited Power of
Attorney, and that is his free act and deed.

                                   /s/ CHRIS C. TSITOURIS
                                       ---------------------
                                       Chris C. Tsitouris
                                       Notary Public - State of Ohio
                                       Attorney-at-law

