Page 16 - The History of Watertown Savings Bank_Neat

Early Influencers of WSB History

An early supporter of Watertown Savings Bank Mr. Keep knew and trusted Roswell Flower to
was Roswell P. Flower, who served as governor of look after his family’s interests. Managing the
New York State from 1892 to 1894. Mr. Flower Keep’s estate required Mr. Flower to relocate to
started his rise to New York State Governor New York City, where he later became a financial
Roswell P. Flower from humble beginnings. His father died when administrator and opened a successful banking
Early Trustee of Roswell was 8 years old, forcing him to work to investment firm, called R.P. Flower & Co.
help support the family, and attend school when
Mr. Flower served in the United States House
Watertown Savings Bank he could find the time. of Representatives before becoming New York

The Watertown native joined the WSB board of State Governor.
trustees a few years after the bank opened, and upon The savings passbook that belonged to the
his death in 1899, he was replaced on the bank’s former governor, whose first deposit of $250 was
board of trustees by his brother, Anson Flower. recorded on July 20, 1897, is still at the bank.
One of Mr. Flower’s first jobs in Watertown He died of a heart attack on May 12, 1899 in
was Deputy Postmaster in 1853. He saved his Eastport, N.Y.
money to later open a jewelry store, continuing
the business until 1869, when he was asked by A WSB account established by Roswell Flower in 1897, set up
Henry Keep, a former president of the New York to have interest paid in perpetuity to the superintendent of the
Brookside Cemetery. The funds were to be “expended in plantings”
Central Railroad, to manage his $4 million estate. for the graves of his father and two children who predeceased him.
Mr. Keep was
dying, and wanted
to make sure that his
wife, Emma, would
be taken care of
financially after his
death. Because Emma
was a sister of Mr.
Flower’s wife, Sarah,

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