Our History
A safe harbor
The year was 1851
The year was 1851. Millard Fillmore was president of the United States. Much of the West was still a wild frontier. The Connecticut River, in its heyday, was the center for shipbuilding and international commerce. Majestic sloops and schooners plied the waters of the river on their way to Long Island Sound, the gateway to the Atlantic and to the overseas trades.
That year, a group of forward-thinking shipmasters, business owners and entrepreneurs gathered together to form a bank that would provide a safe harbor for their fortunes and a financial resource for members of the local community – Essex Savings Bank opened for business on August 6, 1851. The first deposit book was issued to Susan Pratt with an entry of $150.00.
Serving the Community
An Engine of Stability
Throughout its history, Essex Savings Bank has been a financial engine of stability and growth in the lives of those in the communities we serve. The Bank has taken pride in helping our customers build homes, grow their businesses and create livelihoods that contribute to the prosperity of the Connecticut River Valley and beyond. Notably, the Bank’s Community Investment Program returns up to 10 percent of our net income to non-profit organizations annually.
Trust and Estate Settlement Services
Excellence and Agility
In 1999, the Bank began offering trust and estate settlement services through a newly formed trust division. The Bank’s vision was to offer highly personalized banking, trust and wealth management solutions, all in one place. Since then, the trust division has grown in large part due our reputation for excellence and agility in working with clients and their trusted advisors.
A legacy of independence
A Name to Reflect What We Do
Rebranded as Essex Trust in 2017, we changed our name to better reflect what we do – our trust company’s singular focus on the needs and interests of our clients’ trust, estate and wealth management needs. Our firm’s legacy of independence, since 1851, has driven our success in working with clients and their advisors, and we are grateful for their continued confidence in us.