| FIRST: | The      name of this corporation is First Community Bancshares,    Inc. |
|--------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| SECOND: | The      registered agent for the corporation is CSC Services of Nevada, Inc.,      whose street address and mailing address are 502 East John Street, Carson      City, NV 89706. |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| THIRD: | The      purpose or purposes for which this corporation is organized are as      follows: |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | To      own, buy, acquire, sell, exchange, assign, lease and deal in and with real      and personal property and any interest or right  therein; |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | To      own, buy, acquire, sell, exchange, assign, pledge and deal with voting      stock, non-voting stock, notes, bonds, evidences of indebtedness and      rights and options in and to other corporate and non-corporate entities,      and to pay therefor in whole or in part in cash or by exchanging therefor      stocks, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness or securities of this or      any other corporation, and while the owner or holder of any such stocks,      bonds, debentures,  notes, evidences of indebtedness or other      securities, contracts, or obligations, to receive, collect, and dispose of      the interest, dividends and income arising from such property, and to      possess and exercise in respect thereof, all the rights, powers and      privileges of ownership, including all voting powers on any stocks so      owned. |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | To      borrow money without limit as to amount;and |
|--------|-----------------------------------------------------|

|   | To      engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be      organized under the laws of the State ofNevada. |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| FOURTH: | The      total number of shares of stock which the corporation shall have authority      to issue is Ten Million (10,000,000) shares of Common Stock, all of a par      value of One Dollar ($1.00) each, and One Million (1,000,000) shares of      preferred stock, whose par or face value, voting powers, designations,      preferences, interest rate, limitations, restrictions and relative rights      shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of      Directors of the corporation. |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| FIFTH: | The      name and post office address of the incorporator is as      follows: |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| NAME                      |   | POST OFFICE ADDRESS               |
|---------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------|
|                      |   |                              |
| Eugene      E. Derryberry |   | P.O.      Box 40013               |
|                      |   | Roanoke,      VA  24038 |

----

| SIXTH: | The      members of the corporation’s governing board shall be styled as directors.      The initial directors of the corporation shall consist of 12 persons,      divided into the aforesaid classes asfollows: |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| Class      A                  |   |                                 |
|-------------------------------|--------|--------------------------------------|
|                          |   |                                 |
| Allen      T. Hamner          |   | 3      Lincoln Way                   |
|                          |   | Buckhannon,      WV  26201 |
|                          |   |                                 |
| B.W.      Harvey              |   | c/o      Acme Markets                |
|                          |   | P.O.      Box 1457                   |
|                          |   | Bluefield,      WV  24701  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| John      M. Mendez           |   | #6      Sandrine Pointe              |
|                          |   | Princeton,      WV  24740  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| Harold      Wood              |   | Box      97                          |
|                          |   | Flat      Top, WV  25841   |
|                          |   |                                 |
| Class      B                  |   |                                 |
|                          |   |                                 |
| Sam      Clark                |   | State      Farm Insurance            |
|                          |   | Box      700                         |
|                          |   | Oceana,      WV  24870     |
|                          |   |                                 |
| Robert      E. Perkinson, Jr. |   | MAPCO      Coal, Inc.                |
|                          |   | P.O.      Box 1349                   |
|                          |   | Bluefield,      VA  24605  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| William      P. Stafford      |   | Princeton      Machinery Service     |
|                          |   | HC      71, Box 6                    |
|                          |   | Princeton,      WV  24740  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| W.W.      Tinder, Jr.         |   | Tinder      Enterprises              |
|                          |   | P.O.      Box 980                    |
|                          |   | Bluefield,      WV  24701  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| Class      C                  |   |                                 |
|                          |   |                                 |
| James      L. Harrison, Sr.   |   | P.O.      Box 5462                   |
|                          |   | Princeton,      WV  24740  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| I.      Norris Kantor         |   | Katz,      Kantor & Perkins      |
|                          |   | P.O.      Box 727                    |
|                          |   | Bluefield,      WV  24701  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| A.A.      Modena              |   | 4      Windsor Circle Drive          |
|                          |   | Bluefield,      VA  24605  |
|                          |   |                                 |
| William      P. Stafford, II  |   | Brewster,      Morhous & Cameron |
|                          |   | P.O.      Box 529                    |
|                          |   | Bluefield,      WV  24701  |
|                          |   |                                 |

|   | The      number of directors of the corporation, not less than 12, shall be fixed      in accordance with the Bylaws. Directors shall be divided into three      classes (A, B and C). The initial term of office for directors in Classes      A, B and C shall expire at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 1998,      1999 and 2000, respectively. At each Annual Meeting of Stockholders,      directors for the class whose term then expires shall be elected for a      term of office to expire at the third succeeding Annual Meeting of      Stockholders after election, and shall continue to hold office until their      respective successors are elected and qualify. In the event of any      increase or decrease in the number of directors fixed by the Bylaws, all      classes of directors shall be increased or decreased as equally as      possible. No person who has attained the age of 70 years shall be elected      or appointed as a director of this corporation; provided, however, that      every person, otherwise eligible, who was serving as a director of the      corporation on December 31, 1990, shall continue to be eligible for      re-election as a director of the corporation regardless of      age. |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

----

| SEVENTH: | Section      1.    The      corporation shall not be governed by the provisions of Nevada Revised      Statutes 78.411 to 78.444, inclusive. The provisions of this Article shall      govern in lieu thereof. For the purposes of this Article: |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (A) | The      Term “Business Combination” means any of the following      transactions: |
|--------|-----|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (i) | Any      merger or consolidation of the corporation or any Subsidiary with or into      any Interested Stockholder, or |
|--------|-----|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (ii) | Any      sale, lease, exchange, transfer, or other disposition (in one transaction      or a series of related transactions) to or with any Interested Stockholder      of any assets of the corporation or any Subsidiary when such assets have      an aggregate fair market value of $5,000,000 or more;  or |
|--------|------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (iii) | The      issuance or transfer to any Interested Stockholder by the corporation or      any Subsidiary (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of any      equity securities of the corporation or any Subsidiary where any such      equity securities have an aggregate fair market value of $5,000,000 or      more; or |
|--------|-------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (iv) | The      adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the      corporation; or |
|--------|------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (v) | Any      agreement, contract, or other arrangement providing for any of the      transactions described in this definition of a “Business      Combination”. |
|--------|-----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (B) | A      “Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, or other      entity. |
|--------|-----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (C) | “Interested      Stockholder” means (i) any person (other than the corporation, a      Subsidiary of the corporation, or any profit-sharing, employee stock      ownership or employee benefit plan of the corporation or a Subsidiary of      the corporation, or any trustee of a fiduciary with respect to any such      plan acting in such capacity) that is the direct or indirect beneficial      owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Securities      Exchange Act of 1934 (“1934 Act”) as in effect on January 1, 1990) of 15      percent (15%) or more of the outstanding capital stock of the corporation      entitled to vote for the Election of Directors, and (ii) any Affiliate or      Associate of any such person, including any corporation which after the      transaction in question would be an Interested  Stockholder. |
|--------|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (D) | “Affiliate”      and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings given those terms in      Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the 1934 Act, as in      effect on January 1, 1990. |
|--------|-----|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (E) | “Subsidiary”      means any business entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of which is      directly or indirectly owned by thecorporation. |
|--------|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (F) | “Continuing      Director” means any member of the Board of Directors of the corporation      who is neither an Interested Stockholder nor affiliated with, proposed or      nominated by, or controlled by an Interested  Stockholder. |
|--------|-----|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

----

|   | (A) | The      Business Combination has been approved by a vote of a majority of all the      directors, and by a vote of a majority of all the Continuing Directors;      or |
|--------|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (B) | All      of the following conditions have beensatisfied: |
|--------|-----|----------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (1) | The      Holders shall receive an aggregate amount of (i) cash and (ii) fair market      value (as of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination) of      consideration other than cash, at least equal to the greater of (i) the      highest per share price (including any brokerage commissions, transfer      taxes, and fees) paid by the Interested Stockholder for any shares of such      class or series of stock acquired by the Interested Stockholder, or (ii)      in the case of preferred stock, the highest preferential amount per share      applicable to such stock; and |
|--------|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (2) | The      consideration to be received by Holders of any class or series of      outstanding common or preferred stock shall be in cash or in the same form      as the Interested Stockholder has previously paid for shares of such class      or series of stock. If the Interested Stockholder has paid for shares of      any class or series of stock with varying forms of consideration, the form      of consideration given for such class or series of stock in the Business      Combination shall be either cash or the form used to acquire the largest      number of shares of such class or series of stock previously acquired by      the Interested Stockholder; and |
|--------|-----|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | (3) | A      proxy statement complying with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the      rules and regulations thereunder (or any subsequent provisions replacing      the 1934 Act and such rules and regulations) shall be mailed to the      stockholders of the corporation at least 30 days prior to the holding of      any meeting of stockholders of the corporation to vote upon the Business      Combination (whether or not such proxy or information statement is      required pursuant to the 1934 Act or any subsequent provisions) which      shall contain in the forepart thereof in a prominent place any      recommendations as to the advisability (or inadvisability) of the Business      Combination which the Continuing Directors may choose to state and, if      deemed advisable by a majority of the Continuing Directors, an opinion of      a reputable investment banking firm as to the fairness (or lack of      fairness) of the terms of such Business Combination from the point of view      of the Holders of any class of voting stock of the corporation other than      the Interested Stockholder (such investment banking firm to be selected by      a majority of the Continuing Directors, to be furnished with all      information it reasonably requests, and to be paid by the corporation a      reasonable fee for its services upon receipt by the corporation of such      opinion). |
|--------|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

----

| EIGHTH: | (a)         The      corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is      threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed      action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,      criminal,  administrative or investigative (other than an action      by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or      was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or      was serving at the request of the corporation as a      director,  officer, employee or agent of another corporation,      partnership,  joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against      expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in      settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such      action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he      reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to be the best interests of      the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,      had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was    unlawful. |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| Date:  July      24, 1997 | /s/ Eugene E. Derryberry               |
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|                                | Eugene      E. Derryberry,Incorporator |

----

|   | /s/ Leigh S. Holland                 |
|--------|--------------------------------------|
|   | Notary      Public                   |
|   |                                 |
|   | My      commission expires:9/30/1998 |

----

|   | By:    | /s/ James L. HarrisonSr. |
|--------|--------|--------------------------|
|   |   | President                |

|   | By:    | /s/ John M. Mendez |
|--------|--------|--------------------|
|   |   | Secretary          |

----

|   | By:    | /s/ John M. Mendez |
|--------|--------|--------------------|
|   |   | President          |

|   | By:    | /s/ Robert L. Buzzo |
|--------|--------|---------------------|
|   |   | Secretary           |

----

|   | By:    | /s/ John M. Mendez |
|--------|--------|--------------------|
|   |   | President          |

|   | By:    | /s/ Robert L. Buzzo |
|--------|--------|---------------------|
|   |   | Secretary           |

----

| /s/ Robert L. Buzzo |
|---------------------|
| Secretary           |

----