EXHIBIT 24
                           POWER OF ATTORNEY

      We,  the undersigned Directors  and Officers of  First Virginia
Banks, Inc. ("First Virginia"), hereby constitute and appoint on  this
28th day of September, 1994, Thomas  P. Jennings and Christopher M.
Cole, and  each of them, with power of substitution,  our true and
lawful attorneys-in-fact  with full  power to sign  for us,  in our
names  and in  the capacities  indicated below,  a  Registration
Statement  on Form  S-4  and all  amendments thereto  (including
Post-Effective Amendments), for  the purpose of  registering under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, up to 4,048,584 shares of  First
Virginia Common Stock to  be issued  in  connection with  the  merger
of Farmers  National  Bancorp into  First Virginia.

      Name                                            Title


 /s/ ROBERT H. ZALOKAR                    Chairman of the Board and Chief
Robert H. Zalokar                          Executive Officer


 /s/ EDWARD L. BREEDEN, III               Director
Edward L. Breeden, III


 /s/ PAUL H. GEITHNER, JR.                President, Chief Administrative
Paul H. Geithner, Jr.                      Officer and Director


 /s/ L. H. GINN, III                      Director
L. H. Ginn, III


 /s/ GILBERT R. GIORDANO                  Director
Gilbert R. Giordano


 /s/ T. KEISTER GREER                     Director
T. Keister Greer


 /s/ ELSIE C. GRUVER                      Director
Elsie C. Gruver


 /s/ ERIC C. KENDRICK                     Director
Eric C. Kendrick


 /s/ THOMAS K. MALONE, JR.                Director
Thomas K. Malone, Jr.


 /s/ W. LEE PHILLIPS, JR.                 Director
W. Lee Phillips, Jr.


 /s/ JOSIAH P. ROWE, III                  Director
Josiah P. Rowe, III


 /s/ RICHARD T. SELDEN                    Director
Richard T. Selden


 /s/ ALBERT F. ZETTLEMOYER                Director
Albert F. Zettlemoyer


/s/ RICHARD F. BOWMAN                     Vice President and Chief
Richard F. Bowman                          Financial Officer