Exhibit No. 5.1



                      MALIZIA, SPIDI, SLOANE & FISCH, P.C.
                                Attorneys at Law
                               One Franklin Square
                               1301 K Street, N.W.
                                 Suite 700 East
                             Washington, D.C. 20005
                            Telephone: (202) 434-4660
                           Telecopier: (202) 434-4661



March 11, 1997

Board of Directors
Sistersville Bancorp, Inc.
726 Wells Street
Sistersville, West Virginia 26175

         Re:      Registration Statement Under the Securities Act of 1933

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         This opinion is rendered in connection with the Registration  Statement
on Form S-1 to be filed with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  under the
Securities Act of 1933 relating to the offer and sale of up to 793,500 shares of
common stock,  par value $0.10 per share (the "Common  Stock"),  of Sistersville
Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company"), including shares to be issued to certain employee
benefit plans of the Company and its subsidiary. The Common Stock is proposed to
be issued  pursuant  to the Plan of  Conversion  (the  "Plan") of First  Federal
Savings and Loan Association of Sistersville  (the  "Association") in connection
with the  Association's  conversion  from a mutual savings and loan  association
form  of  organization  to  a  stock  savings  bank  form  of  organization  and
reorganization into a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the "Conversion").
As special  counsel to the  Association  and the Company,  we have  reviewed the
corporate  proceedings  relating to the Plan and the  Conversion  and such other
legal matters as we have deemed  appropriate  for the purpose of rendering  this
opinion.

         Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the shares of Common
Stock of the Company covered by the aforesaid  Registration Statement will, when
issued in accordance  with the terms of the Plan against full payment  therefor,
be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable  shares of Common Stock of the
Company.

         This opinion is given as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation
to advise you of changes that may hereafter be brought to our attention.





Board of Directors
March 11, 1997
Page Two

         We hereby  consent to the use of this  opinion and to the  reference to
our  firm  appearing  in  the  Company's  Prospectus  under  the  headings  "The
Conversion - Effects of Conversion to Stock Form on Depositors  and Borrowers of
the  Association  - Tax Effects" and "Legal and Tax Matters." We also consent to
any  references  to our  legal  opinion  referred  to under  the  aforementioned
headings in the Prospectus.

                                      Very truly yours,


                                      /s/Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C.
                                      MALIZIA, SPIDI, SLOANE & FISCH, P.C.