Exhibit 23.4



                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS



The Board of Directors
Century Bancshares, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our report included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus
that is part of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of United Bankshares,
Inc. of our report dated January 18, 2001, except for note 16 of such report
which is as of August 29, 2001 (which expresses an unqualified opinion and
includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the restatement as described in
note 16) with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Century
Bancshares, Inc. as of December 31, 2000 and 1999 and for each of the years in
the three year period ended December 31, 2000.  We also consent to the reference
to our firm under the heading "Experts" in the prospectus.


                                    /s/ KPMG LLP



McLean, VA
September 12, 2001