SCHEDULE 13G

Reg. ss. 240.13d-102. Information to be included in statements filed pursuant to
ss.  240.13d(1)  (b), (c) and (d) and  amendments  thereto filed pursuant to ss.
240.13d-2.  

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                        SOUTH BRANCH VALLEY BANCORP, INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                     COMMON
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                     836730
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

Check the  appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

           | |  Rule 13d-1(b)
           |X|  Rule 13d-1(c)
           | |  Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information  contained
in this form are not  required to respond  unless the form  displays a currently
valid OMB control number.

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CUSIP No.   836730
          -----------------

       1.  Names of Reporting Person.
           I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only)

           JOHN W. CRITES  ###-##-####
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       2.  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

           (a)
               ----

           (b)  X
               ----
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       3.  SEC Use Only
                         ---------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       4.  Citizenship or Place of Organization: UNITED STATES
                                                -----------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of    5. Sole Voting Power     57,287
Shares Bene-                       ------------
ficially
Owned        6. Shared Voting Power
by Each                             ------------- 
Reporting    7. Sole Dispositive Power  57,287
Person With:                           ----------- 
             8. Shared Dispositive Power
                                        -----------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       9.  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person  57,287
                                                                        -------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       10. Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares
           (See Instructions)
                              -------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11)      9.7
                                                              -----------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       12. Type or Reporting Person (See Instructions)   IN
                                                       ---------          

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                  ATTACHMENT TO SCHEDULE 13G OF JOHN W. CRITES
Item 1.
       (a) Name of Issuer                   SOUTH BRANCH VALLEY BANCORP, INC.
       (b) Address of Issuer's Principal    310 N. MAIN STREET
           Executive Offices                MOOREFIELD, WV 26836

Item 2.
       (a) Name of Person Filing                       JOHN W. CRITES
       (b) Address of Principal                        46 POINT DRIVE
           Business Office or, if none, Residence      PETERSBURG, WV 26847
       (c) Citizenship                                 U.S.
       (d) Title of Class of Securities                COMMON
       (e) CUSIP Number                                836730

Item 3.    If this statement is filed pursuant to 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b)
           or (c), check whether the person filing is a:
       (a) o    Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act
                (15 U.S.C. 78o);
       (b) o    Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c);
       (c) o    Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act
                (15 U. S. C. 78c);
       (d) o    Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment
                Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8);
       (e) o    An investment adviser in accordance withss.240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)
                (E);
       (f) o    An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with 
                240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
       (g) o    A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
                240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
       (h) o    A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal
                Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
       (i) o    A  church  plan  that  is  excluded  from  the  definition  of
                an  investment  company  under  section  3(c)(14)  of  the 
                Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
       (j) o Group, in accordance with  240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

THIS SECTION IS N/A FOR THIS FILING.

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Item 4.    Ownership

Provide the following  information regarding the aggregate number and percentage
of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

       (a) Amount beneficially owned:               57,287.   
                                        -------------------------------
       (b) Percent of class:                          9.7.
                                        -------------------------------

       (c) Number of shares as to which the person has:

          (i)       Sole power to vote or to direct the vote              57,287
          (ii)      Shared power to vote or to direct the vote                 0
          (iii)     Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 57,287
          (iv)      Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of    0

     Instruction.  For computations regarding securities which represent a right
     to acquire an underlying security see ss. 240.13d-3(d)(1).

Item 5.    Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

       This statement is being not being filed to report the fact that as of the
date hereof the reporting  person has ceased to be the beneficial  owner of more
than five percent of the class of securities.

Item 6.    Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person

          Allegheny Wood Products,  Inc., a corporation principally owned by Mr.
     Crites,  owns 23,905,  or 4.04% of these shares.  Allegheny  Wood Products,
     Inc.  has the  right to  receive,  or the power to direct  the  receipt  of
     dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, these shares.  Mr. Crites
     derives his aggregate beneficial ownership from these shares and the 33,382
     shares directly owned by Mr. Crites.

Item 7.   Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
          Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company

       A parent holding  company has not filed this  schedule,  pursuant to Rule
13d-1(b)(ii)(G), or pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c) or Rule 13d- 1(d).

Item 8.   Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

       This schedule has not been filed by a group.

Item 9.    Notice of Dissolution of Group

       This filing does not pertain to a dissolution of a group.

Item 10.   Certification

       (b) The  following  certification  shall be included if the  statement is
filed pursuant to 240.13d-1(c):

                     By  signing  below  I  certify  that,  to  the  best  of my
                     knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were
                     not  acquired  and are not held for the  purpose of or with
                     the effect of  changing or  influencing  the control of the
                     issuer of the  securities and were not acquired and are not
                     held  in  connection  with  or  as  a  participant  in  any
                     transaction having that purpose or effect.

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                                    SIGNATURE

     After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my  knowledge  and belief,  I
certify that the information  set forth in this statement is true,  complete and
correct.

                                                       JANUARY     22,     1999
                                                       ------------------------
                                                                 Date

                                                       /s/   JOHN   W.   CRITES
                                                       ------------------------
                                                                Signature

                                                       JOHN W. CRITES, DIRECTOR
                                                       ------------------------
                                                              Name/Title

       The original statement shall be signed by each person on whose behalf the
statement is filed or his authorized representative.  If the statement is signed
on behalf of a person by his authorized  representative  other than an executive
officer  or   general   partner  of  the   filing   person,   evidence   of  the
representative's  authority to sign on behalf of such person shall be filed with
the  statement,  provided,  however,  that a power of attorney  for this purpose
which is already on file with the Commission may be  incorporated  by reference.
The name and any title of each person who signs the statement  shall be typed or
printed beneath his signature.

NOTE:  Schedules  filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five
copies of the  schedule,  including all  exhibits.  See ss.  240.13d-7 for other
parties for whom copies are to be sent.

     Attention:  Intentional  misstatements  or  omissions  of  fact  constitute
Federal criminal violations (See 18 U.S.C. 1001).

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