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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

                CONSENT OF FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.

         We hereby consent to the use of our name and to the description of our
opinion letter, dated November 8, 2000, under the caption "Opinions of Financial
Advisors" in, and to the inclusion of such opinion letter as Annex B to, the
Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus of Century Bancshares, Inc. and GrandBanc Inc.,
which Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus is part of the Registration Statement on
Form S-4 of Century Bancshares, Inc. By giving such consent, we do not thereby
admit that we are experts with respect to any part of such Registration
Statement within the meaning of the term "expert" as used in, or that we come
within the category of persons whose consent is required under, the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.


                                     /s/ Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.
                                     ------------------------------------------
                                         FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.



Washington, D. C.
December 13, 2000