UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 3
INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
Strawn, Steven A.
3547 Betty Ford Road
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
January 2, 1998
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
4. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
National HealthCare Corporation
NHC
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
(specify below)
Vice President Operations
6. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
(X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
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Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned |
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1. Title of Security |2. Amount of |3. Ownership |4. Nature of Indirect |
| Securities | Form: | Beneficial Ownership |
| Beneficially | Direct(D) or | |
| Owned | Indirect(I) | |
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<S> <C> <C> <C>
Shares of Common Stock |52,108 |I |Family Partnership |
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Table II -- Derivative Securitites Beneficially Owned |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Date Exer- |3.Title and Amount | |4. Conver-|5. Owner- |6. Nature of Indirect |
Security | cisable and | of Underlying | |sion or |ship | Beneficial Ownership |
| Expiration | Securities | |exercise |Form of | |
| Date(Month/ |-----------------------|---------|price of |Deriv- | |
| Day/Year) | |Amount |deri- |ative | |
| Date | Expira- | |or |vative |Security: | |
| Exer- | tion | Title |Number of|Security |Direct(D) or | |
| cisable | Date | |Shares | |Indirect(I) | |
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
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</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:
