------ U.S. SECURITIES & ------------
FORM 4 EXCHANGE COMMISSION OMB APPROVAL
------ Washington, D.C. 20549 ------------
[ ] Check this box if OMB Number 3235-0287
no longer subject Expires:September 30, 1998
Section 16. Form 4 Estimated average burden
or Form 5 obliga- hours per response . . 0.5
tions may continue.
See Instruction 1(b).
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Benton Ronald J.
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(Last) (First) (Middle)
38 Conifer Lane
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(Street)
Augusta Georgia 30909
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(City) (State) (ZIP)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Merry Land & Investment Company, Inc. (MRY)
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3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person
(Voluntary)
###-##-####
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4. Statement for Month/Year
June 1997
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5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
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6. Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
Director 10% Owner
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X Officer Other
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(give title below) (specify below)
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Vice President & Controller
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7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing
(Check Applicable Line)
X Form Filed by One Reporting Person
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Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
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Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
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3. 4.
Transaction Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed
Code of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
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5. Amount of
Securities 6. Ownership 7. Nature of
2. Beneficially Form: Direct Indirect
Transaction Owned at End (D) or Beneficial
1. Date of Month Indirect (I) Ownership
Title of Security (MM/DD/YY) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price (Inst. 3 & 4) (Instr. 4) (Instr. 4)
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
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Common Stock 5/27/97 J<F1> V 1,171<F1> -- -- --- I By Wife<F1>
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<FN>
<F1> Change in form of indirect ownership. Distribution of shares previously held indirectly by wife through ESOP.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FORM 4 (continued) Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned Page 2
(e.g. puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
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4.<F4> 5.<F5> 6.<F6> 7.<F7>
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Date Expira-
Exer- tion
1.<F1> 2.<F2> 3.<F3> Code V (A) (D) cisable Date Title Shares 8.<F8> 9.<F9> 10.<F10> 11.<F11>
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
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Employee $20.50 4/28/97 A V 20,000 -- <F12> 4/28/07 Common 20,000 -- 137,500 D --
Stock Stock
Option
(right to buy)
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<FN>
<F1> Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)
<F2> Conversion or Exercise of Price of Derivative Security
<F3> Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY)
<F4> Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
<F5> Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
<F6> Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY)
<F7> Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)
<F8> Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)
<F9> Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Period (Instr. 4)
<F10> Ownership of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
<F11> Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
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<F12> These options were granted under the Merry Land & Investment Company, Inc. Stock Option and Incentive Plan. Twenty
percent (20%) of these options become exercisable on 10/28/97 and an additional 20% become exercisable in four annual
installments commencing on 4/28/98.
</TABLE>
/s/ 7/16/97
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Ronald J. Benton Date
**Signature of Reporting Person
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal
Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually
signed. If space provided is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for
procedure.
Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of Page 2
information contained in this form are not required to SEC 1474
respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number. (7/96)
