FIRST MID ILLINOIS BANCSHARES INC
10-K, 1997-03-26
STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS
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[PERIOD-TYPE]   12-MOS


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

                                   FORM 10-K

              ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996    COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 0-13368

               FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

        DELAWARE                             37-1103704
 (State or other jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. employer identification No.)
  incorporation or organization)

              1515 CHARLESTON AVENUE, MATTOON, ILLINOIS  61938
             (Address and Zip Code of Principal Executive Offices)

                               (217) 234-7454
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

          Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
                                      NONE

          Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
                    COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $4.00 PER SHARE
                                (Title of class)

 Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports
 required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
 Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to
 such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    YES [X]  NO [ ]

 Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to
 the best of Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information
 statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any
 amendment to this Form 10-K.  [X]

 As of March 18, 1997, 947,680 common shares, $4.00 par value, were
 outstanding, and the aggregate market value of common shares (based on the
 last sale price of the registrant's common shares on March 18, 1997) held by
 non-affiliates was approximately $38,854,880.


                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    DOCUMENT                                             INTO FORM 10-K PART:
 <S>                                                                     <C>
 Portions of the Proxy Statement for 1997 Annual
 Meeting of shareholders to be held on May 21, 1997                                           III
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
                                              FORM 10-K TABLE OF CONTENTS
 <S>                      <C>                                                                        <C>
 PART I
 Item 1                   Business                                                                        3
 Item 2                   Properties                                                                     15
 Item 3                   Legal Proceedings                                                              17
 Item 4                   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders                            17
 PART II
 Item 5                   Market for Registrant's Common Shares and Related
                            Shareholder Matters                                                          18
 Item 6                   Selected Financial Data                                                        19
 Item 7                   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
                            Condition and Results of Operations                                          20
 Item 8                   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data                                    37
 Item 9                   Changes In and Disagreements with Accountants on
                            Accounting and Financial Disclosures                                         58
 PART III
 Item 10                  Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant                             58
 Item 11                  Executive Compensation                                                         59
 Item 12                  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
                            Management                                                                   59
 Item 13                  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions                                 59
 PART IV
 Item 14                  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports
                          on Form 8-K                                                                    59
 SIGNATURES                                                                                              60
                          Exhibit Index                                                                  61
</TABLE>

 PART I


 ITEM 1.  BUSINESS


 REGISTRANT AND SUBSIDIARIES

 First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. (the "Registrant") is a bank holding
 company engaged in the business of banking through its wholly owned
 subsidiaries, First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, N.A. ("First Mid Bank") and
 Heartland Savings Bank ("Heartland").  First Mid Bank and Heartland are
 referred to as the "Bank Subsidiaries".

 In addition to engaging in banking activities, the Registrant also engages in
 certain other additional activities through Mid-Illinois Data Services, Inc.,
 a wholly owned corporation organized on March 25, 1987, as a non-banking
 subsidiary ("MIDS").  The primary business of MIDS is to provide financial
 data processing services to the Registrant and the Bank Subsidiaries.

 The Registrant, a Delaware corporation, was incorporated on September 8,
 1981, pursuant to the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal
 Reserve System (the "Federal Reserve Board") and became the holding company
 owning all of the outstanding stock of First National Bank, Mattoon ("First
 National") on June 1, 1982.  The Registrant acquired all of the outstanding
 stock of a number of community banks on the following dates:  Mattoon Bank,
 Mattoon ("Mattoon Bank") on April 2, 1984; State Bank of Sullivan ("Sullivan
 Bank") on April 1, 1985; Cumberland County National Bank in Neoga ("Cumberland
 County") on December 31, 1985; First National Bank and Trust Company of
 Douglas County ("Douglas County") on December 31, 1986; and Charleston
 Community Bank ("Charleston Bank") on December 30, 1987. In April 1989, a
 purchase and assumption agreement was executed between First National and
 Mattoon Bank whereby First National purchased substantially all of the assets
 and assumed all of the liabilities of Mattoon Bank.  On May 31, 1992, the
 Company merged Sullivan Bank, Cumberland County, Douglas County and Charleston
 Bank into First National.  First National changed its name at that time to
 First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, N.A..

 On July 1, 1992, the Registrant acquired and recapitalized Heartland, a $125
 million thrift headquartered in Mattoon with offices in Charleston, Sullivan
 and Urbana, Illinois.  Under the terms of the acquisition, Heartland converted
 from the mutual form of organization into a federally chartered, stock savings
 association and became a 100% owned subsidiary of the Registrant.

 Following that reorganization and immediately before the Heartland
 acquisition, the reorganized banking subsidiary acquired certain assets and
 deposit liabilities of Heartland.  The acquisition was accounted for as a
 purchase and, accordingly, the operating results of Heartland have been
 consolidated with those of the Registrant since July 1, 1992.  In accordance
 with purchase accounting requirements, the assets and liabilities of Heartland
 were accounted for at their fair market values as of the acquisition date.

 In connection with the Heartland acquisition, $3.1 million of Series A
 perpetual, cumulative, non-voting, convertible, preferred stock was issued to
 directors and certain senior officers of the Registrant pursuant to a private
 placement.  620 shares of the preferred stock were sold at a stated value of
 $5,000 per share with such shares bearing a dividend rate of 9.25%.  The
 preferred stock may be converted at any time, at the option of the preferred
 stockholder, into common shares at the conversion ratio of 202.1 shares of
 common stock for each share of preferred.  The Registrant has the right at any
 time after July 1, 1998, and upon giving at least thirty days prior notice, to
 redeem all (but not less than all) of the preferred stock at a cash value of
 $5,000 per  share plus any accrued but unpaid dividends.  The Registrant also
 has the right at any time after July 1, 1998, and upon giving at least thirty
 days prior notice to require the conversion of all (but not less than all) of
 the preferred stock into common stock at the conversion ratio.

 On October 4, 1994, First Mid Bank acquired all of the outstanding stock of
 Downstate Bancshares, Inc. ("DBI") which owned 100% of the stock of Downstate
 National Bank ("DNB").  DNB operated branch locations in Altamont and
 Effingham, Illinois.  Immediately following the acquisition, DBI was dissolved
 and DNB was merged with and into First Mid Bank with First Mid Bank being the
 surviving entity.

 DBI was purchased for cash in the amount of $8.6 million with $5.6 million of
 that amount being internally generated funds and $3 million from additional
 long-term borrowings of the Registrant.  The acquisition of DBI by First Mid
 Bank was accounted for using the purchase method of accounting.  Accordingly,
 the assets and liabilities of DBI were recorded at their fair values as of the
 acquisition date.

 In December 1994, Heartland (formerly known as Heartland Federal Savings and
 Loan Association) converted from a federally chartered stock savings
 association to a state chartered savings bank and changed its name to
 Heartland Savings Bank.

 In November 1996, First Mid Bank signed an agreement to purchase the assets
 and assume the liabilities of First of America's Charleston, Illinois office.
 As of March 4, 1997, total assets to be acquired were approximately $1,800,000
 while liabilities totaled approximately $28,200,000.  This transaction which
 was completed on March 7, 1997 was accounted for as a purchase.

 DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

 The Bank Subsidiaries conduct a general banking business embracing most of
 the services, both consumer and commercial, which banks may lawfully provide,
 including the following principal services:  the acceptance of deposits to
 demand, savings and time accounts and the servicing of such accounts;
 commercial, industrial, agricultural, consumer and real estate lending,
 including installment, credit card, personal lines of credit and overdraft
 protection; safe deposit box operations; and an extensive variety of
 additional services tailored to the needs of customers, such as traveler's
 checks and cashiers' checks, foreign currency, and other special services.
 First Mid Bank also provides services to its customers through its trust
 department and investment center.

 Loans, both commercial and consumer, are serviced on either a secured or
 unsecured basis to corporations, partnerships and individuals.  Commercial
 lending covers such categories as business, industry, capital, construction,
 agriculture, inventory and real estate, with the latter including residential
 properties.  The Bank Subsidiaries' installment loan departments make direct
 loans to consumers and some commercial customers, and purchase retail
 obligations from retailers, primarily without recourse.

 The Bank Subsidiaries conduct their businesses in the middle of some of the
 richest farmland in the world.  Accordingly, the Bank Subsidiaries provide a
 wide range of financial services to farmers and agribusiness within their
 respective markets.  The farm management department, headquartered in Mattoon,
 Illinois, has approximately 32,000 acres under management and is the largest
 management operation in the area, ranking in the top 100 firms nationwide.  As
 a group, the Bank Subsidiaries are the largest supplier of farm credit in the
 Registrant's market area with $46.4 million in agriculture related loans at
 December 31, 1996.  The farm credit products offered by the Bank Subsidiaries
 include not only real estate loans, but machinery and equipment loans,
 production loans, inventory financing and lines of credit.

 The following chart sets forth (in thousands) the assets, deposits and
 stockholder's equity of the Bank Subsidiaries (before intercompany
 eliminations) as of December 31, 1996, and the average deposits for the year
 ended December 31, 1996:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             STOCKHOLDER'S              AVERAGE
                                   ASSETS               DEPOSITS                EQUITY                 DEPOSITS
 <S>                       <C>                    <C>                   <C>                     <C> 
 First Mid Bank                         $422,404              $341,147                 $36,111               $328,673
 Heartland                                90,794                74,224                   7,337                 78,382
 Total                                  $513,198              $415,371                 $43,448               $407,055
</TABLE>

 EMPLOYEES

 The Registrant, MIDS and the Bank Subsidiaries employed 257 people on a
 full-time equivalent basis as of December 31, 1996.  The Registrant places a
 high priority on staff development which involves extensive training,
 including customer service training.  New employees are selected on the basis
 of both technical skills and customer service capabilities.  None of the
 employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the
 Registrant.  The Registrant offers a variety of employee benefits and
 management considers its employee relations to be excellent.

 COMPETITION

 The Registrant, through its Bank Subsidiaries, actively competes in all areas
 in which the Bank Subsidiaries presently do business.  Each competes for
 commercial and individual deposits, loans, and trust business with many east
 central Illinois banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions.  The
 principal methods of competition in the banking and financial services
 industry are quality of services to customers, ease of access to facilities,
 and pricing of services, including interest rates paid on deposits, interest
 rates charges on loans, and fees charged for fiduciary and other banking
 services.

 The Bank Subsidiaries operate facilities in the Illinois counties of
 Champaign, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Effingham and Moultrie.  Each facility
 primarily serves the community in which it is located.

 First Mid Bank serves eight different communities with 13 separate locations
 in the towns of Mattoon, Charleston, Neoga, Tuscola, Sullivan, Arcola,
 Effingham and Altamont, Illinois and Heartland serves the two communities of
 Mattoon and Urbana, Illinois.  Within the area of service there are numerous
 competing financial institutions and financial services companies.

 SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

 GENERAL

 Financial institutions and their holding companies are extensively regulated
 under federal and state law.  As a result, the growth and earnings performance
 of the Registrant can be affected not only by management decisions and general
 economic conditions, but also by the requirements of applicable state and
 federal statutes and regulations and the policies of various governmental
 regulatory authorities including, but not limited to, the Board of Governors
 of the Federal Reserve System (the "FRB"), the Office of the Comptroller of
 the Currency (the "OCC"), the Illinois Commissioner of  Banks and Real Estate
 (the "Commissioner"), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC"),
 the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities and the Securities
 and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The effect of such statutes, regulations
 and policies can be significant, and cannot be predicted with a high degree of
 certainty.

 Federal and state laws and regulations generally applicable to financial
 institutions, such as the Registrant and its subsidiaries, regulate, among
 other things, the scope of business, investments, reserves against deposits,
 capital levels relative to operations, the nature and amount of collateral for
 loans, the establishment of branches, mergers, consolidations and dividends.
 The system of supervision and regulation applicable to the Registrant and its
 subsidiaries establishes a comprehensive framework for their respective
 operations and is intended primarily for the protection of the FDIC's deposit
 insurance funds and the depositors, rather than the shareholders, of financial
 institutions.

 The following references to material statutes and regulations affecting the
 Registrant and its subsidiaries are brief summaries thereof and do not purport
 to be complete, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to such
 statutes and regulations.  Any change in applicable law or regulations may
 have a material effect on the business of the Registrant and its subsidiaries.

 RECENT REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS

 On September 30, 1996, President Clinton signed into law the "Economic
 Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996" (the "Regulatory
 Reduction Act").  Subtitle G of the Regulatory Reduction Act consists of the
 "Deposit Insurance Funds Act of 1996" (the "DIFA").  The DIFA provides for a
 one-time special assessment on each depository institution holding deposits
 subject to assessment by the FDIC for the Savings Association Insurance Fund
 (the "SAIF") in an amount which, in the aggregate, will increase the
 designated reserve ratio of the SAIF (I.E., the ratio of the insurance
 reserves of the SAIF to total SAIF-insured deposits) to 1.25% on October 1,
 1996.  Subject to certain exceptions, the special assessment was payable in
 full on November 27, 1996.  As a SAIF-member, Heartland was subject to the
 special assessment.  Additionally, First Mid Bank holds SAIF-assessable
 deposits acquired from Heartland in 1992.  Thus, First Mid Bank was subject to
 the special assessment with respect to those deposits.

 Under the DIFA, the amount of the special assessment payable by an
 institution was determined on the basis of the amount of SAIF-assessable
 deposits held by the institution on March 31, 1995, or acquired by the
 institution after March 31, 1995 from another institution which held the
 deposits on March 31, 1995, but was no longer in existence on November 27,
 1996.  The DIFA provides for a 20% discount in calculating the SAIF-assessable
 deposits of certain "Oakar" banks (I.E., Bank Insurance Fund ("BIF") member
 banks that hold deposits acquired from a SAIF member that remain SAIF insured)
 and certain  "Sasser" banks (I.E., institutions that converted from thrift to
 bank charters but remain SAIF members).  First Mid Bank qualified for the 20%
 discount provided by the DIFA for "Oakar" banks.  The DIFA also exempts
 certain institutions from payment of the special assessment (including
 institutions that are undercapitalized or that would become undercapitalized
 as a result of payment of the special assessment), and allows an institution
 to pay the special assessment in two installments if there is a significant
 risk that by paying the special assessment in a lump sum, the institution or
 its holding company would be in default under or in violation of terms or
 conditions of debt obligations or preferred stock issued by the institution or
 its holding company and outstanding on September 13, 1995.

 On October 8, 1996, the FDIC adopted a final regulation implementing the SAIF
 special assessment.  In that regulation, the FDIC set the special assessment
 rate at 0.657% of SAIF-assessable deposits held on March 31, 1995. The amount
 of the special assessment paid by Heartland was $552,000, and after giving
 effect to the 20% Oakar bank discount for which First Mid Bank qualified, the
 amount of the special assessment paid by First Mid Bank with respect to its
 SAIF-assessable deposits was $199,000.  The full amount of the special
 assessment paid by Heartland and First Mid Bank was recorded as a charge
 against earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 1996.  As discussed
 below, however, the recapitalization of the SAIF resulting from the special
 assessment should significantly reduce the deposit insurance expense incurred
 by Heartland and by First Mid Bank with respect to the SAIF-assessable portion
 of its deposit base.

 In light of the recapitalization of the SAIF pursuant to the special
 assessment authorized by the DIFA, the FDIC, on December 11, 1996, took action
 to reduce regular semi-annual SAIF assessments from the range of 0.23% - 0.31%
 of deposits to a range of 0% - 0.27% of deposits.  The new rates were
 effective October 1, 1996 for Oakar and Sasser banks, but did not take effect
 for other SAIF-assessable institutions until January 1, 1997.  From October 1,
 1996 through December 31, 1996, assessments payable by SAIF-assessable
 institutions other than Oakar and Sasser banks ranged from 0.18% to 0.27% of
 deposits, which represents the amount the FDIC calculates as necessary to
 cover the interest due for that period on outstanding obligations of the
 Financing Corporation (the "FICO"), discussed below.  Because SAIF-assessable
 institutions were previously assessed at higher rates (I.E., 0.23% - 0.31% of
 deposits) for the semi-annual period ending December 31, 1996, the FDIC will
 refund or credit back the amount collected from such institutions for the
 period from October 1, 1996 through December 31, 1996 which exceeds the amount
 due for that period under the reduced assessment schedule.  As a result of the
 FDIC's action, the deposit insurance assessments payable by Heartland, and by
 First Mid Bank with respect to its SAIF-assessable deposits, have been reduced
 significantly.

 Prior to the enactment of the DIFA, a substantial amount of the SAIF
 assessment revenue was used to pay the interest due on bonds issued by the
 FICO, the entity created in 1987 to finance the recapitalization of the
 Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (the "FSLIC"), the SAIF's
 predecessor insurance fund.   Pursuant to the DIFA, the interest due on
 outstanding FICO bonds will be covered by assessments against both SAIF and
 BIF member institutions beginning January 1, 1997.  Between January 1, 1997
 and December 31, 1999, FICO assessments against BIF-member institutions cannot
 exceed 20% of the FICO assessments charged SAIF-member institutions.  From
 January 1, 2000 until the FICO bonds mature in 2019, FICO assessments will be
 shared by all FDIC-insured institutions on a PRO RATA basis.  It has been
 estimated that the FICO assessments for the period January 1, 1997 through
 December 31, 1999 will be approximately 0.013% of deposits for BIF members
 versus approximately 0.064% of deposits for SAIF members, and will be less
 than 0.025% of deposits thereafter.

 The DIFA also provides for a merger of the BIF and the SAIF on January 1,
 1999, provided there are no state or federally chartered, FDIC-insured savings
 associations existing on that date.  To facilitate the merger of the BIF and
 the SAIF, the DIFA directs the Treasury Department to conduct a study on the
 development of a common charter and to submit a report, along with appropriate
 legislative recommendations, to the Congress by March 31, 1997.

 In addition to the DIFA, the Regulatory Reduction Act includes a number of
 statutory changes designed to eliminate duplicative, redundant or unnecessary
 regulatory requirements.  Among other things, the Regulatory Reduction Act
 establishes streamlined notice procedures for the commencement of new
 nonbanking activities by bank holding companies, eliminates the need for
 national banks to obtain OCC approval to establish off-site ATMs, excludes ATM
 closures and certain branch office relocations from the prior notice
 requirements applicable to branch closings, significantly expands the
 authority of well-capitalized and well-managed national banks to invest in
 office premises without prior regulatory approval, and establishes time frames
 within which the FDIC must act on applications by state banks to engage in
 activities which, although permitted for state banks under applicable state
 law, are not permissible activities for national banks.  The Regulatory
 Reduction Act also clarifies the liability of a financial institution, when
 acting as a lender or in a fiduciary capacity, under the federal environmental
 laws. Although the full impact of the Regulatory Reduction Act on the
 operations of the Registrant, Heartland and First Mid Bank cannot be
 determined at this time, management believes that the legislation may reduce
 compliance costs to some extent and allow the Registrant, Heartland and First
 Mid Bank somewhat greater operating flexibility.

 On August 10, 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Small Business Job
 Protection Act of 1996 (the "Job Protection Act").  Among other things, the
 Job Protection Act eliminates the percent-of-taxable-income ("PTI") method for
 computing additions to a savings association's or savings bank's tax bad debt
 reserves for tax years beginning after December 31, 1995, and requires all
 savings associations or savings banks that have used the PTI method to
 recapture, over a six year period, all or a portion of their tax bad debt
 reserves added since the last taxable year beginning before January 1, 1988.
 The Job Protection Act allows a savings association or savings bank to
 postpone the recapture of bad debt reserves for up to two years if the
 institution meets a minimum level of mortgage lending activity during those
 years.  Heartland believes that it will engage in sufficient mortgage lending
 activity during 1996 and 1997 to be able to postpone any recapture of its bad
 debt reserves until 1998.  As a result of these provisions of the Job
 Protection Act, Heartland will determine additions to its tax bad debt
 reserves using the same method as a commercial bank of comparable size, and,
 if Heartland were to decide to convert to a commercial bank charter, the
 changes in the tax bad debt recapture rules enacted in the Job Protection Act
 should make such conversion less costly.

 THE REGISTRANT

 GENERAL.  The Registrant, as the sole stockholder of Heartland and First Mid
 Bank, is a bank holding company.  As a bank holding company, the Registrant is
 registered with, and is subject to regulation by, the FRB under the Bank
 Holding Act, as amended (the "BHCA").  In accordance with FRB policy, the
 Registrant is expected to act as a source of financial strength to Heartland
 and First Mid Bank and to commit resources to support Heartland and First Mid
 Bank in circumstances where the Registrant might not do so absent such policy.
 Under the BHCA, the Registrant is subject to periodic examination by the FRB
 and is required to file with the FRB periodic reports of its operations and
 such additional information as the FRB may require.  As the sole stockholder
 of Heartland, the Registrant is also subject to regulation by the Commissioner
 under the Illinois Savings Bank Act, as amended (the "ISBA").

 INVESTMENTS AND ACTIVITIES.  Under the BHCA, a bank holding company must
 obtain FRB approval before:  (i) acquiring, directly or indirectly, ownership
 or control of any voting shares of another bank or bank holding company if,
 after such acquisition, it would own or control more than 5% of such shares
 (unless it already owns or controls the majority of such shares);
 (ii) acquiring all or substantially all of the assets of another bank; or
 (iii) merging or consolidating with another bank or bank holding company.
 Subject to certain conditions (including certain deposit concentration limits
 established by the BHCA), the FRB may allow a bank holding company to acquire
 banks located in any state of the United States without regard to whether the
 acquisition is prohibited by the law of the state in which the target bank is
 located.  In approving interstate acquisitions, however, the FRB is required
 to give effect to applicable state law limitations on the aggregate amount of
 deposits that may be held by the acquiring bank holding company and its
 insured depository institution affiliates in the state in which the target
 bank is located or which require that the target bank have been in existence
 for a minimum period of time (not to exceed five years) before being acquired
 by an out-of-state bank holding company.

 The BHCA also prohibits, with certain exceptions, the Registrant from
 acquiring direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of the
 voting shares of any company which is not a bank and from engaging in any
 business other than that of banking, managing and controlling banks or
 furnishing services to banks and their subsidiaries.  The principal exception
 to this prohibition allows bank holding companies to engage in, and to own
 shares of companies engaged in, certain businesses found by the FRB to be "so
 closely related to banking ... as to be a proper incident thereto."  Under
 current regulations of the FRB, the Registrant and its non-bank subsidiaries
 are permitted to engage in, among other activities, such banking-related
 businesses as the operation of a thrift, sales and consumer finance, equipment
 leasing, the operation of a computer service bureau, including software
 development, and mortgage banking and brokerage.  The BHCA generally does not
 place territorial restrictions on the activities of non-bank subsidiaries of
 bank holding companies.

 Federal legislation also prohibits acquisition of "control" of a bank or bank
 holding company, such as the Registrant, without prior notice to certain
 federal bank regulators.  "Control" is defined in certain cases as acquisition
 of 10% of the outstanding shares of a bank or bank holding company.

 CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS.   Bank holding companies are required to maintain
 minimum levels of capital in accordance with FRB capital adequacy guidelines.
 If capital falls below minimum guideline levels, a bank holding company, among
 other things, may be denied approval to acquire or establish additional banks
 or non-bank businesses.

 The FRB's capital guidelines establish the following minimum regulatory
 capital requirements for bank holding companies:  a risk-based requirement
 expressed as a percentage of total risk-weighted assets, and a leverage
 requirement expressed as a percentage of total assets.  The risk-based
 requirement consists of a minimum ratio of total capital to total risk-
 weighted assets of 8%, of which at least one-half must be Tier 1 capital.  The
 leverage requirement consists of a minimum ratio of Tier 1 capital to total
 assets of 3% for the most highly rated companies, with minimum requirements of
 4% to 5% for all others.  For purposes of these capital standards, Tier 1
 capital consists primarily of permanent stockholders' equity less intangible
 assets (other than certain mortgage servicing rights and purchased credit card
 relationships) and total capital means Tier 1 capital plus certain other debt
 and equity instruments which do not qualify as Tier 1 capital and a portion of
 the company's allowance for loan and lease losses.

 The risk-based and leverage standards described above are minimum
 requirements, and higher capital levels will be required if warranted by the
 particular circumstances or risk profiles of individual banking organizations.
 Further, any banking organization experiencing or anticipating significant
 growth would be expected to maintain capital ratios, including tangible
 capital positions (I.E., Tier 1 capital less all intangible assets), well
 above the minimum levels.

 As of December 31, 1996, the Registrant had regulatory capital in excess of
 the FRB's minimum requirements, with a risk-based capital ratio of 11.80% and
 a leverage ratio of 6.81%.

 DIVIDENDS.   The FRB has issued a policy statement with regard to the payment
 of cash dividends by bank holding companies.  In the policy statement, the FRB
 expressed its view that a bank holding company should not pay cash dividends
 exceeding its net income or which can only be funded in ways that weaken the
 bank holding company's financial health, such as by borrowing.  Additionally,
 the FRB possesses enforcement powers over bank holding companies and their
 non-bank subsidiaries to prevent or remedy actions that represent unsafe or
 unsound practices or violations of applicable statutes and regulations.  Among
 these powers is the ability to proscribe the payment of dividends by banks and
 bank holding companies.  In addition to the restrictions on dividends that may
 be imposed by the FRB, the Delaware General Corporation Law would allow the
 Registrant to pay dividends only out of its surplus, or if the Registrant has
 no such surplus, out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the
 dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year.

 FEDERAL SECURITIES REGULATION.  The Registrant's common stock is registered
 with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities
 Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").  Consequently, the
 Registrant is subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider trading
 and other restrictions and requirements of the SEC under the Exchange Act.

 THE BANK SUBSIDIARIES

 GENERAL.  First Mid Bank is a national bank, chartered by the OCC under the
 National Bank Act.  The deposit accounts of First Mid Bank are insured by the
 BIF of the FDIC, and it is a member of the Federal Reserve System.  As a BIF-
 insured national bank, First Mid Bank is subject to the examination,
 supervision, reporting and enforcement requirements of the OCC, as the
 chartering authority for national banks, and the FDIC, as administrator of the
 BIF.

 Heartland is an Illinois-chartered savings bank, the deposits of which are
 insured by the SAIF of the FDIC.  As a SAIF-insured, Illinois-chartered
 savings bank,  Heartland is subject to the examination, supervision, reporting
 and enforcement requirements of the Commissioner, as the chartering authority
 for Illinois savings banks, and the FDIC, as administrator of the SAIF.
 Heartland is also a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank System, which
 provides a central credit facility primarily for member institutions.

 DEPOSIT INSURANCE.  As FDIC-insured institutions, First Mid Bank and
 Heartland are required to pay deposit insurance premium assessments to the
 FDIC.  The FDIC has adopted a risk-based assessment system under which all
 insured depository institutions are placed into one of nine categories and
 assessed insurance premiums based upon their respective levels of capital and
 supervisory evaluations.  Institutions classified as well-capitalized (as
 defined by the FDIC) and considered healthy pay the lowest premium while
 institutions that are less than adequately capitalized (as defined by the
 FDIC) and considered of substantial supervisory concern pay the highest
 premium.  Risk classification of all insured institutions is made by the FDIC
 for each semi-annual assessment period.

 During the year ended December 31, 1996 assessments paid by First Mid Bank
 with respect to the approximately 90% of its deposits that are BIF insured
 ranged from 0% of deposits to 0.27% of deposits.  The FDIC has announced that
 for the semi-annual assessment period beginning January 1, 1997, BIF
 assessment rates will continue to range from 0% of deposits to 0.27% of
 deposits.  During the period January 1, 1996 through September 30, 1996,
 assessments paid by SAIF members, such as Heartland, and by First Mid Bank
 with respect to the approximately 10% of its deposits that are SAIF insured
 ranged from 0.23% of deposits to 0.31% of deposits.  As a result of the
 recapitalization of the SAIF on October 1, 1996, SAIF assessment rates payable
 by Heartland were reduced, effective October 1, 1996, to a range of 0.18% of
 deposits to 0.27% of deposits and were further reduced, effective January 1,
 1997, to a range of 0% of deposits to 0.27% of deposits.  The recapitalization
 of the SAIF resulted in a reduction in the SAIF assessments paid by an Oakar
 bank, such as First Mid Bank, to a range of 0% of deposits to 0.27% of
 deposits effective October 1, 1996.  SEE "--Recent Regulatory Developments."

 The FDIC may terminate the deposit insurance of any insured depository
 institution if the FDIC determines, after a hearing, that the institution has
 engaged or is engaging in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe or
 unsound condition to continue operations or has violated any applicable law,
 regulation, order, or any condition imposed in writing by, or written
 agreement with, the FDIC.  The FDIC may also suspend deposit insurance
 temporarily during the hearing process for a permanent termination of
 insurance if the institution has no tangible capital.  Management of the
 Registrant is not aware of any activity or condition that could result in
 termination of the deposit insurance of Heartland or First Mid Bank.

 FICO ASSESSMENTS.  Since 1987, a portion of the deposit insurance assessments
 paid by SAIF members has been used to cover interest payments due on the
 outstanding obligations of the FICO, the entity created to finance the
 recapitalization of the FSLIC, the SAIF's predecessor insurance fund.
 Pursuant to federal legislation enacted September 30, 1996, commencing January
 1, 1997, both SAIF members and BIF members will be subject to assessments to
 cover the interest payment on outstanding FICO obligations.  Such FICO
 assessments will be in addition to amounts assessed by the FDIC for deposit
 insurance.  Until January 1, 2000, the FICO assessments made against BIF
 members may not exceed 20% of the amount of the FICO assessments made against
 SAIF members.  It is estimated that SAIF members will pay FICO assessments
 equal to 0.064% of deposits while BIF members will pay FICO assessments equal
 to 0.013% of deposits.  Between January 1, 2000 and the maturity of the
 outstanding FICO obligations in 2019, BIF members and SAIF members will share
 the cost of the interest on the FICO bonds on a PRO RATA basis.  It is
 estimated that FICO assessments during this period will be less than 0.025% of
 deposits.

 SUPERVISORY ASSESSMENTS.  Illinois savings banks such as Heartland, and
 national banks, such as First Mid Bank, are required to pay supervisory fees
 to the Commissioner and the OCC, respectively, to fund the operations of each
 agency.  The amount of such supervisory fees is based upon each institution's
 total assets, including consolidated subsidiaries, as reported to the agency.
 During the year ended December 31, 1996, First Mid Bank paid supervisory fees
 to the OCC totaling $91,800 and Heartland paid supervisory fees to the
 Commissioner totaling $14,700.

 CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS.   Under federal regulations, Heartland and First Mid
 Bank are subject to the following minimum capital standards:  a leverage
 requirement consisting of a minimum ratio of Tier 1 capital to total assets of
 3% for the most highly-rated banks with minimum requirements of 4% to 5% for
 all others, and a risk-based capital requirement consisting of a minimum ratio
 of total capital to total risk-weighted assets of 8%, at least one-half of
 which must be Tier 1 capital.  For purposes of these capital standards, Tier 1
 capital and total capital consist of substantially the same components as Tier
 1 capital and total capital under the FRB's capital guidelines for bank
 holding companies (SEE "--The Registrant--Capital Requirements").
 Additionally, under the ISBA and the regulations of the Commissioner, an
 Illinois savings bank such as Heartland must maintain a minimum level of total
 capital equal to the higher of 3% of total assets or the amount required to
 maintain insurance of deposits by the FDIC.  The Commissioner has the
 authority to require an Illinois savings bank to maintain a higher level of
 capital if the Commissioner deems necessary based on the savings bank's
 financial condition, history, management or earnings prospects.

 The capital requirements described above are minimum requirements.  Higher
 capital levels will be required if warranted by the particular circumstances
 or risk profiles of individual institutions.  For example, federal regulations
 provide that additional capital may be required to take adequate account of
 interest rate risk or the risks posed by concentrations of credit,
 nontraditional activities or securities trading activities.

 During the year ended December 31, 1996, neither First Mid Bank nor Heartland
 was required by its primary federal regulator to increase its capital to an
 amount in excess of the minimum regulatory requirements.  As of December 31,
 1996, First Mid Bank and Heartland each exceeded its minimum regulatory
 capital requirements with leverage ratios of 7.65% and 7.01%, respectively,
 risk-based capital ratios of 12.57% and 16.00%, respectively.

 Federal law provides the federal banking regulators with broad power to take
 prompt corrective action to resolve the problems of undercapitalized
 institutions.  The extent of the regulators' powers depends on whether the
 institution in question is "well capitalized," "adequately capitalized,"
 "undercapitalized," "significantly undercapitalized" or "critically
 undercapitalized."  Depending upon the capital category to which an
 institution is assigned, the regulators' corrective powers include:  requiring
 the submission of a capital restoration plan; placing limits on asset growth
 and restrictions on activities; requiring the institution to issue additional
 capital stock (including additional voting stock) or to be acquired;
 restricting transactions with affiliates; restricting the interest rate the
 institution may pay on deposits; ordering a new election of directors of the
 institution; requiring that senior executive officers or directors be
 dismissed; prohibiting the institution from accepting deposits from
 correspondent banks; requiring the institution to divest certain subsidiaries;
 prohibiting the payment of principal or interest on subordinated debt; and
 ultimately, appointing a receiver for the institution.

 Additionally, under Federal law, institutions insured by the FDIC may be
 liable for any loss incurred by, or reasonably expected to be incurred by, the
 FDIC in connection with the default of commonly controlled FDIC insured
 depository institutions or any assistance provided by the FDIC to commonly
 controlled FDIC insured depository institutions in danger of default.  For
 purposes of this provision of Federal law, First Mid Bank and Heartland are
 deemed to be commonly controlled.

 DIVIDENDS.  The National Bank Act imposes limitations on the amount of
 dividends that may be paid by a national bank, such as First Mid Bank.
 Generally, a national bank may pay dividends out of its undivided profits, in
 such amounts and at such times as the board of directors of the bank deems
 prudent. Without prior OCC approval, however, a national bank may not pay
 dividends in any calendar year which exceed the bank's year-to-date net income
 plus the bank's adjusted retained net income for the two preceding years.

 Under the ISBA and the regulations of the Commissioner, dividends may be paid
 by Heartland out of its net profits.  In general, without the prior written
 approval of the Commissioner, Heartland may not declare dividends in any
 twelve-month period which, in the aggregate, exceed its net profits for that
 twelve-month period.  If, however, Heartland's capital falls below 6% of its
 total assets, Heartland may not declare dividends in any twelve-month period
 which, in the aggregate, exceed 50% of its net profits for that period,
 without the prior written approval of the Commissioner.

 The payment of dividends by any financial institution or its holding company
 is affected by the requirement to maintain adequate capital pursuant to
 applicable capital adequacy guidelines and regulations, and a financial
 institution generally is prohibited from paying any dividends if, following
 payment thereof, the institution would be undercapitalized.  As described
 above, First Mid Bank and Heartland each exceeded its minimum capital
 requirements under applicable guidelines as of December 31, 1996.  As of
 December 31, 1996, approximately $3.9 million was available to be paid as
 dividends to the Registrant by First Mid Bank and Heartland.   Notwithstanding
 the availability of funds for dividends, however, the OCC or the FDIC may
 prohibit the payment of any dividends by First Mid Bank or Heartland,
 respectively, if the agency determines such payment would constitute an unsafe
 or unsound practice.

 INSIDER TRANSACTIONS.  First Mid Bank and Heartland are subject to certain
 restrictions imposed by the Federal Reserve Act on extensions of credit to the
 Registrant and its subsidiaries, on investments in the stock or other
 securities of the Registrant and its subsidiaries and the acceptance of the
 stock or other securities of the Registrant or its subsidiaries as collateral
 for loans.  Certain limitations and reporting requirements are also placed on
 extensions of credit by each of First Mid Bank and Heartland to its respective
 directors and officers, to directors and officers of the Registrant and its
 subsidiaries, to principal stockholders of the Registrant, and to "related
 interests" of such directors, officers and principal stockholders.  In
 addition, such legislation and regulations may affect the terms upon which any
 person becoming a director or officer of the Registrant or one of its
 subsidiaries or a principal stockholder of the Registrant may obtain credit
 from banks with which First Mid Bank or Heartland maintains a correspondent
 relationship.

 SAFETY AND SOUNDNESS STANDARDS.  The OCC and the FDIC have adopted guidelines
 which establish operational and managerial standards to promote the safety and
 soundness of national banks and state nonmember banks, respectively.  The
 guidelines set forth standards for internal controls, information systems,
 internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate
 exposure, asset growth, compensation, fees and benefits, asset quality and
 earnings.  In general, the guidelines prescribe the goals to be achieved in
 each area, and each institution is responsible for establishing its own
 procedures to achieve those goals.  If an institution fails to comply with any
 of the standards set forth in the guidelines, the agency may require the
 institution to submit a plan for achieving and maintaining compliance.  The
 preamble to the guidelines states that the agencies expect to require a
 compliance plan from an institution whose failure to meet one or more of the
 guidelines is of such severity that it could threaten the safety and soundness
 of the institution.  Failure to submit an acceptable plan, or failure to
 comply with a plan that has been accepted by the agency, would constitute
 grounds for further enforcement action.

 BRANCHING AUTHORITY.  Illinois savings banks, such as Heartland, have the
 authority under Illinois law to establish branches anywhere in the State of
 Illinois, subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals.  Under
 federal law, First Mid Bank, has the same branching rights in Illinois.

 Effective June 1, 1997 (or earlier if expressly authorized by applicable
 state law), the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of
 1994 (the "Riegle-Neal Act") allows banks to establish interstate branch
 networks through acquisitions of other banks, subject to certain conditions,
 including certain limitations on the aggregate amount of deposits that may be
 held by the surviving bank and all of its insured depository institution
 affiliates.  The establishment of DE NOVO interstate branches or the
 acquisition of individual branches of a bank in another state (rather than the
 acquisition of an out-of-state bank in its entirety) is allowed by the Riegle-
 Neal Act only if specifically authorized by state law.  The legislation allows
 individual states to "opt-out" of certain provisions of the Riegle-Neal Act by
 enacting appropriate legislation prior to June 1, 1997.  Illinois has enacted
 legislation permitting interstate mergers beginning on June 1, 1997.

 STATE BANK ACTIVITIES.  Under federal law and FDIC regulations, FDIC insured
 state banks, such as Heartland, are prohibited, subject to certain exceptions,
 from making or retaining equity investments of a type, or in an amount, that
 are not permissible for a national bank.  Federal law and FDIC regulations
 also prohibit FDIC insured state banks and their subsidiaries, subject to
 certain exceptions, from engaging as principal in any activity that is not
 permitted for a national bank or its subsidiary, respectively, unless the bank
 meets, and continues to meet, its minimum regulatory capital requirements and
 the FDIC determines the activity would not pose a significant risk to the
 deposit insurance fund of which the bank is a member.  Impermissible
 investments and activities must be divested or discontinued within certain
 time frames set by the FDIC.  These restrictions have not had, and are not
 currently expected to have, a material impact on the operations of Heartland.

 FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM.  FRB regulations, as presently in effect, require
 depository institutions to maintain non-interest earning reserves against
 their transaction accounts (primarily NOW and regular checking accounts), as
 follows:  for transaction accounts aggregating $49.3 million or less, the
 reserve requirement is 3% of total transaction accounts; and for transaction
 accounts aggregating in excess of $49.3 million, the reserve requirement is
 $1.479 million plus 10% of the aggregate amount of total transaction accounts
 in excess of $49.3 million.  The first $4.4 million of otherwise reservable
 balances are exempted from the reserve requirements.  These reserve
 requirements are subject to annual adjustment by the FRB.  Each of First Mid
 Bank and Heartland is in compliance with the foregoing requirements.


 ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES

 All of the following properties are owned by the Registrant or its Bank
 Subsidiaries except those specifically identified as being leased.

 FIRST MID BANK

 MATTOON

 First Mid Bank's main office is located at 1515 Charleston Avenue, Mattoon,
 Illinois.  The office building consists of a one-story structure which was
 opened in 1965 with approximately 36,000 square feet of office space, eight
 walk-in teller stations and a walk-up automated teller machine ("ATM").
 Adjacent to this building is a parking lot with parking for approximately
 seventy cars.  A drive-up facility with ten drive-up lanes is located across
 the street from First Mid Bank's main office.

 First Mid Bank has a facility at 333 Broadway Avenue East, Mattoon, Illinois.
 The one-story office building contains approximately 7,600 square feet of
 office space.  The main floor provides space for five teller windows, two
 private offices, a safe-deposit vault and four drive-up lanes.  There is
 adequate parking located adjacent to the building.  A drive-up ATM is located
 adjacent to the building.

 First Mid Bank leases a facility at 1504-A Lakeland Boulevard, Mattoon,
 Illinois which provides space for three tellers, two drive-up lanes and a
 walk-up ATM.

 First Mid Bank owns an office building located at 1701 Charleston Avenue,
 Mattoon, Illinois and an adjacent parking lot.  The building is used by MIDS
 for its data processing center and back room operations for the Registrant and
 its Bank Subsidiaries.

 SULLIVAN

 First Mid Bank operates two locations in Sullivan, Illinois.  The main office
 is located at 200 South Hamilton Street, Sullivan, Illinois.  Its office
 building is a one-story structure containing approximately 11,400 square feet
 of office space with five tellers, six private offices and four drive-up
 lanes.  Adjacent to its main office is a parking lot used primarily by the
 employees.  Adequate customer parking is available on two sides of the main
 office building.  The second office is a leased facility at 435 South
 Hamilton, Sullivan, Illinois in the IGA.  The facility has two teller
 stations, a vault, an ATM and a night depository.

 NEOGA

 First Mid Bank's office in Neoga, Illinois, is located at 102 East 6th
 Street, Neoga, Illinois.  The building consists of a one-story structure
 containing approximately 4,000 square feet of office space.  The main office
 building provides space for four tellers in the lobby of the building, two
 drive-up tellers, four private offices, two night depositories, and an ATM.
 Adequate customer parking is available on three sides of the main office
 building.  During 1996, an adjacent building with approximately 400 square
 feet was purchased and is being held for future expansion.

 TUSCOLA

 First Mid Bank operates two offices in Tuscola, Illinois.  The main office is
 located at 100 North Main Street, Tuscola, Illinois.  The building consists of
 a two-story structure with approximately 18,000 square feet of office space
 with space for six tellers, five private offices and a night depository.
 Adequate customer parking is available at the main office building.  The
 second facility is located at 410 South Main Street, Tuscola, Illinois.  The
 facility has a walk-in teller stations and two drive-up bay windows and
 contains approximately 320 square feet of office space.  A drive-up ATM is
 located adjacent to this facility.

 CHARLESTON

 First Mid Bank has two offices in Charleston, Illinois.  The main office is
 located at 701 Sixth Street, Charleston, Illinois.  It is a one-story facility
 with an attached two-bay drive-up structure and consists of approximately
 5,500 square feet of office space.  Adequate parking is available to serve its
 customers.  The office space is comprised of three teller stations, seven
 private offices and a night depository.  The second office is located at 580
 West Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, Illinois.  This office has three lobby
 tellers, three drive-up lanes, a commercial night drop and one private office.
 A drive-thru ATM is located in the parking lot of this facility.  During 1996,
 land adjacent to this facility was purchased and is being held for future
 expansion.

 First Mid-Bank will acquire a facility at 500 West Lincoln Avenue,
 Charleston, Illinois, in connection with the purchase of First of America's
 branch in Charleston.  This facility contains approximately 8,400 square feet
 with four teller stations, four private offices and four drive-up lanes.  Two
 ATM's are associated with this facility.  A drive-up ATM is located in the
 parking lot and an off-site ATM is located in the student union at Eastern
 Illinois University.

 ALTAMONT

 First Mid Bank has a banking facility located at 101 West Washington Street,
 Altamont, Illinois.  This building is a one-story structure which has
 approximately 4,300 square feet of office space.  The office space consists of
 nine teller windows, three drive-up teller lanes (one of which facilitates an
 ATM), seven private offices, one conference room and a night depository.
 Adequate parking is available on three sides of the building.

 EFFINGHAM

 First Mid Bank operates a facility at 902 N Keller Drive, Effingham,
 Illinois.  The building is a two story structure with approximately 4,000
 square feet of office space.  This office space consists of four teller
 stations, three drive-up teller lanes, five private offices and a night
 depository.  Adequate parking is available to customers in front of the
 facility.

 First Mid Bank also owns property at 900 N Keller Drive, Effingham, Illinois
 which is currently being renovated to provide additional customer parking
 along with a drive-up ATM.

 ARCOLA

 First Mid Bank leases a facility at 324 South Chestnut Street, Arcola,
 Illinois.  This building is a one-story structure with approximately 1,140
 square feet of office space.  This office space consists of two lobby teller
 stations, one loan station, two drive-up teller lanes, one private office and
 a night depository.  A drive-up ATM lane is available adjacent to the teller
 lanes.  Adequate parking is available to customers in front of the facility.


 HEARTLAND

 MATTOON

 The main office is located at 1520 Charleston Avenue, Mattoon, Illinois.  The
 office building consists of a two-story structure which has approximately
 20,000 square feet of office space including six teller stations on the main
 floor.  A drive-up facility with eight drive-up lanes is located adjacent to
 the main office.  Adequate customer parking is available on two sides of the
 building and in an adjacent parking lot.

 URBANA

 Heartland's Urbana facility is located at 601 South Vine Street, Urbana,
 Illinois.  Its office building consists of a one-story structure and contains
 approximately 3,600 square feet.  The office building provides space for three
 tellers, one private office and two drive-up lanes.  An adequate customer
 parking lot is located on the south side of the building.


 REGISTRANT

 The Registrant owns a single family residence at 1515 Wabash Avenue, Mattoon,
 Illinois which is being held for future expansion.


 ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 Since the Bank Subsidiaries act as depositories of funds, each is named from
 time to time as a defendant in law suits (such as garnishment proceedings)
 involving claims to the ownership of funds in particular accounts.  Management
 believes that all such litigation as well as other pending legal proceedings
 constitute ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business of the Bank
 Subsidiaries and that such litigation will not materially adversely affect the
 Registrant's consolidated financial condition.

 In addition to the normal legal proceedings referred to above, the
 Registrant, on behalf of Heartland, filed a complaint on December 5, 1995,
 against the U.S. Government which is now pending in the U.S. Court of Federal
 Claims in Washington D.C.  This complaint relates to Heartland's interest as
 successor to Mattoon Federal Savings and Loan Association which incurred a
 significant amount of supervisory goodwill when it acquired Urbana Federal
 Savings and Loan in 1982.  The complaint alleges that the Government breached
 its contractual obligations when, in 1989, it issued new rules which
 eliminated supervisory goodwill from inclusion in regulatory capital.  In
 January 1997, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims denied the Government's motion
 to dismiss this supervisory goodwill complaint.  The Government had taken the
 position that the complaint, as well as the complaints of a number of other
 parties, should be prohibited from moving forward on statute of limitation
 grounds.  At this time it is too early to tell whether Heartland will
 ultimately prevail in the suit and if so, what damages may be recovered.


 ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

 None.


 PART II


 ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON SHARES AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS


 The Registrant's common stock was held by approximately 742 shareholders of
 record, as of December 31, 1996, and is traded in the over-the-counter market.

 The following table shows, for the indicated periods, the range of reported
 prices per share of the Registrant's common stock in the over-the-counter
 market. These quotations represent interdealer prices without retail mark-ups,
 mark-downs or commissions and do not necessarily represent actual
 transactions.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         QUARTER                 HIGH BID                LOW ASK
 <S>                      <C>                    <C>
 1996
           1st                     $ 35                   $ 35
           2nd                       37                     37
           3rd                       38                     40
           4th                       39                     41
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         QUARTER                 HIGH BID                LOW ASK
 <S>                      <C>                    <C>
 1995
           1st                     $ 27                   $ 28
           2nd                       29                     30
           3rd                       33                     32
           4th                       33                     34
</TABLE>

 The following table sets forth the cash dividends per share paid on the
 Registrant's common stock for the past two years.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 DATE PAID                                       AMOUNT PER SHARE
 <S>                             <C>
 June 20, 1995                                               $.34
 January 3, 1996                                             $.47
 June 20, 1996                                               $.38
 January 3, 1997                                             $.47
</TABLE>

 The Registrant's shareholders are entitled to receive such dividends as are
 declared by the board of directors, which considers payment of dividends
 semiannually.  The ability of the Registrant to pay dividends, as well as fund
 its operations, is dependent upon receipt of dividends from the Bank
 Subsidiaries.  Regulatory authorities limit the amount of dividends which can
 be paid by the Bank Subsidiaries without prior approval from such authorities.
 For further discussion of the Bank Subsidiaries' dividend restrictions and
 capital requirements, see "Note 16" of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial
 Statements included under Item 8 of this document.  Cash dividends have been
 declared by the Board of Directors of the Registrant semi-annually during the
 two years ended December 31, 1996.


 ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

 The following sets forth a five year comparison of selected financial data.
 (Dollars in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                1996            1995          1994          1993          1992
 <S>                                       <C>            <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
 SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS
   Interest income                                $35,559       $33,465       $26,428       $25,510       $24,589
   Interest expense                                17,805        16,725        11,918        11,935        12,839
     Net interest income                           17,754        16,740        14,510        13,575        11,750
   Provision for loan losses                          147           280           168           492           543
   Other income                                     4,799         4,009         3,805         3,928         3,580
   Other expense                                   15,977        14,715        13,263        12,713        10,823
     Income before income taxes
       and cumulative effect of
       in accounting principle                      6,429         5,754         4,884         4,298         3,964
   Income tax expense                               2,263         1,830         1,450         1,150         1,100
     Net income before cumulative
       effect of change in
       accounting principle                         4,166         3,924         3,434         3,148         2,864
   Cumulative effect of change
     in accounting principle                            -             -             -           155             -
       Net income                                 $ 4,166       $ 3,924       $ 3,434       $ 3,303       $ 2,864
 PER COMMON SHARE DATA
   Primary earnings per share
     before cumulative effect of
     change in accounting principle                $ 4.22        $ 4.10        $ 3.59        $ 3.26        $ 3.10
   Primary earnings per share                        4.22          4.10          3.59          3.44          3.10
   Fully diluted earnings per share
     before cumulative effect of
     change in accounting principle                  3.98          3.88          3.43          3.14          3.05
   Fully diluted earnings per share                  3.98          3.88          3.43          3.30          3.05
   Dividend per common share                          .85           .81           .75           .75           .75
   Book value per common share                      39.12         36.07         31.37         30.89         27.09
 FINANCIAL RATIOS
   Net interest margin (TE)                          3.98%         3.98%         3.93%         3.85%         3.94%
   Return on average assets                           .85           .84           .84           .85           .86
   Return on average equity                         11.03         11.76         11.35         11.80         11.80
   Return on average common equty                   11.18         12.02         11.59         12.12         11.98
   Dividend payout ratio                            20.16         19.76         20.89         21.40         24.18
   Average total equity to average assets            7.69          7.17          7.38          7.17          7.31
   Total capital to risk-weighted assets            11.80         11.51         10.69         13.10         12.54
 YEAR END BALANCES
   Total assets                                  $515,397      $472,494      $451,158      $397,609      $395,127
   Net loans                                      345,533       304,190       279,545       221,109       212,287
   Total deposits                                 413,676       396,879       389,568       349,058       349,605
   Total equity                                    39,904        35,309        30,600        30,184        26,850
 AVERAGE BALANCES
   Total assets                                   491,058       465,287       409,684       390,252       331,919
   Net loans                                      323,540       294,220       243,166       214,408       178,919
   Total deposits                                 405,223       395,580       356,833       344,226       283,882
   Total equity                                    37,783        33,371        30,268        27,987        24,268
</TABLE>


 ITEM 7.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
          RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


 The following discussion and analysis is intended to provide a better
 understanding of the consolidated financial condition and results of
 operations of the Registrant and its subsidiaries for the years ended
 December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994.  This discussion and analysis should be
 read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements, related
 notes and selected financial data appearing elsewhere in this report.

 This report contains certain forward looking statements within the meaning
 of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E
 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  The Registrant intends
 such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions
 for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Reform
 Act of 1995, and is including this statement for purposes of these safe
 harbor provisions.  Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain
 assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of the
 Registrant, are generally identifiable by use of the words "believe,"
 "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," or similar
 expressions.  The Registrant's ability to predict results or the actual
 effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain.  Factors which
 could have a material adverse affect on the operations and future prospects
 of the Registrant and the subsidiaries include, but are not limited to,
 changes in: interest rates, general economic conditions, legislative/
 regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government,
 including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the
 quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan
 products, deposit flows, competition, demand for financial services in the
 Registrant's market area and accounting principles, policies and guidelines.
 These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating
 forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such
 statements.  Further information concerning the Registrant and its business,
 including additional factors that could materially affect the Registrant's
 financial results, is included in the Registrant's filings with the
 securities and Exchange Commission.

 On October 4, 1994, the First Mid Bank acquired all of the outstanding stock
 of Downstate Bancshares, Inc. ("DBI") which owned 100% of the stock of
 Downstate National Bank ("DNB") for $8.6 million in cash.  At the date of
 the acquisition, DBI had total assets of $52 million.  Immediately following
 the acquisition, DBI was dissolved and DNB was merged with and into the
 First Mid Bank with the First Mid Bank being the surviving entity.  The
 acquisition was accounted for as a purchase and, accordingly, DBI's results
 of operations have been included in the consolidated statements of income
 since that date.


 OVERVIEW

 In 1996, the Registrant achieved record net income and earnings per share.
 For the year, net income was $4,166,000 up 6.2% from $3,924,000 in 1995.  In
 1995, net income increased 14.3% from $3,434,000 in 1994.  Fully diluted net
 income per share was $3.98 in 1996 compared with $3.88 in 1995 and $3.43 in
 1994.  A summary of the factors which contributed to the changes in net income
 follows (in thousands):

 TABLE 1  EFFECT ON EARNINGS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              1996 VS 1995               1995 VS 1994
 <S>                                                       <C>                        <C>
 Net interest income                                        $ 1,014                    $ 2,230
 Provision for loan losses                                      133                       (112)
 Other income, including securities transactions                790                        204
 Other expenses, excluding SAIF assessment                     (511)                    (1,452)
 One-time SAIF assessment                                      (751)                         -
 Income taxes                                                  (433)                      (380)
 Increase in net income                                     $   242                    $   490
</TABLE>

 The growth in earnings in 1996 was primarily due to an increase in net
 interest income.  The improvement in net interest income was attributable to
 the increases in the volumes of earning assets and interest-bearing
 liabilities, reflecting strong internal growth during the year.  Negatively
 impacting 1996 earnings was a one-time assessment ($751,000) to recapitalize
 the Savings Association Insurance Fund ("SAIF").  Legislation to recapitalize
 SAIF was signed into law by the President on September 30, 1996, and the
 assessment was paid by the Registrant in December 1996.  After taking into
 account the decrease in income taxes resulting from this assessment, the
 actual reduction in year-to-date income amounted to $496,000 ($.47 per fully
 diluted share)

 In 1995, the growth in net interest income and a reduction in FDIC deposit
 insurance premiums were major factors contributing to the increase in net
 income.  The increase in net interest income was due to the growth in the
 volumes of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.


 RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 NET INTEREST INCOME

 The largest source of operating revenue for the Registrant is net interest
 income.  Net interest income represents the difference between total interest
 income earned on earning assets and total interest expense paid on interest-
 bearing liabilities.  The amount of interest income is dependent upon many
 factors including the volume and mix of earning assets, the general level of
 interest rates and the dynamics of changes in interest rates.  The cost of
 funds necessary to support earning assets varies with the volume and mix of
 interest-bearing liabilities and the rates paid to attract and retain such
 funds.

 For purposes of the following discussion and analysis, the interest earned on
 tax-exempt securities is adjusted to an amount comparable to interest subject
 to normal income taxes.  The adjustment is referred to as the tax equivalent
 ("TE") adjustment.  The Registrant's average balances, interest income and
 expense and rates earned or paid for major balance sheet categories are set
 forth in the following table (dollars in thousands):


 TABLE 2  DISTRIBUTION OF CONSOLIDATED ASSETS, LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS'
          EQUITY - INTEREST, RATES AND NET YIELDS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   YEAR ENDED                     YEAR ENDED                      YEAR ENDED
                                DECEMBER 31, 1996               DECEMBER 31, 1995              DECEMBER 31, 1994
                           AVERAGE              AVERAGE    AVERAGE             AVERAGE    AVERAGE              AVERAGE
                           BALANCE   INTEREST    RATE     BALANCE   INTEREST    RATE      BALANCE   INTEREST    RATE
 <S>                        <C>       <C>         <C>      <C>       <C>          <C>      <C>       <C>          <C>
 ASSETS
 Interest bearing           $ 1,264   $     65     5.14%   $ 1,610   $     94      5.84%   $ 2,135   $     73      3.42%
 deposits
 Federal funds sold           3,403        180     5.29      6,199        356      5.74      3,643        156      4.28
 Investment securities
   Taxable                  111,640      6,858     6.14    115,725      7,068      6.11    117,285      5,772      4.92
   Tax-exempt(1)             11,442        953     8.33     12,831      1,111      8.66     14,546      1,289      8.86
 Loans (2)(3)               326,302     27,827     8.53    294,220     25,214      8.57    243,166     19,576      8.05
 Total earning assets       454,051     35,883     7.90    430,585     33,843      7.86    380,775     26,866      7.06
 Cash and due from banks     17,051                         15,382                          13,720
 Premises and equipment       9,864                          9,333                           8,393
 Other assets                12,854                         12,699                           9,150
 Allowance for loan         (2,762)                        (2,711)                         (2,354)
 losses
 Total assets              $491,058                       $465,288                        $409,684
 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 Interest Bearing
 Deposits
   Demand deposits         $110,708   $  3,085     2.79%  $106,118   $  2,823      2.66%  $110,069   $  2,764      2.51%
   Savings deposits          39,364      1,069     2.72     40,920      1,107      2.71     38,985      1,009      2.59
   Time deposits            204,362     11,156     5.46    202,305     10,958      5.42    170,252      7,298      4.29
 Securities sold under
   agreements to             12,411        574     4.62     16,481        777      4.71      9,697        310      3.20
 repurchase
 FHLB advances               23,920      1,405     5.87      7,633        487      6.39      2,696        135      5.01
 Federal funds purchased        800         44     5.50         26          2      7.69        710         26      3.66
 Long-term debt               6,819        472     6.92      7,636        571      7.48      5,579        376      6.74
 Total interest-bearing
     liabilities            398,384     17,805     4.47    381,119     16,725      4.39    337,988     11,918      3.53
 Demand deposits             50,789                         46,237                          37,527
 Other liabilities            4,102                          4,561                           3,901
 Stockholders' equity        37,783                         33,371                          30,268
 Total liabilities &       $491,058                       $465,288                        $409,684
 equity
 Net interest income (TE)             $ 18,078                       $ 17,118                        $ 14,948
 Net interest spread                              3.43%                           3.47%                           3.53%
 Impact of non-interest
 bearing
  funds                                            .55%                            .51%                            .40%
 Net yield on interest
 earning
   assets (TE)                                    3.98%                           3.98%                           3.93%
<FN>
<F1>
 (1) Interest income and rates are presented on a tax equivalent basis ("TE") assuming a federal income tax
     rate of 34%.
<F2>
 (2) Loan fees are included in interest income and are not material.
<F3>
 (3) Nonaccrual loans have been included in the average balances.
</FN>
</TABLE>


 Changes in net interest income may also be analyzed by segregating the volume
 and rate components of interest income and interest expense.  The following
 table summarizes the approximate relative contribution of changes in average
 volume and interest rates to changes in net interest income (TE) for the past
 two years (in thousands):

 TABLE 3  ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN INTEREST INCOME AND INTEREST EXPENSE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         1996 COMPARED TO 1995                        1995 COMPARED TO 1994
                                         INCREASE - (DECREASE)                        INCREASE - (DECREASE)
                               TOTAL                               RATE/      TOTAL                            RATE/
                              CHANGE      VOLUME       RATE      VOLUME(4)   CHANGE     VOLUME      RATE     VOLUME(4)
 <S>                            <C>         <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>       <C>
 EARNING ASSETS:
 Interest bearing deposits      $  (29)     $  (20)    $  (11)     $    2     $   21     $  (18)     $   52    $  (13)
 Federal funds sold               (176)       (161)       (28)         13        200        110          53        37
 Investment securities:
   Taxable                        (210)       (248)        38           -      1,296        (78)      1,391       (17)
   Tax-exempt (1)                 (158)       (120)       (42)          4       (178)      (152)        (30)        4
 Loans (2)(3)                    2,613       2,749       (123)        (13)     5,638      4,110       1,263       265
   Total interest income         2,040       2,200       (166)          6      6,977      3,972       2,729       276
 Interest-Bearing
 Liabilities
 Interest-bearing deposits
   Demand deposits                 262         122        134           6         59        (99)        164        (6)
   Savings deposits                (38)        (42)         4           -         98         50          46         2
   Time deposits                   198         111         86           1      3,660      1,374       1,924       362
 Securities sold under
   agreements to repurchase       (203)       (192)       (14)          3        467        217         147       103
 FHLB advances                     918       1,042        (39)        (85)       352        247          37        68
 Federal funds purchased            42          60         (1)        (17)       (24)       (25)         29       (28)
 Long-term debt                    (99)        (61)       (43)          5        195        139          41        15
   Total interest expense        1,080       1,040        127         (87)     4,807      1,903       2,388       516
  Net interest income           $  960      $1,160     $ (293)     $   93     $2,170     $2,069      $  341    $ (240)
<FN>
<F1>
 (1) Interest income and rates are presented on a tax equivalent basis, assuming a federal income
     tax rate of 34%.
<F2>
 (2) Loan fees are included in interest income and are not material.
<F3>
 (3) Nonaccrual loans are not material and have been included in the average balances.
<F4>
 (4) The changes in rate / volume are computed on a consistent basis by multiplying the change
     in rates with the change in volume.
</FN>
</TABLE>

 On a tax equivalent basis, net interest income increased $960,000, or 5.6% 
 in 1996, compared to an increase of 2,170,000, or 14.5% in 1995.  As set 
 forth in Table 3, the improvement in net interest income in 1996 was due to 
 the increase in the volume of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, 
 partially offset by the effect of changes in interest rates.  In 1995, the 
 increase in net interest income was due to the increases in the volume of 
 earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.  To a lesser extent, 
 changes in interest rates in 1995 also contributed to the growth in net 
 interest income.

 In 1996, average earning assets increased by $23,466,000, or 5.4%, and 
 average interest- bearing liabilities increased $17,265,000, or 4.5%, 
 compared with 1995 (Table 2).  The higher volumes of earning assets and 
 interest-bearings liabilities were primarily the result of strong loan 
 growth in 1996.  As a percentage of average earning assets, average loans 
 increased from 63.9% in 1994 to 71.9% in 1996 while average securities 
 decreased from 34.6% in 1994 to 27.1% in 1996.

 Net interest margin remained constant at 3.98% in 1996 and 1995 and 
 increased slightly from 3.93% in 1994.

 PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES

 The provision for loan losses in 1996 was $147,000 compared to $280,000 in 
 1995 and $168,000 in 1994.  For information on loan loss experience and 
 nonperforming loans, see the "Nonperforming Loans" and "Loan Quality and 
 Allowance for Loan Losses" sections later in this document.

 OTHER INCOME

 An important source of the Registrant's revenue is derived from other
 income.  The following table sets forth the major components of other income
 for the last three years (in thousands):

 TABLE 4  OTHER INCOME

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               $ CHANGE
                                                                                            FROM PRIOR YEAR
                                        1996             1995            1994            1996            1995
 <S>                                       <C>              <C>             <C>              <C>               <C>
 Trust                                     $ 1,293          $ 1,118         $ 1,118          $  175            $  -
 Brokerage                                     386              183             349             203            (166)
 Securities losses                              (9)               -              (4)             (9)              4
 Service charges                             1,728            1,574           1,456             154             118
 Mortgage banking                              428              273             158             155             115
 Other                                         973              861             728             112             133
   Total other income                      $ 4,799          $ 4,009         $ 3,805          $  790          $  204
</TABLE>

 The Registrant's other income increased to $4,799,000 as compared to
 $4,009,000 in 1995 and $3,805,000 in 1994.  The increase between 1994 and 
 1995 was primarily due to the acquisition of DBI in October, 1994.

 Trust revenues increased to $1,293,000 in 1996 and $1,118,000 in 1995 and
 1994.  Trust assets increased to $223,117,000 at December 31, 1996 from 
 $215,903,000 at December 31, 1995 and $182,729,000 at December 31, 1994.  
 During 1996, increased revenues were primarily due to an increase in fees 
 generated on retirement plans under management and the increase in trust
 assets.  During 1995 the number of estates under management and therefore 
 executor fees on those accounts declined from the 1994 level.

 Revenues from brokerage and annuity sales increased in 1996 as the
 Registrant expanded its product line by offering full-service brokerage
 services and increasing its marketing efforts in this area.  During 1995,
 brokerage and annuity sales decreased as consumer preference shifted away
 from annuity products when interest rates on traditional deposit products
 rose.

 Net securities losses in 1996 were $9,000 compared to $0 in 1995 and $4,000
 in 1994.

 Service charges amounted to $1,728,000 in 1996 as compared to $1,574,000 in
 1995 and $1,456,000 in 1994.  The increase of $154,000 (9.8%) in service
 charges in 1996 as compared to 1995 was primarily due to an increase in the
 number of savings and transaction accounts and the volume associated with
 these accounts.  The $118,000 (8.1%) increase in service charges in 1995 as
 compared to 1994 was primarily due to the addition of the Effingham and
 Altamont business units associated with the acquisition of DBI.  These two
 business units added $104,000 to service charge income in 1995 as compared to
 $21,000 in 1994 because of the timing of the acquisition.

 Heartland originates loans for its own portfolio and for sale to others.
 Mortgage banking income from loans originated and subsequently sold into
 the secondary market amounted to $428,000 in 1996 as compared to $273,000
 in 1995 and $158,000 in 1994.  Included in 1996 mortgage banking income is
 the amount of the mortgage servicing rights recorded on loans originated and
 sold into the secondary market with servicing retained amounting to 
 $196,000.  In 1996, the volume of loans sold by Heartland was $21 million 
 representing 339 loans as compared to $11 million in 1995 representing 189
 loans.

 OTHER EXPENSE

 The major categories of other expense include salaries and employee
 benefits, occupancy and equipment expenses and other operating expenses
 associated with day-to-day operations. The following table sets forth the
 major components of other expense for the last three years (in thousands):

 TABLE 5  OTHER EXPENSE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 $ CHANGE
                                                                                              FROM PRIOR YEAR
                                        1996            1995            1994           1996           1995
 <S>                                  <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>            <C>
 Salaries and benefits                $ 7,938         $ 7,484         $ 6,964         $  454         $  520
 Occupancy                              1,098           1,021             937             77             84
 Equipment                              1,247           1,277           1,032            (30)           245
 FDIC premiums                            275             590             802           (315)          (212)
 One-time SAIF assessment                 751               -               -            751              -
 Amortization of intangibles              547             608             358            (61)           250
 Stationary and supplies                  559             449             324            110            125
 Legal and professional fees              795             699             737             96            (38)
 Marketing and promotion                  579             500             383             79            117
 Other operating expenses               2,188           2,087           1,726            101            361
   Total other expense                $15,977         $14,715         $13,263        $ 1,262        $ 1,452
</TABLE>

 The Registrant's non-interest expense amounted to $15,977,000 in 1996 as
 compared to $14,715,000 in 1995 and $13,263,000 in 1994.

 Salaries and employee benefits, the largest component of other expense,
 increased 6.1% in 1996 compared to 7.5% in 1995.  At December 31, 1996, the
 number of full-time equivalent ("FTE") employees totaled 257 compared to 254
 and 247 at December 31, 1995 and 1994 respectively.

 Occupancy expense increased 2.0% to $2,345,000 in 1996 as compared to
 $2,298,000 in 1995.  The 16.7% increase from $1,969,000 in 1994 to
 $2,298,000 in 1995 was primarily due to the DBI acquisition.

 The cost of insurance premiums assessed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
 Corporation ("FDIC") was $275,000 in 1996, compared to $590,000 in 1995 and
 $802,000 in 1994. The 1996 decrease of $315,000 was the result of reduced
 FDIC insurance premiums paid by First Mid Bank during the year.  The 1995
 decrease was the result of a refund of FDIC premiums that First Mid Bank
 received in the third quarter of 1995 in the amount of $170,000 and a
 reduced assessment rate for the second half of 1995.

 In 1997, the Registrant paid a one-time assessment of $751,000 to
 recapitalize the Savings Association Insurance Fund ("SAIF").  Legislation
 to recapitalize SAIF was signed into  law by the President on September 30,
 1996, as the assessment was paid by the Registrant in December 1996.

 Amortization of intangible assets decreased 10% when comparing 1996 to 1995.
 This decrease was the result of the Registrant's purchase mortgage servicing
 rights from the Heartland acquisition being fully amortized in 1995.  The
 70% increase between 1995 and 1994 was the result of the additional
 intangible amortization associated with the acquisition of DBI.

 During 1996, various categories of other operating expenses were impacted by
 the implementation of several large technology projects including imaging of
 customer checks and statements and the establishment of a wide-area network,
 along with new products being introduced such as telephone banking.

 INCOME TAXES

 Total income tax expense amounted to $2,263,000 in 1996 as compared to
 $1,830,000 in 1995 and $1,450,000 in 1994.  The 1996 tax expense includes
 state income tax expense totaling $195,000. In past years, low loan to
 deposit ratios and heavy reliance on interest income from state tax exempt
 securities had combined to produced operating losses for state tax purposes.
 These net operating loss carry forwards generated in past years have now
 been exhausted.  Effective tax rates were 35.2%, 31.8% and 29.7%
 respectively, for 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.  The effective tax rate
 has continued to increase each year as the relative percentage of tax-exempt
 income decreases.

 ANALYSIS OF BALANCE SHEETS

 SECURITIES

 The Registrant's overall investment goal is to maximize earnings while
 maintaining liquidity in securities having minimal credit risk.  The types
 and maturities of securities purchased are primarily based on the
 Registrant's current and projected liquidity and interest rate sensitivity
 positions.  The following table sets forth the year-end amortized cost of the
 securities for the last three years (in thousands):

 TABLE 6  INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     DECEMBER 31,
                                            1996                          1995                         1994
                                                    % OF                          % OF                         % OF
                                    AMOUNT          TOTAL         AMOUNT          TOTAL         AMOUNT         TOTAL
 <S>                                   <C>                 <C>       <C>                 <C>      <C>                <C>
 U.S. Treasury securities
  and obligations of
  U.S. Government Agencies
  and corporations                     $ 86,518            74%       $ 72,599            59%      $ 76,670           58%
 Obligations of states and
  political subdivisions                 11,398            10          12,009            10         13,664           10
 Mortgage-backed securities              15,283            13          35,766            29         40,720           31
 Other securities                         4,285             3           2,105             2          1,888            1
     Total securities                  $117,484           100%       $122,479           100%      $132,942          100%
</TABLE>
 
 At December 31, 1996 the Registrant's investment portfolio showed a decrease
 in mortgage-backed securities and an increase in U. S. Government agency
 securities.  This change in the portfolio mix improves the repricing
 characteristics of the portfolio, helps mollify the Registrant's total
 exposure relating to real estate assets and improves the portfolio yield.

 The following table indicates the expected maturities of investment
 securities classified as available-for-sale and held-to-maturity, presented
 at amortized cost, at December 31, 1996 (dollars in thousands) and the
 weighted average yield for each range of maturities.  Mortgage backed
 securities are aged according to their weighted average life.  All other
 securities are shown at their contractual maturity.

 TABLE 7 INVESTMENT MATURITY SCHEDULE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              ONE            AFTER 1          AFTER 5          AFTER
                                             YEAR            THROUGH          THROUGH           TEN
                                            OR LESS          5 YEARS         10 YEARS          YEARS           TOTAL
 <S>                                         <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>            <C>
 Available-for-sale:
 U.S. Treasury securities and
   obligations of U.S.
   government corporations
   and agencies                              $11,628          $56,214          $18,179         $   497        $ 86,518
 Obligations of state and
   political subdivisions                        805            5,503              991             618           7,917
 Mortgage-backed securities                    2,545            9,682              564           2,492          15,283
 Other securities                                  -                -                -           4,285           4,285
 Total Investments                           $14,978          $71,399          $19,734         $ 7,892        $114,003
 Weighted average yield                         5.45%            6.22%            6.39%           6.74%           6.18%
 Full tax equivalent yield                      5.60%            6.45%            6.54%           7.18%           6.39%
 Held-to-maturity:
 Obligations of state and
   political subdivisions                    $   620          $ 2,088          $   308         $   465        $  3,481
 Weighted average yield                         5.51%            4.98%            5.96%           5.74%           5.26%
 Full tax equivalent yield                      8.35%            7.55%            9.03%           8.70%           7.98%
</TABLE>

 The weighted average yields are calculated on the basis of the cost and
 effective yields weighted for the scheduled maturity of each security. 
 Full tax equivalent yields have been calculated using a 34% tax rate.
 
 The maturities of, and yields on, mortgage backed securities have been
 calculated using actual repayment history.  However, where securities have
 call features, and have a market value in excess of par value, the call date
 has been used to determine the expected maturity.

 With the exception of obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other U.S.
 Government agencies and corporations, there were no investment securities of
 any single issuer the book value of which exceeded 10% of stockholders'
 equity at December 31, 1996.

 In December 1995, the Registrant reclassified certain investment securities
 between held-to- maturity and available-for-sale in accordance with
 guidelines issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB")
 permitting a one-time change in classification.  Based on discussion and
 analysis, the Registrant decided that only local, non-rated municipal
 securities would be classified as held-to-maturity and the remaining
 portfolio would be designated as available-for-sale.  The book value and
 gross unrealized loss of securities transferred from held-to-maturity to
 available-for-sale amounted to $52,536,000 and $445,000, respectively.


 LOANS

 The loan portfolio (net of unearned discount) is the largest category of the
 Registrant's earning assets.  The following table summarizes the composition
 of the loan portfolio for the last five years (in thousands):


 TABLE 8  COMPOSITION OF LOANS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      1996              1995              1994              1993              1992
 <S>                               <C>               <C>               <C>               <C>               <C>
 Commercial, financial
   and agricultural                $ 75,028          $ 65,916          $ 61,520          $ 50,353          $ 46,464
 Real estate - mortgage             241,240           211,147           195,524           151,916           146,333
 Installment                         30,423            27,996            22,294            16,360            16,316
 Other                                1,526             1,945             2,815             4,590             5,080
   Total loans                     $348,217          $307,004          $282,153          $223,219          $214,193
</TABLE>

 At December 31, 1996, the Registrant had loan concentrations in agricultural
 industries of 13.3% of outstanding loans at December 31, 1996 and 12.9% at
 December 31, 1995.  The Registrant had no further industry loan
 concentrations in excess of 10% of outstanding loans.


 TABLE 9  LOAN MATURITY DISTRIBUTION AND INTEREST RATE SENSITIVITY

 The following table presents the balance of loans outstanding as of December
 31, 1996, by maturities (dollars in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      MATURITY (1)
                                                               OVER 1
                                          ONE YEAR             THROUGH              OVER
                                         OR LESS(2)            5 YEARS             5 YEARS              TOTAL
 <S>                                     <C>                  <C>                 <C>                <C>
 Commercial, financial
   and agricultural                      $  50,439            $ 22,482            $  2,107           $ 75,028
 Real estate - mortgage                     46,255             124,797              70,188            241,240
 Installment                                 7,154              22,024               1,245             30,423
 Other                                         231                 735                 560              1,526
   Total loans                           $ 104,079            $170,038            $ 74,100           $348,217
 (1) Based on scheduled principal repayments.
 (2) Includes demand loans, past due loans and overdrafts.
</TABLE>

 As of December 31, 1996, loans with maturities over one year consisted of
 $198,993,000 in fixed rate loans and $45,145,000 in variable rate loans. 
 The loan maturities noted above are based on the contractual provisions of
 the individual loans.  The Registrant has no general policy regarding
 rollovers and borrower requests, which are handled on a case by case basis.


 NONPERFORMING LOANS

 Nonperforming loans include: (a) loans accounted for on a nonaccrual basis;
 (b) accruing loans contractually past due 90 days or more as to interest or
 principal payments; and loans not included in (a) and (b) above which are
 defined as "troubled debt restructurings".

 The following table presents information concerning the aggregate amount of
 nonperforming loans (in thousands):

 TABLE 10  NONPERFORMING LOANS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        DECEMBER 31,
                                         1996                     1995         1994        1993        1992
 <S>                                    <C>                      <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>
 Nonaccrual loans                       $ 790                    $ 636        $ 393       $ 497       $ 685
 Loans past due ninety days
   or more and still accruing             575                      554          509         248         585
 Restructured loans which are
   performing in accordance
   with revised terms                     580                      604          772         307         383
</TABLE>

 Interest income that would have been reported if nonaccrual and restructured
 loans had been performing totaled $143,000, $143,000 and $100,000 for the
 years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.  Interest income
 that was included in income totaled $39,000, $56,000 and  $37,000 for the
 same periods.

 The Registrant's policy generally is to discontinue the accrual of interest
 income on any loan for which principal or interest is 90 days past due and
 when, in the opinion of management, there is reasonable doubt as to the
 timely collectibility of interest or principal.  Nonaccrual loans are
 returned to accrual status when, in the opinion of management, the financial
 position of the borrower indicates there is no longer any reasonable doubt
 as to the timely collectibility of interest or principal.

 LOAN QUALITY AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

 The allowance for loan losses represents management's best estimate of the
 reserve necessary to adequately cover losses that could ultimately be
 realized from current loan exposures. The provision for loan losses is the
 charge against current earnings that is determined by management as the
 amount needed to maintain an adequate allowance for loan losses.  In
 determining the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses, and therefore the
 provision to be charged to current earnings, management relies predominantly
 on a disciplined credit review and approval process which extends to the
 full range of the Registrant's credit exposure.  The review process is
 directed by overall lending policy and is intended to identify, at the
 earliest possible stage, borrowers who might be facing financial difficulty.
 Once identified, the magnitude of exposure to individual borrowers is
 quantified in the form of specific allocations of the allowance for loan
 losses.  Collateral values are considered by management in the determination
 of such specific allocations.  Additional factors considered by management
 in evaluating the overall adequacy of the allowance include historical net
 loan losses, the level and composition of nonaccrual, past due and
 renegotiated loans and the current and anticipated economic conditions in
 the region where the Registrant operates.  In addition to the aforementioned
 considerations, management also considers the loan loss experience of other
 banks, thrifts and financial services holding companies.

 Management recognizes that there are risk factors which are inherent in the
 Registrant's loan portfolio.  All financial institutions face risk factors
 in their loan portfolios because risk exposure is a function of the
 business.  The Registrant's operations (and therefore its loans) are
 concentrated in east central Illinois, an area where agriculture is the
 dominant industry.  Accordingly, lending and other business relationships
 with agriculture-based businesses are critical to the Registrant's success. 
 At December 31, 1996, the Registrant's loan portfolio included $46.4 million
 of loans to borrowers whose businesses are directly related to agriculture. 
 The balance increased $6.6 million from $39.7 million at December 31, 1995.
 In addition to agricultural lending, the Registrant has historically had
 substantial residential mortgage lending activity in and around east central
 Illinois.  At December 31, 1996, these loans amounted to $172.3 million or
 49.5% of total loans.  Residential mortgage loans amounted to $153.6 million
 or 50.0% of total loans at December 31, 1995.

 TABLE 11  ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

 Loan loss experience for the years ending December 31, are summarized as
 follows (dollars in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            1996                    1995           1994          1993          1992
 <S>                                      <C>                     <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
 Average loans outstanding,
   net of unearned income                 $326,302                $294,220      $243,166      $214,408      $178,919
 Allowance-beginning of year                 2,814                   2,608         2,110         1,906         1,566
 Balance of
   acquired subsidiary                           -                       -           343             -           350
 Charge-offs:
 Commercial, financial
   and agricultural                            238                      18            29            140          298
 Real estate-mortgage                            6                     111            28            241          350
 Installment                                   131                      57           120             86          139
   Total charge-offs                           375                     186           177            467          787
 Recoveries:
 Commercial, financial
   and agricultural                             53                      73            98            150          167
 Real estate-mortgage                            -                       -            21              3           18
 Installment                                    45                      39            45             26           49
   Total recoveries                             98                     112           164            179          234
 Net charge-offs                               277                      74            13            288          553
 Provision for loan losses                     147                     280           168            492          543
 Allowance-end of period                  $  2,684                $  2,814      $  2,608       $  2,110     $  1,906
 Ratio of net charge-offs to
   average loans                              .08%                    .03%          .01%           .13%         .31%
 Ratio of allowance for loan
   losses to loans outstanding
   (less unearned interest
   at end of period)                          .77%                    .90%          .93%           .95%         .89%
 Ratio of allowance for loan
   losses to nonperforming
   loans                                    138.0%                  156.8%        155.8%         200.6%       115.3%
</TABLE>

 The Registrant minimizes credit risk by adhering to sound underwriting and
 credit review policies.  These policies are reviewed at least annually, and
 changes are approved by the board of directors.  Senior management is
 actively involved in business development efforts and the maintenance and
 monitoring of credit underwriting and approval.  The loan review system and
 controls are designed to identify, monitor and address asset quality
 problems in an accurate and timely manner.  On a monthly basis, the board of
 directors reviews the status of problem loans.  In addition to internal
 policies and controls, regulatory authorities periodically review asset
 quality and the overall adequacy of the allowance for loan losses.

 During 1996, the Registrant had net charge-offs of $277,000, a significant
 increase from 1995 and 1994 net charge-offs of $74,000 and $13,000
 respectively. $151,000 (55%) of the 1996 charge-offs related to three
 specific loans for which management does not anticipate any significant
 future recoveries.  While management believes that these losses represented
 isolated events and do not reflect on the overall quality of the loan
 portfolio, management is also aware of the increasing rate of personal
 bankruptcies both nationally and in the Registrant's service area. 
 Accordingly, management believes that its provision for loan losses will
 need to increase in 1997.  On December 31, 1996, the allowance for loan
 losses amounted to $2,684,000, or .77% of total loans, and 138.0% of
 nonperforming loans.  At December 31, 1995, the allowance was $2,814,000, or
 .92% of total loans, and 156.8% of nonperforming loans.

 The allowance for loan losses, in management's judgment, would be allocated
 as follows to cover potential loan losses (in thousands):

 TABLE 12  ALLOCATION OF ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                              DECEMBER 31, 1996               DECEMBER 31, 1995                DECEMBER 31, 1994
                           ALLOWANCE       % OF             ALLOWANCE      % OF              ALLOWANCE     % OF
                              FOR          LOANS               FOR         LOANS                FOR        LOANS
                             LOAN        TO TOTAL             LOAN       TO TOTAL              LOAN      TO TOTAL
                            LOSSES         LOANS             LOSSES        LOANS              LOSSES       LOANS
 <S>                          <C>               <C>            <C>              <C>            <C>              <C>
 Commercial, financial
   and agricultural           $ 1,854           21.5%          $ 1,554          21.5%          $ 1,481          21.8%
 Real estate-mortgage             434           69.3               314          68.8%              427          69.3%
 Installment                      152            8.7               131           9.1%              100           7.9%
 Other                              -             .5                 -            .6%                -           1.0%
 Total allocated                2,440                            1,999                           2,008
 Unallocated                      244            N/A               815            N/A              600           N/A
 Allowance at end of
   reported period            $ 2,684          100.0%          $ 2,814         100.0%          $ 2,608         100.0%
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  DECEMBER 31, 1993                     DECEMBER 31, 1992
                               ALLOWANCE        % OF                 ALLOWANCE       % OF
                                  FOR           LOANS                   FOR          LOANS
                                 LOAN         TO TOTAL                 LOAN        TO TOTAL
                                LOSSES          LOANS                 LOSSES         LOANS
 <S>                               <C>                <C>               <C>                <C>
 Commercial, financial
   and agricultural                $ 1,351            22.5%             $ 1,045            21.7%
 Real estate-mortgage                  330            68.1%                 325            68.3%
 Installment                            78             7.3%                 183             7.6%
 Other                                   -             2.1%                   -             2.4%
 Total allocated                     1,759                                1,553
 Unallocated                           351             N/A                  353             N/A
 Allowance at end of
   reported period                 $ 2,110           100.0%             $ 1,906           100.0%
</TABLE>

 The allowance is allocated to the individual loan categories by a specific
 reserve for all classified loans plus a percentage of loans not classified
 based on historical losses.


 DEPOSITS

 Funding the Registrant's earning assets is substantially provided by a
 combination of consumer, commercial and public fund deposits.  The
 Registrant continues to focus its strategies and emphasis on retail core
 deposits, the major component of funding sources.  The following table sets
 forth the average deposits and weighted average rates at December 31, 1996,
 1995 and 1994 (dollars in thousands):


 TABLE 13  COMPOSITION OF DEPOSITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          1996                      1995                      1994
                                               WEIGHTED                  WEIGHTED                  WEIGHTED
                                                AVERAGE                   AVERAGE                   AVERAGE
                                   AMOUNT        RATE         AMOUNT       RATE         AMOUNT       RATE
 <S>                                <C>            <C>        <C>            <C>        <C>            <C>
 Demand deposits:
   Non-interest bearing             $ 50,789            -     $ 46,237            -     $ 37,527            -
   Interest bearing                  110,708        2.79%      106,118        2.66%      110,069        2.51%
 Savings                              39,364        2.72%       40,920        2.71%       38,985        2.59%
 Time deposits                       204,362        5.46%      202,305        5.42%      170,252        4.29%
   Total average deposits           $405,223        3.78%     $395,580        3.76%     $356,833        3.10%
</TABLE>


 The following table sets forth the maturity of time deposits of $100,000 or
 more (in thousands):

 TABLE 14  MATURITY DISTRIBUTION OF TIME DEPOSITS OF $100,000 OR MORE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         DECEMBER 31,
                                           1996                     1995                     1994
 <S>                                    <C>                      <C>                     <C>
 3 months or less                       $ 20,658                 $ 17,167                $ 12,124
 Over 3 through 6 months                   7,322                    6,451                   4,525
 Over 6 through 12 months                  6,897                    7,495                   5,998
 Over 12 months                            5,893                    6,217                   6,807
   Total                                $ 40,770                 $ 37,330                $ 29,454
</TABLE>


 OTHER BORROWINGS


 Other borrowings consist of securities sold under agreements to repurchase,
 Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) advances, and federal funds purchased. 
 Information relating to other borrowings for the last three years is
 presented below (in thousands):


 TABLE 15  SCHEDULE OF OTHER BORROWINGS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          1996               1995              1994
 <S>                                                        <C>                <C>                <C>
 At December 31:
   Securities sold under agreements to repurchase                      $18,360            $16,815           $15,590
   Federal Home Loan Bank advances:
     Overnight                                                          19,733              2,200             3,500
     Fixed term - due in one year or less                               11,693              6,000                 -
     Fixed term - due after one year                                     1,000              3,500                 -
   Federal funds purchased                                                   -                  -               500
     Total                                                             $50,786            $28,515           $19,590
     Average interest rate at year end                                   5.91%              5.11%             3.55%
 Maximum Outstanding at Any Month-end
   Securities sold under agreements to repurchase                      $18,860            $21,200           $15,980
   Federal Home Loan Bank advances:
     Overnight                                                          23,083              5,000             8,250
     Fixed term - due in one year or less                               20,693              5,000                 -
     Fixed term - due after one year                                     7,500              6,500                 -
   Federal funds purchased                                               6,500                  -             5,000
     Total                                                             $76,636            $37,700           $29,230
 Averages for the Year
   Securities sold under agreements to repurchase                      $12,411            $16,481            $9,697
   Federal Home Loan Bank advances:
     Overnight                                                           8,136              1,104             2,803
     Fixed term - due in one year or less                                9,352              2,905                 -
     Fixed term - due after one year                                     6,432              3,598                 -
   Federal funds purchased                                                 800                 26               603
     Total                                                             $37,131            $24,114           $13,103
     Average interest rate during the year                               5.45%              5.24%             3.59%
</TABLE>


 Securities sold under agreements to repurchase primarily represent
 borrowings originated as part of cash management services offered to
 corporate customers.  The remaining balance of securities sold under
 agreements to repurchase represents term repurchase agreements with the
 State of Illinois.

 Federal Home Loan Bank advances represent borrowings by the Bank
 Subsidiaries to fund loan demand.


 INTEREST RATE SENSITIVITY

 The Registrant seeks to maximize its net interest margin within an
 acceptable level of interest rate risk.  Interest rate risk can be defined
 as the amount of forecasted net interest income that may be gained or lost
 due to favorable or unfavorable movements in interest rates.  Interest rate
 risk, or sensitivity, arises when the maturity or repricing characteristics
 of assets differ significantly from the maturity or repricing
 characteristics of liabilities.

 The Registrant monitors its interest rate sensitivity position to maintain a
 balance between rate sensitive assets and rate sensitive liabilities.  This
 balance serves to limit the adverse effects of changes in interest rates. 
 The Registrant's asset/liability management committee oversees the interest
 rate sensitivity position and directs the overall allocation of funds in an
 effort to maintain a cumulative one-year gap to earning assets ratio of less
 than 30% of total earning assets.

 In the banking industry, a traditional measurement of interest rate
 sensitivity is known as "gap" analysis, which measures the cumulative
 differences between the amounts of assets and liabilities maturing or
 repricing at various intervals.  The following table sets forth the
 Registrant's interest rate repricing gaps for selected maturity periods at
 December 31, 1996 (in thousands):

 TABLE 16 GAP TABLE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   NUMBER OF MONTHS UNTIL NEXT REPRICING OPPORTUNITY
 <S>                               <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>             <C>
 INTEREST EARNING ASSETS:                 0-1              1-3             3-6            6-12             12+
 Deposits with other financial
   institutions                          $      453          $     -         $     -         $     -       $      99
 Federal funds sold                           6,500                -               -               -               -
 Taxable investment securities               23,861           11,450           6,947           3,912          59,693
 Nontaxable investment securities               460              249             327           1,876           8,733
 Loans                                       47,121           25,712          21,060          30,897         223,427
   Total                                 $   78,395        $  37,411       $  28,334       $  36,685       $ 291,952
 INTEREST BEARING LIABILITIES:
 Savings and N.O.W. accounts (1)              5,361           10,722          16,084          32,167          58,191
 Money market accounts                       35,837                -               -               -               -
 Other time deposits                         14,903           41,207          37,556          43,975          62,629
 Other borrowings                            44,686            1,600           3,500               -           1,000
 Long-term debt                               6,200                -               -               -               -
   Total                                  $ 106,987        $  53,529       $  57,140       $  76,142       $ 121,820
   Periodic GAP                           $ (28,592)       $ (16,118)      $ (28,806)      $ (39,457)      $ 170,132
   Cumulative GAP                         $ (28,592)       $ (44,710)      $ (73,516)      $(112,973)      $  57,159
 GAP as a % of interest earning assets:
   Periodic                                  (6.0%)           (3.4%)          (6.1%)          (8.3%)           36.0%
   Cumulative                                (6.0%)           (9.5%)         (15.6%)         (23.9%)           12.1%

<FN>
<F1>
 (1) Historically the Registrant's NOW accounts and savings deposits have been relatively
     insensitive to interest rate changes.  However, the Registrant considers a portion of
     these deposits to be rate sensitive based on historical trends and management's
     expectations.
</FN>
</TABLE>

 At December 31, 1996, the Registrant was liability sensitive on a cumulative
 basis through the twelve-month time horizon.  Accordingly, future increases
 in interest rates, if any, could have an unfavorable effect on the net
 interest margin.  However, the Registrant's historical repricing of N.O.W.
 and savings accounts has not, and is not expected to change on a frequent
 basis and this would mitigate to some extent the negative effect of an
 upturn in rates.  Management has, over the past year, placed an emphasis on
 growing core deposits, which are considered to be less sensitive to changes
 in interest rates.  This strategy, among other actions contributed to the
 reduction of the one-year gap from (29.7%) at December 31, 1995 to (23.9%)
 at December 31, 1996.

 Interest rate sensitivity using a static GAP analysis basis is only one of
 several measurements of the impact of interest rate changes on net interest
 income used by the Registrant.  Its actual usefulness in assessing the
 effect of changes in interest rates varies with the constant changes which
 occur in the composition of the Registrant's earning assets and interest
 bearing liabilities.  For this reason, the Registrant uses financial models
 to project interest income under various rate scenarios and various
 assumptions relative to the prepayments, reinvestment and roll overs of
 assets and liabilities.


 CAPITAL RESOURCES

 At December 31, 1996, the Registrant's stockholders' equity amounted to
 $39,904,000, a $4,595,000 or 13.0% increase from the $35,309,000 balance as
 of December 31, 1995.  During the year, net income contributed $4,166,000 to
 equity before the payment of dividends to common and preferred stockholders
 amounting to $1,081,000.  The change in net unrealized gain on
 available-for-sale investment securities decreased stockholders' equity by
 $175,000, net of tax.

 During 1996, the Registrant began issuing Company common stock as part of a
 deferred compensation plan for its directors and certain senior officers and
 as an investment option under the Registrant's 401-K (First Retirement and
 Savings Plan) for its employees.  During 1996, 15,248 shares were issued
 pursuant to the Deferred Compensation Plan and 15,734 shares were issued
 pursuant to the First Retirement and Savings Plan.

 In late 1994, the Registrant implemented a Dividend Reinvestment Plan
 whereby common and preferred shareholders could elect to have their cash
 dividends automatically reinvested into newly-issued common shares of the
 Registrant.  This plan became effective with the January, 1995 common stock
 dividend.  Of the $1,081,000 in common and preferred stock dividends paid
 during 1996, $592,000 or 54.8% was reinvested into shares of common stock of
 the Registrant through the Dividend Reinvestment Plan.  This resulted in an
 additional 16,843 shares of common stock being issued during 1996.

 The Registrant and its subsidiaries have capital ratios which are above the
 regulatory capital requirements.  These requirements call for a minimum
 total risk-based capital ratio of 8% and a minimum leverage ratio of 3% for
 the most highly rated banks that do not expect significant growth.  All
 other institutions are required to maintain a ratio of Tier 1 capital to
 total risk-weighted assets of 4% to 5% depending on their particular
 circumstances and risk profiles.  At December 31, 1996, the Registrant's
 leverage ratio was 6.81%.

 A tabulation of the Registrant's and its subsidiaries' risk-based capital
 ratios as of December 31, 1996 follows:

 TABLE 17  RISK-BASED CAPITAL RATIOS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               TIER ONE CAPITAL           TOTAL CAPITAL         TIER ONE CAPITAL
                                               TO RISK-WEIGHTED         TO RISK-WEIGHTED           TO AVERAGE
                                                    ASSETS                    ASSETS                 ASSETS
 <S>                                                <C>                      <C>                      <C>
 First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.
  (Consolidated)                                    10.95%                   11.80%                   6.81%
 First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, N.A.              11.70                    12.57                    7.65
 Heartland Savings Bank                             15.20                    16.00                    7.01
</TABLE>


 Banks and bank holding companies are generally expected to operate at or
 above the minimum capital requirements.  These ratios are in excess of
 regulatory minimums and will allow the Registrant to operate without capital
 adequacy concerns.

 LIQUIDITY

 Liquidity represents the ability of the Registrant and its subsidiaries to
 meet the requirements of customers for loans and deposit withdrawals.
 Liquidity management focuses on the ability to obtain funds economically for
 these purposes and to maintain assets which may be converted into cash at
 minimal costs.  Management monitors its expected liquidity requirements
 carefully, focusing primarily on cash flows from operating, investing and
 financing activities.

 EFFECTS OF INFLATION

 Unlike industrial companies, virtually all of the assets and liabilities of
 the Registrant are monetary in nature.  As a result, interest rates have a
 more significant impact on the Registrant's performance than the effects of
 general levels of inflation.  Interest rates do not necessarily move in the
 same direction or experience the same magnitude of changes as goods and
 services, since such prices are effected by inflation.  In the current
 economic environment, liquidity and interest rate adjustments are features
 of the Registrant's assets and liabilities which are important to the
 maintenance of acceptable performance levels.  The Registrant attempts to
 maintain a balance between monetary assets and monetary liabilities, over
 time, to offset these potential effects.

 FUTURE ACCOUNTING CHANGES

 In June 1996, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued
 Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 125, "Accounting
 for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishment of
 Liabilities" ("SFAS 125").  SFAS 125, among other things, applies a
 "financial-components approach" that focuses on control, whereby an entity
 recognizes the financial and servicing assets it controls and the
 liabilities it has incurred, derecognizes assets when control has been
 surrendered, and derecognizes liabilities when extinguished.  SFAS 125
 provides consistent standards for distinguishing transfers of financial
 assets that are sales from transfers that are secured borrowings.  SFAS 125
 is effective for transactions occurring after December 31, 1996; however
 SFAS 127, issued in December 1996, defers the effective date of certain
 elements of SFAS 125 for one year.  The Registrant does not expect these
 pronouncements to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial
 condition or results of operations.


 ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 December 31, 1996 and 1995
 (In thousands, except share data)                                              1996                      1995
 <S>                                                                         <C>                        <C>
 ASSETS
 Cash and due from banks (note 3):
   Non-interest bearing                                                      $  20,158                  $ 17,536
   Interest bearing                                                                453                       784
 Federal funds sold                                                              6,500                     4,975
   Cash and cash equivalents                                                    27,111                    23,295
 Interest bearing deposits with other financial institutions                        99                        99
 Investment securities:
   Available-for-sale, at fair value (note 4)                                  114,027                   119,388
   Held-to-maturity, at amortized cost
   (estimated fair value of $3,491 and $3,409 at
   December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively) (note 4)                            3,481                     3,381
 Loans (note 5)                                                                348,217                   307,004
 Less allowance for loan losses (note 6)                                         2,684                     2,814
   Net loans                                                                   345,533                   304,190
 Premises and equipment, net (note 7)                                           10,735                     9,487
 Accrued interest receivable                                                     5,229                     4,397
 Intangible assets (notes 2 and 8)                                               5,472                     6,019
 Other assets (note 15)                                                          3,710                     2,238
   TOTAL ASSETS                                                               $515,397                  $472,494
 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 Deposits:
   Non-interest bearing                                                       $ 55,044                  $ 51,017
   Interest bearing (note 9)                                                   358,632                   345,862
   Total deposits                                                              413,676                   396,879
 Accrued interest payable                                                        1,656                     1,580
 Securities sold under agreements to repurchase (notes 4 and 10)                18,360                    16,815
 Federal Home Loan Bank advances (note 10)                                      32,426                    11,700
 Long-term debt (note 11)                                                        6,200                     7,200
 Other liabilities (note 15)                                                     3,175                     3,011
   TOTAL LIABILITIES                                                           475,493                   437,185
 Stockholders' Equity
 Series A convertible preferred stock; no par value;
   authorized 1,000,000 shares; issued 620 shares with
   stated value of $5,000 per share                                              3,100                     3,100
 Common stock, $4 par value; authorized 2,000,000 shares;
   issued 942,816 shares in 1996 and 894,991 shares in 1995                      3,771                     3,580
 Additional paid-in-capital                                                      5,463                     3,969
 Retained earnings                                                              27,578                    24,493
 Net unrealized gain on available-for-sale
   investment securities, net of tax (note 4)                                       16                       191
 Less treasury stock at cost, 2,000 shares                                          24                        24
 TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                                                     39,904                    35,309
 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                                   $515,397                  $472,494
 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
 For the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
 (In thousands, except per share data)
                                                                  1996                  1995                  1994
 <S>                                                            <C>                  <C>                   <C>
 INTEREST INCOME:
 Interest and fees on loans (note 5)                            $27,827              $ 25,214              $ 19,576
 Interest on investment securities:
   Taxable                                                        6,858                 7,068                 5,772
   Exempt from federal income tax                                   629                   733                   851
 Interest on federal funds sold                                     180                   356                   156
 Interest on deposits with other financial institutions              65                    94                    73
   Total interest income                                         35,559                33,465                26,428
 INTEREST EXPENSE:
 Interest on deposits (note 9)                                   15,310                14,888                11,071
 Interest on securities sold under agreements
   to repurchase (note 10)                                          574                   777                   310
 Interest on Federal Home Loan Bank advances (note 10)            1,405                   487                   135
 Interest on Federal funds purchased (note 10)                       44                     2                    26
 Interest on long-term debt (note 11)                               472                   571                   376
   Total interest expense                                        17,805                16,725                11,918
   Net interest income                                           17,754                16,740                14,510
 Provision for loan losses (note 6)                                 147                   280                   168
   Net interest income after provision for loan losses           17,607                16,460                14,342
 OTHER INCOME:
 Trust revenues                                                   1,293                 1,118                 1,118
 Brokerage revenues                                                 386                   183                   349
 Service charges                                                  1,728                 1,574                 1,456
 Securities (losses), net (note 4)                                   (9)                    -                    (4)
 Mortgage banking income                                            428                   273                   158
 Other                                                              973                   861                   728
   Total other income                                             4,799                 4,009                 3,805
 OTHER EXPENSE:
 Salaries and employee benefits (note 14)                         7,938                 7,484                 6,964
 Net occupancy expense                                            1,098                 1,021                   937
 Equipment rentals, depreciation and maintenance                  1,247                 1,277                 1,032
 Federal deposit insurance premiums                                 275                   590                   802
 Savings Association Insurance Fund
   recapitalization assessment                                      751                     -                     -
 Amortization of intangible assets (note 8)                         547                   608                   358
 Stationary and supplies                                            559                   449                   324
 Legal and professional                                             795                   699                   737
 Marketing and promotion                                            579                   500                   383
 Other                                                            2,188                 2,087                 1,726
   Total other expense                                           15,977                14,715                13,263
 Income before income taxes                                       6,429                 5,754                 4,884
 Income taxes (note 15)                                           2,263                 1,830                 1,450
   Net income                                                  $  4,166              $  3,924              $  3,434
 Per common share data:
 Primary earnings per share                                    $   4.22              $   4.10              $   3.59
 Fully diluted earnings per share                                  3.98                  3.88                  3.43
 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 For the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
 (In thousands, except per share data)
                                                                                            NET
                                                                                     UNREALIZED
                                                                                     GAIN(LOSS)
                                                                                             ON
                                                                                     AVAILABLE-
                                                           ADDITIONAL                  FOR-SALE
                                  PREFERRED       COMMON     PAID-IN-     RETAINED   INVESTMENT     TREASURY
                                      STOCK        STOCK      CAPITAL     EARNINGS   SECURITIES        STOCK        TOTAL
 <S>                               <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>
 DECEMBER 31, 1993                 $  3,100     $  3,515     $  3,531     $ 19,087     $    975     $    (24)     $ 30,184
 Net income                               -            -            -        3,434            -            -         3,434
 Cash dividends on preferred
   stock ($462.50 per share)              -            -            -         (286)           -            -          (286)
 Cash dividends on common
   stock ($.75 per share)                 -            -            -         (658)           -            -          (658)
 Change in net unrealized
   gain/(loss) on available-
   for-sale investment
   securities, net of tax                 -            -            -            -       (2,074)           -        (2,074)
 DECEMBER 31, 1994                    3,100        3,515        3,531       21,577       (1,099)         (24)       30,600
 Net income                               -            -            -        3,924            -            -         3,924
 Cash dividends on preferred
   stock ($462.50 per share)              -            -            -         (286)           -            -          (286)
 Cash dividends on common
   stock ($.81 per share)                 -            -            -         (722)           -            -          (722)
 Issuance of 16,222 common
   shares pursuant to the
   Dividend Reinvestment Plan             -           65          438            -            -            -           503
 Change in net unrealized
   gain/(loss) on available-
   for-sale investment
   securities, net of tax                 -            -            -            -        1,290            -         1,290
 DECEMBER 31, 1995                    3,100        3,580        3,969       24,493          191          (24)       35,309
 Net income                               -            -            -        4,166            -            -         4,166
 Cash dividends on preferred
   stock ($462.50 per share)              -            -            -         (286)           -            -          (286)
 Cash dividends on common
   stock ($.85 per share)                 -            -            -         (795)           -            -          (795)
 Issuance of 16,843 common
   shares pursuant to the
   Dividend Reinvestment Plan             -           67          525            -            -            -           592
 Issuance of 15,248 common
   shares pursuant to the
   Deferred Compensation Plan             -           61          476            -            -            -           537
 Issuance of 15,734 common
   shares pursuant to the
   First Retirement & Savings
   Plan                                   -           63          493            -            -            -           556
 Change in net unrealized
   gain on available-for-
   sale investment
   securities, net of tax                 -            -            -            -         (175)           -          (175)
 DECEMBER 31, 1996                 $  3,100     $  3,771     $  5,463     $ 27,578     $     16     $    (24)     $ 39,904
 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 For the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
 (In thousands)                                                       1996                 1995                 1994
 <S>                                                                <C>                 <C>                 <C>
 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
 Net income                                                         $ 4,166             $  3,924            $  3,434
 Adjustments to reconcile net income to
  net cash provided by operating activities:
   Provision for loan losses                                            147                  280                 168
   Depreciation, amortization and accretion, net                      1,251                1,231               1,503
   Loss on sales of securities, net                                       9                    -                   4
   Gain on sale of loans held for sale, net                            (322)                (126)                (22)
   Deferred income taxes                                                (77)                (110)                158
   (Increase) decrease in accrued interest receivable                  (832)                (468)                158
   Increase in accrued interest payable                                  76                  566                 170
   Origination of mortgage loans held for sale                      (21,139)             (10,592)             (4,307)
   Proceeds from sale of mortgage loans held for sale                21,113               11,055               5,021
   (Increase) decrease in other assets                               (1,300)                 394                 365
   Increase (decrease) in other liabilities                             310                 (290)               (946)
 Net cash provided by operating activities                            3,402                5,864               5,706
 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
 Capitalization of mortgage servicing rights                           (196)                   -                   -
 Purchases of premises and equipment                                 (2,036)                (891)               (455)
 Net increase in loans                                              (41,142)             (25,262)            (29,438)
 Proceeds from sales of:
   Securities available-for-sale                                     31,667                  487              21,232
 Proceeds from maturities of:
   Securities available-for-sale                                     32,894               19,905               4,274
   Securities held-to-maturity                                          580               12,549              31,631
 Purchases of:
   Securities available-for-sale                                    (59,366)             (16,200)            (22,636)
   Securities held-to-maturity                                         (680)              (6,161)            (14,975)
 Net decrease in interest bearing deposits                                -                    -               2,776
 Purchase of financial organization, net of cash received                 -                    -              (6,706)
 Net cash used in investing activities                              (38,279)             (15,573)            (14,297)
 CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
 Net increase (decrease) in deposits                                 16,797                7,311              (6,829)
 Increase in securities sold under agreements to repurchase           1,545                1,225               9,960
 Increase in Federal Home Loan Bank advances                         20,726                8,200                   -
 (Decrease) in federal funds purchased                                    -                 (500)                  -
 Repayment of long-term debt                                         (1,000)                (500)               (300)
 Proceeds from long-term debt                                             -                    -               3,000
 Proceeds from issuance of common stock                               1,093                    -                   -
 Dividends paid on preferred stock                                      (32)                 (58)               (286)
 Dividends paid on common stock                                        (436)                (387)               (658)
 Net cash provided by financing activities                           38,693               15,291               4,887
 Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                     3,816                5,582              (3,704)
 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year                      23,295               17,713              21,417
 Cash and cash equivalents at end of year                           $27,111              $23,295             $17,713
 ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION
 Cash paid during the year for:
   Interest paid                                                    $17,969              $17,291             $12,306
   Income taxes                                                       2,080                1,900               1,400
 Loans transferred to real estate owned                                 290                  182                 264
 Dividends reinvested in common shares                                  592                  503                   -
 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
</TABLE>

 NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 DECEMBER 31, 1996, 1995 AND 1994

 NOTE 1 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 BASIS OF ACCOUNTING AND CONSOLIDATION

 The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of
 First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. ("Registrant") and its wholly owned
 subsidiaries:  First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, N.A. ("First Mid Bank");
 Heartland Savings Bank ("Heartland"); and Mid-Illinois Data Services, Inc.
 ("MIDS").  All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been
 eliminated in consolidation.  Certain amounts in the 1995 and 1994
 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the
 1996 presentation.  The accounting and reporting policies of the Registrant
 conform to generally accepted accounting principles and to general practices
 within the banking industry.  The following is a description of the more
 significant of these policies.

 USE OF ESTIMATES

 The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
 accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and
 assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial
 statements and accompanying notes.  Actual results could differ from these
 estimates.

 CASH EQUIVALENTS

 For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash equivalents include amounts due
 from banks and Federal funds sold.  Generally, Federal funds are sold for
 one-day periods.

 INVESTMENT SECURITIES

 The Registrant classifies its debt securities into one or more of three
 categories:  held-to-maturity, available-for-sale, or trading.   Held-to-
 maturity securities are those which management has the positive intent and
 ability to hold to maturity.  Available-for-sale securities are those
 securities which management may sell prior to maturity as a result of
 changes in interest rates, prepayment factors, or as part of the
 Registrant's overall asset and liability strategy.   Trading securities are
 those securities bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them
 in the near term.  The Registrant has no securities designated as trading.

 Held-to-maturity securities are recorded at cost adjusted for amortization
 of premium and accretion of discount to the earlier of the call date or
 maturity date using the interest method.

 Available-for-sale securities are recorded at fair value.  Unrealized
 holding gains and losses, net of the related income tax effect, are excluded
 from income and reported as a separate component of stockholders' equity.
 If a decrease in the market value of a security is expected to be other than
 temporary, then the security is written down to its fair value through a
 charge to income.

 Realized gains and losses on the sale of investment securities are recorded
 using the specific identification method.

 LOANS

 Loans are stated at the principal amount outstanding less unearned discount,
 net of the allowance for loan losses.  Interest on substantially all loans
 is credited to income based on the principal amount outstanding.

 The Registrant's policy is to generally discontinue the accrual of interest 
 income on any loan for which principal or interest is 90 days past due and
 when, in the opinion of management, there is reasonable doubt as to the
 timely collectibility of interest or principal.  Nonaccrual loans are
 returned to accrual status when, in the opinion of management, the financial
 position of the borrower indicates there is no longer any reasonable doubt
 as to the timely collectibility of interest or principal.

 ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

 The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level deemed appropriate by
 management to provide for known and inherent risks in the loan portfolio. 
 The allowance is based on a continuing review of the loan portfolio, the
 underlying value of the collateral securing the loans, current economic
 conditions and past loan loss experience.  Loans which are deemed to be
 uncollectible are charged to the allowance.  The provision for loan losses
 and recoveries are credited to the allowance.

 The Registrant adopted Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 114,
 "Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan", as amended by SFAS No.
 118, "Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan - Income Recognition
 and Disclosure", on January 1, 1995.   Management, considering current
 information and events regarding the borrower's ability to repay their
 obligations, considers a loan to be impaired when it is probable that the
 Registrant will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the
 contractual terms of the note agreement, including principal and interest.
 The amount of the impairment is measured based on the fair value of the
 collateral, if the loan is collateral dependent, or alternatively, at the
 present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan's
 effective interest rate.   Interest income on impaired loans is recorded
 when cash is received and only if principal is considered to be fully
 collectible.

 PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

 Premises and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and
 amortization.  Depreciation and amortization is determined principally by
 the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets.

 INTANGIBLE ASSETS

 Intangible assets generally arise from business combinations which the
 Registrant accounted for as purchases.  Such assets consist of the excess of
 the purchase price over the fair market value of net assets acquired,
 specific amounts assigned to core deposit relationships of acquired
 businesses.  Intangible assets are amortized by the straight-line and
 accelerated methods over various periods of up to 15 years.  The Registrant
 assesses the recoverability of its intangible assets through reviews of
 various economic factors on a periodic basis in determining whether
 impairment, if any, exists.

 PREFERRED STOCK

 In connection with the Registrant's acquisition of Heartland in 1992, $3.1
 million of Series A perpetual, cumulative, non-voting, convertible,
 preferred stock was issued to directors and certain senior officers of the
 Registrant pursuant to a private placement.  620 shares of the preferred
 stock were sold at a stated value of $5,000 per share with such shares
 bearing a dividend rate of 9.25%.  The preferred stock may be converted at
 any time, at the option of the preferred stockholder, into common shares at
 the conversion ratio of 202.1 shares of common stock for each share of
 preferred.  The Registrant also has the right, any time after July 1, 1998,
 and upon giving at least thirty days prior notice, to redeem all (but not
 less than all) of the preferred stock at a cash value of $5,000 per share
 plus any accrued but unpaid dividends.  The Registrant also has the right at
 any time after July 1, 1998, and upon giving at least thirty days prior
 notice, to require the conversion of all (but not less than all) of the
 preferred stock into common stock at the conversion ratio.

 MORTGAGE BANKING ACTIVITIES

 Heartland originates residential mortgage loans both for its portfolio and
 for sale into the secondary market, generally with servicing rights
 retained.  Included in mortgage banking income are gains or losses on the
 sale of loans and servicing fee income.  Origination costs for loans sold
 are expensed as incurred.  Loans that are originated and held for sale are
 carried at the lower of aggregate amortized cost or estimated market value.
 Gains or losses from loan sales are computed using the specific
 identification method and are included in mortgage banking income in the
 Consolidated Statements of Income.

 Effective January 1, 1996, the Registrant adopted Financial Accounting
 Standards Board's Statement No. 122, "ACCOUNTING FOR MORTGAGE SERVICING
 RIGHTS AN AMENDMENT OF FASB STATEMENT NO. 65," ("SFAS 122") which requires
 the recognition as separate assets the rights to service mortgage loans for
 others, however those rights are acquired.  Originated Mortgage Servicing
 Rights ("OMSRs") are amortized in proportion to and over the period of
 estimated net servicing income.  During 1996, $196,000 of mortgage servicing
 rights were capitalized with $50,000 of amortization expense being incurred.

 INCOME TAXES

 The Registrant and its subsidiaries file consolidated Federal and State 
 income tax returns with each organization computing its taxes on a separate
 company basis.  Amounts provided for income tax expense are based on income
 reported for financial statement purposes rather than amounts currently
 payable under tax laws.

 Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax
 consequences attributable to the temporary differences existing between the
 financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their
 respective tax bases, as well as operating loss and tax credit
 carryforwards.  To the extent that current available evidence about the
 future raises doubt about the realization of a deferred tax asset, a
 valuation allowance is established.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are
 measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the
 years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or
 settled.  The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in
 tax rates is recognized as an increase or decrease in income tax expense in
 the period such change is enacted.

 TRUST DEPARTMENT ASSETS

 Property held for customers in fiduciary or agency capacities is not
 included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets since such items
 are not assets of the Registrant or its subsidiaries.

 EARNINGS PER SHARE

 Income for primary earnings per common share is adjusted for dividends
 attributable to preferred stock.  Primary earnings per common share is based
 on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding.  Fully diluted
 earnings per share data is computed by using the weighted average number of
 common shares outstanding, increased by the assumed conversion of the
 convertible preferred stock.

 The weighted average number of common equivalent shares used in calculating
 earnings per share were as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             1996                 1995                1994
 <S>                         <C>                  <C>                 <C>
 Primary                       920,460              887,370             876,769
 Fully diluted               1,045,762            1,012,672           1,002,071
</TABLE>


 NOTE 2 - ACQUISITION

 On October 4, 1994, the First Mid Bank acquired all of the outstanding stock
 of Downstate Bancshares, Inc. ("DBI") which owned 100% of the stock of
 Downstate National Bank ("DNB").  DNB had locations in Altamont and
 Effingham, Illinois.  Immediately following the acquisition, DBI was
 dissolved and DNB was merged with and into the First Mid Bank with the
 First Mid Bank being the surviving entity.

 DBI was purchased for cash of $8,570,0000, with $5,570,000 of that amount
 being internally generated funds and $3,000,000 resulting from additional
 long-term borrowings of the Registrant.

 The acquisition of DBI by the First Mid Bank was accounted for using the
 purchase method of accounting whereby the assets and liabilities of DBI were
 recorded at their fair values as of the acquisition date and the operating
 results of DBI operations have been combined with those of the Registrant
 since October 4, 1994.


 NOTE 3 - CASH AND DUE FROM BANKS

 Aggregate cash and due from bank balances of $8,263,000 and $5,881,000 at
 December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively, were maintained in satisfaction of
 statutory reserve requirements of the Federal Reserve Bank.


 NOTE 4 - INVESTMENT SECURITIES

 The amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses and estimated fair
 values for available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities by major
 security type at December 31, 1996 and 1995 were as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           GROSS              GROSS            ESTIMATED
                                                      AMORTIZED         UNREALIZED         UNREALIZED            FAIR
 1996                                                   COST               GAINS             LOSSES              VALUE
 <S>                                                 <C>                 <C>                <C>               <C>
 Available-for-sale:
 U.S. Treasury securities and obligations
  of U.S. Government corporations and
  agencies                                           $ 86,518            $   342            $ (585)           $ 86,275
 Obligations of states and political
  subdivisions                                          7,917                249                (3)              8,163
 Mortgage-backed securities                            15,283                103               (82)             15,304
 Federal Home Loan Bank stock                           3,878                  -                 -               3,878
 Other securities                                         407                  -                 -                 407
  Total available-for-sale                           $114,003            $   694            $ (670)           $114,027
 Held-to-maturity:
 Obligations of states and political
  subdivisions                                        $ 3,481            $    28            $  (18)            $ 3,491
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     GROSS               GROSS             ESTIMATED
                                                               AMORTIZED          UNREALIZED          UNREALIZED             FAIR
 1995                                                            COST                GAINS              LOSSES               VALUE
 <S>                                                         <C>                   <C>                  <C>              <C>    
 Available-for-sale:
 U.S. Treasury securities and obligations
  of U.S. Government corporations and
  agencies                                                   $   72,599            $    481             $ (683)          $   72,397
 Obligations of states and political
  subdivisions                                                    8,628                 440                 (7)               9,061
 Mortgage-backed securities                                      35,766                 222               (163)              35,825
 Federal Home Loan Bank stock                                     1,699                   -                   -               1,699
 Other securities                                                   406                   -                   -                 406
   Total available-for-sale                                  $  119,098             $ 1,143             $ (853)          $  119,388
 Held-to-maturity:
 Obligations of states and political
  Subdivisions                                               $    3,381             $    43              $ (15)          $    3,409
</TABLE>

 Proceeds from sales of investment securities and realized gains and losses
 were as follows during the three years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and
 1994 (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        1996                1995                1994
 <S>                              <C>                 <C>                 <C>
 Proceeds from sales                 $ 31,667             $   487           $ 21,232
 Gains                                    155                   -                157
 Losses                                   164                   -                161
</TABLE>

 Maturities of investment securities were as follows at December 31, 1996 (in
 thousands).  Expected maturities will differ from contractual maturities
 because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or
 without call or prepayment penalties.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  AMORTIZED                    ESTIMATED
                                                    COST                      FAIR VALUE
 <S>                                              <C>                          <C>
 Available-for-sale:
  Due in one year or less                         $ 12,433                     $ 12,390
  Due after one-five years                          61,717                       61,965
  Due after five-ten years                          19,170                       18,962
  Due after ten years                                5,400                        5,405
                                                    98,720                       98,722
  Mortgage-backed securities                        15,283                       15,304
 Total available-for-sale                         $114,003                     $114,027
 Held-to-maturity:
  Due in one year or less                         $    620                    $     623
  Due after one-five years                           2,088                        2,088
  Due after five-ten years                             308                          315
  Due after ten-years                                  465                          465
 Total held-to-maturity                           $  3,481                     $  3,491
 Total                                            $117,484                     $117,518
</TABLE>

 Investment securities carried at approximately $90,523,000 and $88,030,000
 at December 31, 1996 and 1995 respectively, were pledged to secure public
 deposits and repurchase agreements and for other purposes as permitted or
 required by law.

 In December 1995, the Registrant reclassified certain investment securities
 between held-to-maturity and available-for-sale in accordance with
 guidelines issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB")
 permitting a one-time change in classification.  Based on discussion and
 analysis, the Registrant decided that only local, non-rated municipal
 securities would be classified as held-to-maturity and the remaining
 portfolio would be designated as available-for-sale.  The book value and
 gross unrealized loss of securities transferred from held-to-maturity to
 available-for-sale amounted to $52,536,000 and $445,000, respectively.


 NOTE 5 - LOANS

 A summary of loans at December 31, 1996 and 1995 follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   1996                        1995
 <S>                                                           <C>                         <C>
 Commercial, financial and agricultural                          $ 75,097                    $ 66,027
 Real estate-mortgage                                             241,240                     211,147
 Installment                                                       31,546                      28,985
 Other                                                              1,526                       1,945
   Total gross loans                                              349,409                     308,104
 Less unearned discount                                             1,192                       1,100
   Net loans                                                     $348,217                    $307,004
</TABLE>

 Certain officers, directors and principal stockholders of the Registrant and
 its subsidiaries, their immediate families or their affiliated companies
 have loans with one or more of the subsidiaries.  These loans are made in
 the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including
 interest and collateral, as those prevailing for comparable transactions
 with others and do not involve more than the normal risk of collectibility.
 Loans to related parties which exceeded $60,000 in the aggregate totaled
 $7,852,000 at December 31, 1996 and $10,060,000 at December 31, 1995.
 Activity during 1996 was as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 <S>                                                             <C>
 Balance at December 31, 1995                                    $10,060
 New loans                                                         3,588
 Loan repayments                                                  (5,796)
 Balance at December 31, 1996                                    $ 7,852
</TABLE>

 The aggregate principal balances of nonaccrual, past due and renegotiated
 loans were as follows at December 31, 1996 and 1995(in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      1996                    1995
 <S>                                                                 <C>                     <C>
 Nonaccrual loans                                                     $790                    $636
 Loans past due ninety days or more and still accruing                 575                     554
 Renegotiated loans which are performing
  in accordance with revised terms                                     580                     604
</TABLE>

 The interest income which would have been recorded under the original terms
 of such nonaccrual or renegotiated loans totaled $143,000, $143,000 and
 $100,000 in 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.  The amount of interest
 income which was recorded amounted to $39,000 in 1996, $56,000 in 1995 and
 $37,000 in 1994.

 Impaired loans are defined as those loans where it is probable that amounts
 due according to contractual terms, including principal and interest, will
 not be collected.  Both nonaccrual and restructured loans meet this
 definition.  Impaired loans are measured by the Registrant at the present
 value of expected future cash flows or, alternatively if the loan is
 collateral dependant, at the fair value of the collateral.  Known losses of
 principal on these loans have been charged off.  Interest income on
 nonaccrual loans is recognized only at the time cash is received.  Interest
 income on restructured loans is accrued according to the most recently
 agreed upon contractual terms.

 The recorded investment of impaired loans totaled $1,370,000 at December 31,
 1996 and $1,240,000 at December 31, 1995.  There was no related allowance
 for these impaired loans at December 31, 1996 or 1995.  The average recorded
 investment in impaired loans during the year was $1,105,000 in 1996 and
 $1,076,000 for 1995.  Total interest income which would have been recorded
 under the original terms of the impaired loans was $143,000 in 1996 and
 $143,000 in 1995.  Total interest income recorded on a cash basis was
 $39,000 and $56,000 for 1996 and 1995, respectively.

 The Bank Subsidiaries enter into financial instruments with off-balance
 sheet risk to meet the financing needs of their customers.  These financial
 instruments include commitments to extend credit in accordance with line of
 credit agreements and/or mortgage commitments and standby letters of credit.
 Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by a bank to
 guarantee the performance of a customer to a third-party.  The subsidiaries
 evaluate each customer's credit worthiness on a case-by-case basis.  The
 amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the subsidiaries upon
 an extension of credit, is based on management's evaluation of the credit
 worthiness of the borrower.  Collateral varies but generally includes assets
 such as property, equipment and receivables.  At December 31, 1996 and 1995,
 respectively, the Registrant had $34,620,000 and $29,070,000 of outstanding
 commitments to extend credit and $1,182,000 and $1,242,000 of standby
 letters of credit.  Management does not believe that any significant losses
 will be incurred in connection with such instruments.

 Most of the Registrant's business activities are with customers located
 within east central Illinois.  At December 31, 1996 and 1995, the
 Registrant's loan portfolio included $46,366,000 and $39,720,000,
 respectively, of loans to borrowers directly related to the agricultural
 industry.

 Mortgage loans serviced for others by Heartland are not included in the
 accompanying consolidated balance sheets.  The unpaid principal balances of
 these loans at December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 was approximately
 $57,031,000, $43,622,000 and $39,193,000, respectively.


 NOTE 6 - ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

 Changes in the allowance for loan losses were as follows during the three
 year period ended December 31, 1996 (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         1996                  1995                  1994
 <S>                                                <C>                   <C>                   <C>
 Balance, beginning of year                             $2,814                $2,608               $2,110
 Allowance of purchased subsidiary
  at date of acquisition                                     -                     -                  343
 Provision for loan losses                                 147                   280                  168
 Recoveries                                                 98                   112                  164
 Charge offs                                              (375)                 (186)                (177)
 Balance, end of year                                   $2,684                $2,814               $2,608
</TABLE>


 NOTE 7 - PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT, NET

 Premises and equipment at December 31, 1996 and 1995 consisted of (in
 thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     1996                      1995
 <S>                                                             <C>                       <C>
 Land                                                              $ 2,555                   $ 2,489
 Buildings and improvements                                          7,738                     7,679
 Furniture and equipment                                             6,302                     4,881
 Leasehold improvements                                                353                       340
 Construction in progress                                              137                        78
  Subtotal                                                          17,085                    15,467
 Accumulated depreciation and amortization                           6,350                     5,980
   Total                                                           $10,735                   $ 9,487
</TABLE>

 Depreciation expense was $788,000, $740,000 and $672,000 for the years ended
 December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.


 NOTE 8 - INTANGIBLE ASSETS

 Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization, at December 31, 1996 and
 1995 consisted of (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     1996                      1995
 <S>                                                             <C>                       <C>
 Excess of cost over fair market value of
  acquired subsidiaries                                            $ 4,391                   $ 4,742
 Core deposit premium of acquired subsidiaries                       1,081                     1,277
 Total                                                             $ 5,472                   $ 6,019
</TABLE>

 Amortization expense was $547,000, $608,000 and $358,000 for the years ended
 December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.


 NOTE 9 - DEPOSITS

 Total interest expense on deposits for the years ended December 31, 1996,
 1995 and 1994 was as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         1996                   1995                   1994
 <S>                                            <C>                    <C>                    <C>
 Interest-bearing demand                               $ 3,085                $ 2,823               $ 2,764
 Savings                                                 1,069                  1,107                 1,009
 Time                                                   11,156                 10,958                 7,298
 Total                                                 $15,310                $14,888               $11,071
</TABLE>

 As of December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, the aggregate amount of time
 deposits in denominations of more than $100,000 and the total interest
 expense on such deposits was as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            1996                   1995                   1994
 <S>                                            <C>                    <C>                    <C>
 Outstanding                                              $36,746                $35,002               $26,451
 Interest expense for the year                              2,108                  1,963                   963
</TABLE>



 NOTE 10 - OTHER BORROWINGS

 As of December 31, 1996 and 1995 other borrowings consisted of (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       1996                 1995
 <S>                                                            <C>                  <C>
 Securities sold under agreements to repurchase                      $18,360             $16,815
 Federal Home Loan Bank advances:
  Overnight advances                                                  19,733               2,200
  Fixed term advances due in one year or less                         11,693               6,000
  Fixed term advances due after one year                               1,000               3,500
 Federal funds purchased                                                   -                   -
                                                                     $50,786             $28,515
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              1996                 1995                 1994
 <S>                                                                 <C>                  <C>                  <C>
 Securities sold under agreements to repurchase:
  Maximum outstanding at any month-end                                      $18,860              $21,200              $15,980
  Average amount outstanding for the year                                    12,411               16,481                9,697
</TABLE>

 The First Mid Bank and Heartland have collateral pledge agreements whereby
 they have agreed to keep on hand at all time, free of all other pledges,
 liens, and encumbrances, whole first mortgages on improved residential
 property with unpaid principal balances aggregating no less than 167% of the
 outstanding advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank.  The securities 
 underlying the repurchase agreements are under the Registrant's control.


 NOTE 11 - LONG-TERM DEBT

 A summary of long-term debt at December 31, 1996 and 1995 was as follows (in
 thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   1996                  1995
 <S>                                                                     <C>                   <C>
 Floating rate loan at 1.5% over the Federal funds rate.
 Interest due quarterly.  Principal payments due quarterly
 in various amounts beginning September 30, 1995.
 The debt matures September 30, 1999.
 Effective interest rate of 7.27% at December 31, 1996.                           $6,200               $ 7,200
</TABLE>

 The loan is secured by all of the common stock of the Bank Subsidiaries. 
 The borrowing agreement contains requirements for the Registrant and the
 Bank Subsidiaries to maintain various operating and capital ratios and also
 contains requirements for prior lender approval for certain sales of assets,
 merger activity, the acquisition or issuance of debt and the acquisition of
 treasury stock.  The Registrant and the subsidiaries were in compliance with
 the existing covenants a  December 31, 1996.  The scheduled principal
 payments on the outstanding long-term debt are as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 <C>             <C>
 1997            1,125
 1998            1,500
 1999            3,575
</TABLE>

 NOTE 12 - REGULATORY CAPITAL

 The Registrant is subject to various regulatory capital requirements 
 administered by the federal banking agencies.  Bank holding companies follow
 minimum regulatory requirements established by the Federal Reserve Board,
 First Mid Bank follows similar minimum regulatory requirements established
 for national banks by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and
 Heartland is regulated by the FDIC and the Office of the Commissioner of
 Banks & Real Estate.  Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can
 initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary action by
 regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the
 Registrant's financial statements.

 Quantitative measures established by each regulatory agency to ensure
 capital adequacy require the reporting institutions to maintain minimum
 amounts and ratios (set forth in the table below) of total and Tier 1
 capital to risk-weighted assets, and of Tier 1 capital to average assets.
 Management believes, as of December 31, 1996, that all capital adequacy
 requirements have been met.

 As of December 31, 1996, the most recent notification from the primary
 regulators categorized the Registrant, First Mid Bank and Heartland as well
 capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action.  To
 be categorized as well capitalized, minimum total risk-based, Tier 1
 risk-based and Tier 1 leverage ratios must be maintained as set forth in the
 table.  There are no conditions or events since that notification that
 management believes have changed these categories.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 TO BE WELL
                                                                                              CAPITALIZED UNDER
                                                                     FOR CAPITAL              PROMPT CORRECTIVE
                                         ACTUAL                   ADEQUACY PURPOSES           ACTION PROVISIONS
                                  AMOUNT          RATIO         AMOUNT         RATIO        AMOUNT         RATIO
 <S>                                <C>              <C>          <C>            <C>          <C>           <C>
 DECEMBER 31, 1996
 Total Capital
   (to risk-weighted assets)
   Registrant                       $ 37,106         11.80%       $ 25,156       > 8.00%      $ 31,433      > 10.00%
   First Mid Bank                     33,670         12.57          21,427       > 8.00         26,783      > 10.00
   Heartland                           6,957         16.00           3,479       > 8.00          4,348      > 10.00
 Tier 1 Capital
   (to risk-weighted assets)
   Registrant                         34,422         10.95          12,573       > 4.00         18,860      >  6.00
   First Mid Bank                     31,335         11.70          10,713       > 4.00         16,070      >  6.00
   Heartland                           6,608         15.20           1,739       > 4.00          2,609      >  6.00
 Tier 1 Capital
   (to average assets)
   Registrant                         34,422         6.81           20,213       > 4.00         25,267      >  5.00
   First Mid Bank                     31,335         7.65           16,380       > 4.00         20,475      >  5.00
   Heartland                           6,608         7.01            3,772       > 4.00          4,715      >  5.00
</TABLE>


 NOTE  13  -  DISCLOSURE  OF  FAIR  VALUES  OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

 Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 107 (SFAS 107), "Disclosures
 about Fair Value of Financial Instruments", requires the disclosure of the
 estimated fair value of financial instrument assets and liabilities.  For
 the Registrant, as for most financial institutions, most of the assets and
 liabilities are considered financial instruments as defined in SFAS 107. 
 However, many of the Registrant's financial instruments lack an available
 trading market as characterized by a willing buyer and seller engaging in an
 exchange transaction.  Additionally, the Registrant's general practice and
 intent is to hold its financial instruments until maturity and not to engage
 in trading or sales activity.  Accordingly, significant assumptions and
 estimations as well as present value calculations were used by the
 Registrant for purposes of the SFAS 107 disclosure.  Future changes in these
 assumptions or methodologies may have a material effect on estimated fair
 values.

 Estimated fair values have been determined by the Registrant using the best
 available information and an estimation methodology suitable for each
 category of financial instrument.  The estimation methodology used, the
 estimated fair values and the carrying amount at December 31, 1996 and 1995
 were as follows (in thousands):

 Financial instruments for which an active secondary market exists have been
 valued using quoted available market prices.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       1996               1996               1995               1995
                                                       FAIR             CARRYING             FAIR             CARRYING
                                                       VALUE             AMOUNT              VALUE             AMOUNT
 <S>                                                 <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>
 Cash and cash equivalents                           $ 27,111           $ 27,111           $ 23,295           $ 23,295
 Interest bearing deposits
  with financial institutions                              99                 99                 99                 99
 Investments available-for-sale                       114,027            114,027            119,388            119,388
 Investments held-to-maturity                           3,491              3,481              3,409              3,381
</TABLE>

 Financial instrument liabilities with stated maturities and other borrowings
 have been valued at present value, using a discount rate approximating
 current market rates for similar assets and liabilities.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       1996               1996               1995               1995
                                                       FAIR             CARRYING             FAIR             CARRYING
                                                       VALUE             AMOUNT              VALUE             AMOUNT
 <S>                                                 <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>
 Deposits with stated maturities                     $200,401           $200,270           $206,062           $204,844
 Securities sold under agreements
   to repurchase                                       18,319             18,360             16,839             16,815
 Federal Home Loan Bank advances                       32,364             32,426             11,717             11,700
</TABLE>

 Financial instrument liabilities without stated maturities and floating rate
 long-term debt have estimated fair values equal to both the amount payable
 on demand and the carrying amount.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        1996               1996              1995               1995
                                                       FAIR             CARRYING             FAIR             CARRYING
                                                       VALUE             AMOUNT              VALUE             AMOUNT
 <S>                                                 <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>
 Deposits with no stated
  maturity                                           $213,406           $213,406           $192,035           $192,035
 Floating rate long-term debt                           6,200              6,200              7,200              7,200
</TABLE>

 For loans with floating interest rates, it is assumed that the estimated
 fair values generally approximate the carrying amount balances.  Fixed rate
 loans have been valued using a discounted present value of projected cash
 flow.  The discount rate used in these calculations is the current rate at
 which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings
 and for the same remaining maturities.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      1996               1996               1995               1995
                                                      FAIR             CARRYING             FAIR             CARRYING
                                                      VALUE             AMOUNT              VALUE             AMOUNT
 <S>                                                 <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>
 Net loan portfolio                                  $345,216           $345,533           $304,038           $304,190
</TABLE>

 The notional amount of off-balance sheet items such as unfunded loan
 commitments and stand-by letters of credit generally approximate their
 estimated fair values.


 NOTE 14 - RETIREMENT PLAN

 The Registrant has a defined contribution retirement plan which covers
 substantially all employees and which provides for base contributions of 4%
 of compensation and a matching contribution by the Registrant of up to 50%
 of the first 4% of voluntary employee contributions.  Employee contributions
 are limited to 15% of compensation.  The total expense for the plan amounted
 to $309,000, $285,000 and $270,000 in 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.


 NOTE 15 - INCOME TAXES

 The components of Federal and State income taxes (benefit) for the years
 ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 were as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            1996                1995                1994
 <S>                                                       <C>                 <C>                 <C>
 Current
   Federal                                                 $2,134              $1,940              $1,292
   State                                                      206                   -                   -
   Total Current                                            2,340               1,940               1,292
 Deferred
   Federal                                                    (66)               (110)                158
   State                                                      (11)                  -                   -
   Total Deferred                                             (77)               (110)                158
 Total                                                     $2,263              $1,830              $1,450
</TABLE>

 Recorded income tax expense differs from the expected tax expense (computed
 by applying the applicable statutory U.S. Federal tax rate of 34% to income
 before income taxes).  The principle reasons for this difference are as
 follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 1996                1995                1994
 <S>                                                      <C>                 <C>                 <C>
 Expected income taxes                                          $2,186              $1,956             $1,661
 Effects of:
  Tax-exempt income                                               (235)               (276)              (317)
  Nondeductible interest expense                                    28                  29                 28
  Goodwill amortization                                            120                 120                 35
  State deduction, net of federal taxes                            129                   -                  -
  Other items, net                                                  35                   1                 43
 Total                                                          $2,263              $1,830             $1,450
</TABLE>
   
 The tax effects of the temporary differences that gave rise to significant
 portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December
 31, 1996 and 1995 are presented below (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          1996                     1995
 <S>                                                               <C>                      <C>
 Deferred tax assets:
  Allowance for loan losses                                              $ 423                   $  479
  Employee benefits                                                        114                      166
  Other, net                                                               316                      193
 Total gross deferred tax assets                                           853                      838
  Less valuation allowance                                                   -                     (149)
 Net deferred tax assets                                                 $ 853                   $  689
 Deferred tax liabilities:
  Depreciation                                                           $ 469                   $  415
  Available-for-sale investment securities                                   8                       99
  Purchase accounting                                                      144                      160
  Other, net                                                               147                       70
 Total gross deferred tax liabilities                                    $ 768                   $  744
 Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)                                   $  85                   $  (55)
</TABLE>

 Deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are recorded in other
 assets and other liabilities, respectively, on the consolidated balance
 sheets.  The valuation allowance was eliminated at December 31, 1996 as
 management believes it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets
 will be fully realized.


 NOTE 16 - DIVIDEND RESTRICTIONS

 Banking regulations impose restrictions on the ability of the Banking
 Subsidiaries to pay dividends to the Registrant.  At December 31, 1996,
 regulatory approval would have been required for aggregate dividends from
 the Bank Subsidiaries to the Registrant in excess of approximately $3.9
 million.  The amount of such dividends that could be paid is further
 restricted by the limitations of sound and prudent banking principles.


 NOTE 17 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

 In the normal course of business, there are various outstanding commitments
 and contingent liabilities such as guarantees, commitments to extend credit,
 claims and legal actions which are not reflected in the accompanying
 consolidated financial statements.  In the opinion of management, no
 significant losses are anticipated as a result of these matters.


 NOTE 18 - PARENT COMPANY ONLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC. (PARENT COMPANY)
 Presented below are condensed balance sheets, statements of income and
  cash flows for the Parent Company (in thousands):
 BALANCE SHEETS:
 DECEMBER 31,                                                             1996               1995
 <S>                                                                   <C>                <C>               <C>
 Assets
  Cash                                                                 $   786            $   724
  Premises and equipment, net                                               62                 68
  Investment in subsidiaries                                            43,956             42,045
  Other assets                                                           2,445                927
 Total assets                                                          $47,249            $43,764
 Liabilities and stockholders' equity
 Liabilities:
  Dividends payable                                                    $   442            $   420
  Long-term debt                                                         6,200              7,200
  Other liabilities                                                        703                835
 Total liabilities                                                       7,345              8,455
  Stockholders' equity                                                  39,904             35,309
 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                            $47,249            $43,764

 STATEMENTS OF INCOME:
 YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,                                                 1996               1995              1994
 Income:
  Dividends from subsidiaries                                          $ 2,737            $ 1,369           $ 1,825
  Other income                                                              48                 25                62
                                                                         2,785              1,394             1,887
 Operating expenses                                                      1,037              1,266             1,127
 Income before income taxes and equity in
   undistributed earnings of subsidiaries                                1,748                128               760
 Income tax benefit                                                        332                402               342
 Income before equity in undistributed
   earnings of subsidiaries                                              2,080                530             1,102
 Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries                        2,086              3,394             2,332
  Net income                                                           $ 4,166            $ 3,924           $ 3,434

 STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS:
 YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,                                                 1996               1995              1994
 Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net income                                                           $ 4,166            $ 3,924           $ 3,434
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
    cash provided by operating activities:
    Depreciation, amortization and accretion, net                            8                  5                33
    Equity in undistributed earnings of
     subsidiaries                                                       (2,086)            (3,394)           (2,332)
    (Increase) decrease in other assets                                 (1,515)               (93)              305
    Increase (decrease) in other liabilities                              (132)               331                 2
 Net cash provided by operating activities                                 441                773             1,442
 Cash flows from investing activities:
  Investment in subsidiaries                                                 -                  -            (3,000)
  (Purchases) sales of equipment                                            (6)               (18)               27
 Net cash used in investment activities                                     (6)               (18)           (2,973)
 Cash flows from financing activities:
  Repayment of long-term debt                                           (1,000)              (500)             (300)
  Proceeds from long-term borrowings                                         -                  -             3,000
  Proceeds from issuance of common stock                                 1,095                  -                 -
  Dividends paid on preferred stock                                        (32)               (58)             (286)
  Dividends paid on common stock                                          (436)              (387)             (658)
 Net cash provided by (used in) financing
   activities                                                             (373)              (945)             1,756
 Increase (decrease) in cash                                                62               (190)               225
 Cash at beginning of year                                                 724                914                689
 Cash at end of year                                                    $  786             $  724             $  914
</TABLE>


 STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL DATA

 Management is responsible for the integrity of all the financial data
 included in this Annual Report.  The financial statements and related notes
 are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
 which in the judgement of management are appropriate in the circumstances.
 Financial information elsewhere in this Report is consistent with that in
 the financial statements.

 Management maintains a system of internal accounting control, including an
 internal audit program, which provides reasonable assurance that assets are
 safeguarded against loss from unauthorized use or disposition, transactions
 are properly authorized and accounting records are reliable for the
 preparation of financial statements.  The foundation of the system of
 internal accounting control rests upon careful selection and training of
 personnel, segregation of responsibilities and application of formal
 policies and procedures that are consistent with the highest standards of
 business conduct.  The system of internal accounting control is being
 continuously modified and improved in response to changes in business
 conditions and operations.

 The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee comprised of six outside
 directors.  The Committee meets periodically with the independent auditors,
 the internal auditors and management to ensure that the system of internal
 accounting control is being properly administered and that financial data is
 being properly reported.  The Committee reviews the scope and timing of both
 the internal and external audits, including recommendations made with
 respect to the system of internal accounting control by the independent
 auditors.

 The consolidated financial statements, as identified in the accompanying
 Independent Auditors' Report, have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,
 independent certified public accountants.  The audits were conducted in
 accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, which included tests
 of the accounting records and other auditing procedures considered necessary
 to formulate an opinion as to the fairness, in all material respects, of the
 consolidated financial statements.



 Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.                 William S. Rowland
 Chairman and Chief                    Chief Financial Officer
 Executive Officer


 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT

 The Board of Directors
 First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.
 Mattoon, Illinois:

 We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of First
 Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and
 1995, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in
 stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year
 period ended December 31, 1996.  These consolidated financial statements are
 the responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to
 express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our
 audits.

 We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
 standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
 obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free
 of material misstatement.   An audit includes examining, on a test basis,
 evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.
 An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
 significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
 financial statement presentation.  We believe that our audits provide a
 reasonable basis for our opinion.

 In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above
 present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of First
 Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and
 1995, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of
 the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 1996 in conformity 
 with generally accepted accounting principles.



 KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 Chicago, Illinois
 January 24, 1997


 ITEM 9.  CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
          FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

 None.


 PART III


 ITEM 10.  DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

 "Election of Directors" on pages 2 through 3 of the 1997 Proxy Statement is
 incorporated by reference.

 Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires that the
 Registrant's executive officers and directors and persons who own more than
 10% of the Registrant's Common Stock file reports of ownership and changes
 in ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with the
 exchange on which the Registrant's shares of Common Stock are traded.  Such
 persons are also required to furnish the Registrant with copies of all
 Section 16(a) forms they file.  Based solely on the Registrant's review of
 the copies of such forms, the Registrant is not aware that any of its
 directors and executive officers or 10% stockholders failed to comply with
 the filing requirements of Section 16(a) during the period commencing
 January 1, 1996 and ending December 31, 1996.

 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

 The executive officers of the Registrant are identified below.  The
 executive officers of the Registrant are elected annually by the
 Registrant's Board of Directors.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 Name (Age)                                           Position With Registrant
 <S>                                                  <C>
 Daniel E. Marvin, Jr. (57)                           Chairman of the Board of Directors,
                                                      President and Chief Executive Officer
 William S. Rowland (50)                              Director, Chief Financial Officer,
                                                      Secretary and Treasurer
 John R. Kuczynski (43)                               Vice President, Trust and Farm
 Stanley E. Gilliland (52)                            Vice President, Lending
 Alfred M. Wooleyhan, Jr. (49)                        Vice President, Development
</TABLE>


 Daniel E. Marvin, Jr., age 57, has been Chairman of the Board of Directors,
 President and Chief Executive Officer of the Registrant and the First Mid
 Bank since 1983, and has been Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of
 Heartland since 1992.  He was appointed president of Heartland in 1994.

 William S. Rowland, age 50, has served as a director of the Registrant since
 1991, has been Chief Financial Officer since 1989 and has served as
 Secretary/Treasurer since 1991. Since 1989 Mr. Rowland has been Executive
 Vice President, Finance of First Mid Bank and has also served as a director
 of MIDS since 1989, and as a director of Heartland since 1992.  Mr. Rowland
 was in the Davenport, Iowa, office of KPMG Peat Marwick from 1975-1989.

 John R. Kuczynski, age 43, has been Vice President of the Trust and Farm
 Department of the Registrant since June 1996.  Mr. Kuczynski was a Sr. Vice
 President and Trust Officer for the Amcore Trust Company in Sterling,
 Illinois, from 1980 - 1996.

 Stanley E. Gilliland, age 52, has been Vice President of Lending of the
 Registrant since 1985, and has been Executive Vice President of Lending for
 First Mid Bank since 1990.  Mr. Gilliland is also a director and member of
 the Loan Committee of Heartland.

 Alfred M. Wooleyhan, Jr., age 49, has been Vice President of Development of
 the Registrant since the beginning of 1995.  Mr. Wooleyhan was the President
 of the Charleston Business Unit of First Mid Bank from 1989-1995.


 ITEM 11.  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 "Remuneration of Executive Officers," "Retirement Benefits" and
 "Transactions with Management" on pages 4 through 6 of the 1997 Proxy
 Statement are incorporated by reference.


 ITEM 12.  SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners" and "Security Ownership of
 Management" on pages 8 through 9 of the 1997 Proxy Statement are
 incorporated by reference.

 ITEM 13.  CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.

 "Transactions with Management" on page 4 of the 1997 Proxy Statement is
 incorporated by reference.



 PART IV


 ITEM 14.  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K.


 (a)(1) and (2) -- Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedules

 The following consolidated financial statements and financial statement
 schedules of the Registrant are filed as part of this document under Item 8.
 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data:

      Consolidated Balance Sheets -- December 31, 1996 and 1995

      Consolidated Statements of Income -- For the Years Ended
         December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994

      Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity -- For the
         Years Ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994

      Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows -- For the Years Ended
         December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994


 (a)(3) -- Exhibits

 (a)(3) -- The exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K and filed
 herewith are listed in the exhibit Index which follows the Signature Page
 and immediately precedes the exhibits filed.

 (b) Reports on Form 8-K

 There were no reports on Form 8-K filed by the Registrant during the quarter
 ended December 31, 1996.


 SIGNATURES


 Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
 Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be
 signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized on this 18
 day of March 1997.

 FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
 (Registrant)

   /s/ Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.
 *-------------------------------------*
       Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.
       President and Chief Executive Officer

   /s/ William S. Rowland
 *-------------------------------------*
       William S. Rowland
       Chief Financial Officer

 Dated:    March 18, 1997
       *---------------------*

 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
 report has been signed below on the 18th day of March by the following
 persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities.


 SIGNATURE AND TITLE

 by  /s/ Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.
         Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.
         (Principal Executive Officer) and Director

 by  /s/ William S. Rowland
         William S. Rowland
         (Principal Financial Officer) and Director

 by  /s/ Charles A. Adams
         Charles A. Adams
         Director

 by
         Kenneth R. Diepholz
         Director

 by
         Richard A. Lumpkin
         Director

 by  /s/ Gary W. Melvin
         Gary W. Melvin
         Director

 by  /s/ William G. Roley
         William G. Roley
         Director

 by  /s/ Ray A. Sparks
         Ray A. Sparks
         Director


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT INDEX TO FORM 10-K REGISTRATION STATEMENT
    EXHIBIT NUMBER                       DESCRIPTION AND FILING OR INCORPORATION REFERENCE
 <S>                  <C>
         3.1           RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND AMENDMENT TO RESTATED
                       CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
                       Exhibit 3(a) to First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.'s Annual Report on
                       Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1987 (File No. 0-13688)
         3.2           RESTATED BYLAWS OF FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
                       Exhibit 3(b) to First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.'s Annual Report on
                       Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1987 (File No 0-13368)
        11.1           STATEMENT RE:  COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE
                       (Filed herewith)
        21.1           SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT
                       (Filed herewith)
        23.1           CONSENT OF KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
                       (Filed herewith)
        27.1           FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE
                       (Filed herewith)
        99.1           PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE 1997 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                       (Filed herewith)
</TABLE>

EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

The Board of Directors
First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.

RE:  Registration Statements

     Registration No. 33-84404 on Form S-3
     Registration No. 33-64061 on Form S-8
     Registration No. 33-64139 on Form S-8

 We consent to incorporation by reference in the subject Registration
 Statements on Forms S-3 and S-8 of First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. of
 our report dated January 24, 1997, relating to the consolidated balance
 sheets of First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. and subsidiaries as of
 December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the related consolidated statements of
 income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the
 years in the three-year period ended December 31, 1996, which report is
 incorporated by reference in the December 31, 1996 annual report on Form
 10-K of First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.

 KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 Chicago, Illinois
 March 20, 1997


 SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

 Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities and Exchange 
   Act of 1934
 
 Filed by the Registrant {X}
 Filed by a Party other than the Registrant { }
 Check the appropriate box:
 {X} Preliminary Proxy Statement
 { } Confidential, for use of the Commission Only (as permitted by 
       Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
 { } Definitive Proxy Statement
 { } Definitive Additional Materials
 { } Soliticiting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-11(c) or 
       Section 240.14a-12

 First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.
 (Name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

 Not applicable
 (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

 Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box)
 {X} No fee required
 { } Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11
      (1)  Title of each class of securities to which transactions applies:
      (2)  Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
      (3)  Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
            pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which
            the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
      (4)  Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
      (5)  Total fee paid:
 { } Fee paid previously with preliminary materials
 { } Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act 
      Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identifying the filing for which the offsetting fee 
      was paid previously.  Identiry the previous filing by registration 
      statement number, or the form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
       (1)  Amount Previously Paid:
       (2)  Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
       (3)  Filing Party:
       (4)  Date Filed:


 First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.
 April 16, 1997


 Dear Fellow Stockholder:

      On  behalf of the Board of Directors and management of First Mid-Illinois
 Bancshares,  Inc.,  I  cordially  invite  you  to attend the Annual Meeting of
 Stockholders of First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.  to  be held at 11:00 a.m.
 on May 21, 1997, at the Ramada Inn located at 300 Broadway  Avenue,  Mattoon,
 Illinois.  The accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy
 Statement  discuss  the business to be conducted at the meeting.  We have also
 enclosed a copy of the  Company's  1996 Annual Report to Stockholders.  At the
 meeting we shall report on Company operations  and  the  outlook  for the year
 ahead.

      Your  Board  of  Directors  has also nominated three persons to serve  as
 Class  II  directors.   Each of the nominees  are  incumbent  directors.   In
 addition, the Company's management has selected and recommends that you ratify
 the  selection  of  KPMG Peat  Marwick  LLP  to  continue  as  the  Company's
 independent public accountants for the year ending December 31, 1997.

      We are also pleased to announce that the Company's Board of Directors has
 put forth a special matter  for  consideration  at this year's annual meeting.
 As a result of the Company's continued growth, the  Board  has  announced  its
 intention  to  declare  a  two-for-one  stock  split  in  the form of a stock
 dividend.  In order to have sufficient shares of common stock  available  for
 the  special  stock  dividend, the Board has proposed increasing the number of
 authorized shares of common  stock  of the Company.  The proposal to amend the
 Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation in this regard is described in
 the accompanying Proxy Statement.  The  Board  is  very proud of the Company's
 performance and recommends that stockholders vote in  favor  of  the  proposed
 amendment.

      We  recommend that you vote your shares for the director nominees and  in
 favor of the proposals.

      I encourage you to attend the meeting in person.  WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN
 TO ATTEND,  HOWEVER,  PLEASE  COMPLETE,  SIGN  AND DATE THE ENCLOSED PROXY AND
 RETURN  IT  IN  THE  ACCOMPANYING  POSTPAID RETURN ENVELOPE  AS  PROMPTLY  AS
 POSSIBLE.  This will ensure that your shares are represented at the meeting.

      If  you  have  any questions concerning  these  matters,  please  do  not
 hesitate to contact me  at  (217)  234-7454.  We look forward with pleasure to
 seeing and visiting with you at the meeting.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.



                                    Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.
                                    CHAIRMAN


                                   NOTICE OF
                        ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                            TO BE HELD MAY 21, 1997

                      FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
                            1515 CHARLESTON AVENUE
                                P.O. BOX 499
                           MATTOON, ILLINOIS  61938
                              (217) 234-7454


 To the stockholders of

      FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.

      The Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of First Mid-Illinois Bancshares,
 Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), will be held at the RAMADA INN,
 300 BROADWAY AVENUE, EAST IN ROOMS A, B AND C, Mattoon, Illinois, on
 Wednesday, May 21, 1997, at 11:00 a.m., local time, for the following
 purposes:

      1.    to elect three Class II directors for a term of three years.

      2.    to amend Article IV of the Company's Restated Certificate of
            Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of Common
            Stock, $4.00 par value per share, from 2,000,000 to 6,000,000
            shares.

      3.    to approve the appointment of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as independent
            public accountants for the Company for the fiscal year ending
            December 31, 1997.

      4.    to transact such other business as may properly be brought before
            the meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

      The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on April 1, 1997,
 as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice
 of, and to vote at, the meeting.


                                          By order of the Board of Directors



                                          Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.
                                          Chairman


 Mattoon, Illinois
 April 16, 1997


 FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
 PROXY STATEMENT


      This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by
 the Board of Directors of First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company")
 of proxies to be voted at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at the
 RAMADA INN, 300 BROADWAY AVENUE, EAST IN ROOMS A, B AND C, Mattoon, Illinois,
 on Wednesday, May 21, 1997, at 11:00 a.m., local time, and at any adjournments
 or postponements thereof.

      The Board of Directors would like to have all stockholders represented at
 the meeting.  If you do not expect to be present, please sign and mail your
 proxy card in the enclosed self-addressed, stamped envelope to First
 Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc., 1515 Charleston Avenue, P.O. Box 499, Mattoon,
 Illinois 61938, Attention:  Mr. William S. Rowland.  You have the power to
 revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted, and the giving of a proxy
 will not affect your right to vote in person if you attend the meeting.

      The mailing address of the Company's principal executive offices is 1515
 Charleston Avenue, P.O. Box 499, Mattoon, Illinois 61938.  This Proxy
 Statement and the accompanying proxy card are being mailed to stockholders on
 or about April 16, 1997.  The 1996 Annual Report of the Company, which
 includes consolidated financial statements of the Company, is enclosed.

      The Company is a diversified financial services company which serves the
 financial needs of east central Illinois.  It is the parent company of First
 Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, N.A. (the "Bank"), a regional banking entity  which
 has locations in Mattoon, Altamont, Arcola, Effingham, Charleston, Sullivan,
 Tuscola and Neoga, Illinois.  The Company is also the holding company for
 Heartland Savings Bank, an Illinois savings bank located in Mattoon and
 Urbana, Illinois ("Heartland").  Mid-Illinois Data Services, Inc., a data
 processing company ("MIDS"), is a wholly owned nonbanking subsidiary of the
 Company.  The Bank, Heartland and MIDS are sometimes referred to as the
 "Subsidiaries."

      Only holders of record of the Company's Common Stock, par value $4.00 per
 share (the "Common Stock"), at the close of business on April 1, 1997 will be
 entitled to vote at the annual meeting or any adjournments or postponements of
 such meeting.  On April 1, 1997, the Company had 947,680 shares of Common
 Stock, and 620 shares of Preferred Stock, no par value (the "Preferred
 Stock"), issued and outstanding.  In the election of directors, and for all
 other matters to be voted upon at the annual meeting, each issued and
 outstanding share of Common Stock is entitled to one vote.  Stockholders voting
 FOR the election of directors on the enclosed proxy will be deemed to have
 given their proxy to vote for the election of all directors except as
 otherwise noted on the proxy.  Holders of the Preferred Stock are not
 entitled to vote their Preferred Stock at the annual meeting.  All shares of
 Common Stock represented at the annual meeting by properly executed proxies
 received prior to or at the annual meeting, and not revoked, will be voted
 at the meeting in accordance with the instructions thereon.  If no
 instructions are indicated, properly executed proxies will be voted for the
 nominees and for adoption of the proposals set forth in this Proxy Statement.

      A majority of the shares of the Common Stock, present in person or
 represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for purposes of the annual
 meeting.  Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of
 determining a quorum.  Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes
 present in person or represented by proxy.  Approval of the amendment to the
 Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation requires the approval of a
 majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.  In all other matters, the
 affirmative vote of the majority of shares present in person or represented by
 proxy at the annual meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall
 be required to constitute stockholder approval.  Abstentions will be treated
 as votes against a proposal and broker non-votes will have no effect on the
 vote.


                       ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

      At the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders to be held on May 21, 1997, the
 stockholders will be entitled to elect three (3) Class II directors for a term
 expiring in 2000.  The directors of the Company are divided into three classes
 having staggered terms of three years.  Each of the nominees for election as
 Class II directors are incumbent directors.  The Company has no knowledge that
 any of the nominees will refuse or be unable to serve, but if any of the
 nominees becomes unavailable for election, the holders of the proxies reserve
 the right to substitute another person of their choice as a nominee when
 voting at the meeting.  Set forth below is information, as of April 1, 1997,
 concerning the nominees for election and for the other persons whose terms of
 office will continue after the meeting, including age, year first elected a
 director of the Company and business experience during the previous five years
 of each.  The three nominees, if elected at the annual meeting, will serve as
 Class II directors for three year terms expiring in 2000.

                                   NOMINEES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             Position with the Company and
 Name                                           Director                     the Subsidiaries and Occupation
 (AGE)                                            SINCE                      FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS
 <S>                                       <C>                               <C>
 CLASS II
 (TERM EXPIRES 2000)
 Richard Anthony Lumpkin                          1982                       Director of the Bank (since 1966) and
 (Age 62)                                                                    of the Company; Chairman of the Board
                                                                             of Consolidated Communications Inc.,
                                                                             Director CIPSCO Incorporated (since
                                                                             1995).
 William G. Roley                                 1985                       Director of the Bank (since 1992) and
 (Age 67)                                                                    of the Company; retired, former owner
                                                                             of Roley Real Estate.
 William S. Rowland                               1991                       Chief Financial Officer, Secretary
 (Age 50)                                                                    (since 1991), Treasurer (since 1989)
                                                                             and Director of the Company; Director
                                                                             of MIDS (since 1989) and of Heartland
                                                                             (since 1992); Executive Vice President
                                                                             of the Bank (since 1989).

                                                CONTINUING DIRECTORS
 CLASS III
 (TERM EXPIRES 1998)
 Charles A. Adams                                 1984                       Director of the Bank (since 1989), of
 (Age 55)                                                                    MIDS (since 1987) and of the Company;
                                                                             Vice President, Howell Asphalt Company
                                                                             and President, Howell Paving, Inc.
 Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.                            1982                       Chairman, President, Chief Executive
 (Age 58)                                                                    Officer and Director of the Company;
                                                                             Director (since 1980), Chairman,
                                                                             President and Chief Executive Officer
                                                                             (since 1983) of the Bank; Director of
                                                                             MIDS (1987-1992); Director, Chairman
                                                                             (since 1992) of Heartland
 Ray Anthony Sparks                               1994                       Director of the Company; Director of
 (Age 40)                                                                    Heartland (since 1992); Director of
                                                                             MIDS (since 1996); President of Elasco
                                                                             Agency Sales, Inc. and Electrical
                                                                             Laboratories and Sales Corporation.
 CLASS I
 (TERM EXPIRES 1999)
 Kenneth R. Diepholz                              1990                       Director of the Bank (since 1984) and
 (Age 58)                                                                    of the Company; President, Diepholz
                                                                             Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Cadillac and Geo
                                                                             and Owner, D-Co Coin Laundry and
                                                                             Diepholz Rentals.

 Gary W. Melvin                                   1990                       Director of the Bank (since 1984) and
 (Age 47)                                                                    of the Company; Director of MIDS (since
                                                                             1987); Co-Owner, Rural King Stores.
</TABLE>

      ALL OF THE COMPANY'S DIRECTORS WILL HOLD OFFICE FOR THE TERMS INDICATED,
 OR UNTIL THEIR RESPECTIVE SUCCESSORS ARE DULY ELECTED AND QUALIFIED, AND ALL
 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS HOLD OFFICE FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR.  THERE ARE NO
 ARRANGEMENTS OR UNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN ANY OF THE DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE
 OFFICERS OR ANY OTHER PERSON PURSUANT TO WHICH ANY OF THE COMPANY'S DIRECTORS
 OR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS.

      DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY RECEIVED A $1,800 QUARTERLY RETAINER FOR SERVING
 ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN 1996, EXCEPT MR. ROWLAND WHO IS NOT SEPARATELY
 COMPENSATED FOR HIS SERVICES ON THE BOARD.  ADDITIONALLY, THE BANK PROVIDES A
 PENSION TO CERTAIN BANK DIRECTORS WHO HAVE SERVED FOR A MINIMUM OF TEN YEARS
 AND HAVE ATTAINED THE AGE OF 65 OR OLDER AND WHO WERE NOT SERVING AS AN
 OFFICER OF THE BANK UPON RETIREMENT.  THE PENSION IS EQUAL TO 75% OF THE
 REGULAR DIRECTORS' MEETING FEES PAID TO CURRENT DIRECTORS, BASED UPON FOURTEEN
 REGULAR MEETINGS IN EACH FISCAL YEAR.


 BOARD COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS

      The Board of Directors of the Company has established an audit committee
 and a compensation committee.  These committees are composed entirely of
 outside directors.  The Board has also created other company-wide committees
 composed of officers of the Company and the Subsidiaries.

      Members of the audit committee are Messrs. Adams, Diepholz, Lumpkin,
 Melvin, Roley and Sparks.  The audit committee reports to the Board of
 Directors and has the responsibility to review and approve internal control
 procedures, accounting practices and reporting activities of the Subsidiaries.
 The committee also has the responsibility for establishing and maintaining
 communications between the Board and the independent auditors and regulatory
 agencies.  The audit committee reviews with the independent auditors the scope
 of their examinations, with particular emphasis on the areas to which either
 the audit committee or the auditors believe special attention should be
 directed.  It also reviews the examination reports of regulatory agencies and
 reports to the full Board regarding matters discussed therein.  Finally, it
 oversees the establishment and maintenance of effective controls over the
 business operations of the Subsidiaries.  The Audit Committee met four times
 in 1996.

      The members of the compensation committee are Messrs. Adams, Diepholz,
 Lumpkin, Melvin, Roley and Sparks.  The compensation committee reports to the
 Board of Directors and has responsibility for all matters related to
 compensation of executive officers of the Company, including review and
 approval of base salaries, conducting a review of salaries of executive
 officers compared to other financial services holding companies in the region,
 fringe benefits, including modification of the retirement plan, and incentive
 compensation.  The compensation committee met two times in 1996.

      A total of 12 regularly scheduled and special meetings were held by the
 Board of Directors of the Company during 1996.  During 1996, all directors
 attended at least 75 percent of the meetings of the Board and the committees
 on which they served.

 TRANSACTIONS WITH MANAGEMENT

      Directors and officers of the Company and the Subsidiaries and their
 associates, were customers of and had transactions with the Company and the
 Subsidiaries during 1996.  Additional transactions may be expected to take
 place in the future.  All outstanding loans, commitments to loan, transactions
 in repurchase agreements and certificates of deposit and depository
 relationships, in the opinion of management, were made in the ordinary course
 of business, on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and
 collateral, as those prevailing at the time or comparable transactions with
 other persons and did not involve more than the normal risk of collectibility
 or present other unfavorable features.


                      EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

      The following table shows the compensation earned for the last three
 fiscal years by the Chief Executive Officer and those executive officers of
 the Company and the Subsidiaries whose 1996 salary and bonus exceeded
 $100,000:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
                                                                  Annual Compensation
               (a)                        (b)                (c)              (D)                (H)
                                        Fiscal
                                         Year                                                 ALL OTHER
            Name and                     Ended                                              COMPENSATION
       Principal Position            December 31st      Salary($){(1)}     BONUS ($)             ($)
  <S>                                    <C>               <C>            <C>               <C>
  Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.,                 1996               $ 170,338     $  54,848         $ 26,792{(2)}
  President &                            1995                 164,000        48,163           26,001{(2)}
  Chief Executive Officer                1994                 160,255        35,040           23,048{(2)}

  William S. Rowland,                    1996              $ 105,338       $ 23,570         $ 12,018{(3)}
  Chief Financial Officer                1995                101,000         21,651           11,940{(3)}
                                         1994                 96,000         13,590           11,971{(3)}

  Stanley E. Gilliland,                  1996               $ 91,338       $ 15,435         $  6,407{(4)}
  Vice President                         1995                 86,000         15,738            6,103{(4)}
                                         1994                 82,620         12,636            5,477{(4)}

<FN>

<F1>
 (1)   Includes deferred amounts.

<F2>
 (2)   Represents the Company's contributions to its retirement plan for 1996,
       1995 and 1994 of $13,511, $12,720 and $10,874, respectively, and premium
       payments for an insurance policy purchased to fund a supplemental
       retirement and death benefit for Mr. Marvin in the amount of $13,281 for
       1996, $13,281 for 1995 and $12,174 for 1994.

<F3>
 (3)   Represents the Company's contributions to its retirement plan for 1996,
       1995 and 1994 of $6,120, $6,060 and $6,091, respectively, and an annual
       premium payment for an insurance policy purchased to fund a supplemental
       retirement and death benefit for Mr. Rowland in the amount of $5,898 in
       1996 and $5,880 for 1995 and 1994.

<F4>
 (4)   Represents the Company's contributions to its retirement plan.
</FN>
</TABLE>


      THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE HAS FURNISHED THE FOLLOWING REPORT ON
 EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.  THE INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF THIS PROXY
 STATEMENT INTO ANY DOCUMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 BY THE COMPANY SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO INCLUDE SUCH REPORT UNLESS SUCH REPORT
 IS SPECIFICALLY STATED TO BE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO SUCH DOCUMENT.

 COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

      As members of the Compensation Committee, it is our duty to evaluate the
 performance of management, review total management compensation levels and
 consider management succession and other related matters.  The Committee
 reviews and approves in detail all aspects of compensation for the nine
 highest paid officers within the Company and uses state, regional and national
 salary studies to ascertain existing market conditions for personnel.  No
 member of the Committee is a former or current officer or employee of the
 Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

      The compensation philosophy of the Company is that a portion of the
 annual compensation of each officer relates to and must be contingent upon the
 performance of the Company, as well as the individual contribution of each
 officer.  As a result, a portion of each executive officer's annual
 compensation is based upon the officer's performance, the performance of the
 operating unit for which the officer has primary responsibility and the
 performance of the Company as a whole.  In 1993, the formulas for measuring
 performance and awarding bonuses were refined and improved so as to more
 objectively link financial and individual performance with bonus amounts.

      During 1996, the Company's net income amounted to $4,166,000, a $242,000
 (6.2%) improvement from 1995's comparable earnings level.  In addition, the
 Company's market share increased significantly and various other improvements
 were made in the Company's operating and administrative functions.
 Accordingly, Messrs. Marvin, Rowland and Gilliland were awarded incentive
 bonuses of $54,848, $23,570 and $15,435, respectively.  The relationships
 between the base salaries and incentive compensation of Messrs. Marvin,
 Rowland and Gilliland for 1996, 1995 and 1994 were as follows:


                 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION AS A % OF BASE SALARY
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                              1996                     1995                   1994
  <S>                          <C>                      <C>                    <C>
  Mr. Marvin                   32%                      29%                    22%
  Mr. Rowland                  22%                      21%                    15%
  Mr. Gilliland                17%                      18%                    15%
</TABLE>



                SUBMITTED BY THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS

                               Charles A. Adams
                              Kenneth R. Diepholz
                              Richard A. Lumpkin
                                Gary W. Melvin
                               William G. Roley
                              Ray Anthony Sparks


      THE INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT INTO ANY DOCUMENT
 FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION BY THE COMPANY SHALL NOT BE
 DEEMED TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PERFORMANCE GRAPH UNLESS SUCH GRAPH IS
 SPECIFICALLY STATED TO BE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO SUCH DOCUMENT.

 PERFORMANCE GRAPH

      The line graph below compares the cumulative total stockholder return on
 a $100 investment in the Company's Common Stock to the cumulative total return
 of the S & P 500 Index and the Nasdaq Bank Stock Index for the period December
 31, 1991 through December 31, 1996.  The S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq Bank
 Stock Index were calculated at the Company's request by Research Data Group,
 San Francisco, California.

                           CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN{*}


 *  Total return assumes reinvestment of dividends

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        12/31/91     12/31/92     12/31/93    12/31/94   12/31/95   12/31/96
 <S>                                   <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>        <C>        <C>
  First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc      $100         $138         $180        $186       $245       $299
  Nasdaq Bank Stocks                      $100         $146         $166        $165       $246       $326
  S&P 500                                 $100         $108         $118        $120       $165       $203
</TABLE>


          SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS

      The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
 Company's Common Stock beneficially owned on February 28, 1997 with respect to
 all persons known to the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than five
 percent of the Company Common Stock, each director and nominee, each executive
 officer named in the Summary Compensation Table and all directors and
 executive officers of the Company as a group.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 NAME OF INDIVIDUAL AND               AMOUNT AND NATURE OF           PERCENT
 NUMBER OF PERSONS IN GROUP          BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP{(1)}      OF CLASS
<S>                                <C>                          <C>

 5% STOCKHOLDERS
 Margaret Lumpkin Keon                  66,800{(2)}                    7.0%
 16 Miller Avenue
 Suite 203
 Mill Valley, California  94941

 Mary Lumpkin Sparks                    94,245{(3)}                    9.8%
 2438 Campbell Road, N.W.
 Albuquerque, New Mexico  87104

 DIRECTORS
 Charles A. Adams                       62,412{(4)}                    6.3%
 Kenneth R. Diepholz                    15,481{(5)}                    1.6%
 Richard Anthony Lumpkin               196,975{(6)}                   20.1%
 Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.                  13,719{(7)}                    1.4%
 Gary W. Melvin                         43,476{(8)}                    4.5%
 William G. Roley                       19,296{(9)}                    2.0%
 William S. Rowland                     4,628{(10)}                      *
 Ray Anthony Sparks                    10,984{(11)}                    1.2%

 OTHER EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 Stanley E. Gilliland                   3,244{(12)}                      *

 All directors and executive
 officers as a group
 (13 persons)                         370,680{(13)}                   35.1%
 _____________
 *    Less than one percent.

<FN>
<F1>
 (1)  The information contained in this column is based upon information
      furnished to the Company by the persons named above and the members of
      the designated group.  The nature of beneficial ownership for shares
      shown in this column is sole voting and investment power, except as set
      forth in the footnotes below.

<F2>
 (2)  The above amount includes 10,105 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Ms. Keon and 56,695 shares held under the
      Margaret L. Keon Trust, established under Article 5 of the Mary G.
      Lumpkin Trust dated January 31, 1984, of which trust Ms. Keon is trustee
      and beneficiary.

<F3>
 (3)  The above amount includes 10,105 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock and 56,695 shares held under the Mary L. Sparks Trust,
      established under Article 5 of the Mary G. Lumpkin Trust dated January
      31, 1984, with respect to which shares Mrs. Sparks has no voting or
      investment power.  The shares held by this trust are also included in the
      number of shares reported as beneficially owned by Mr. Richard A. Lumpkin
      in this table.  The above amount also includes 585 shares held directly
      by Mrs. Sparks and 26,860 shares held in trust for the benefit of Richard
      Anthony Lumpkin's adult children for which Mrs. Sparks serves as trustee
      and of which shares Mrs. Sparks disclaims beneficial ownership.

<F4>
 (4)  The above amount includes 5,706 shares of Common Stock and 40,420 shares
      obtainable through the conversion of Preferred Stock held by a
      corporation over which Mr. Adams is deemed to control.  The above amount
      also includes 1,010 shares held by Mr. Adams' spouse, over which shares
      Mr. Adams has no voting and investment power.  The above amount does not
      include 797 shares held by adult children of Mr. Adams.

<F5>
 (5)  The above amount includes 7,074 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Mr. Diepholz.

<F6>
 (6)  The above amount includes 20,210 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Mr. Lumpkin and by the Richard A. Lumpkin
      Trust, of which Mr. Lumpkin is trustee and beneficiary, 26,023 shares
      held directly by Mr. Lumpkin and 4,816 shares held by The Lumpkin
      Foundation, of which Mr. Lumpkin serves as a director.  The above amount
      also includes 56,695 shares held under the Richard A. Lumpkin Trust, and
      further includes 10,105 shares obtainable through the conversion of
      Preferred Stock and 56,695 shares held under the Mary Lee Sparks Trust,
      of which Mr. Lumpkin is trustee.  Each such trust has been established
      under Article 5 of the Mary G. Lumpkin Trust dated January 31, 1984.  The
      above amount also includes 22,431 shares held by Consolidated
      Communications Inc., of which Mr. Lumpkin is Chairman of the Board, and
      of which shares beneficial ownership is disclaimed.  The above amount
      does not include 32,173 shares held by adult children of Mr. Lumpkin and
      26,860 shares held in trust for the benefit of Mr. Lumpkin's adult
      children of which trust Mr. Lumpkin is not a trustee and of which shares
      beneficial ownership is also disclaimed.

<F7>
 (7)  The above amount includes 2,425 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Mr. Marvin.  The above amount also includes
      1,530 shares held by Mr. Marvin's spouse, over which shares Mr. Marvin
      has no voting or investment power and of which Mr. Marvin disclaims
      beneficial ownership.

<F8>
 (8)  The above amount includes 20,210 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Mr. Melvin.

<F9>
 (9)  The above amount includes 2,021 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Mr. Roley.  The above amount also includes
      2,021 shares obtainable through the conversion of Preferred Stock and
      12,750 shares held in trust for the benefit of Mr. Roley's spouse, over
      which shares Mr. Roley has shared voting and investment power and of
      which Mr. Roley disclaims beneficial ownership.

<F10>
 (10) The above amount includes 2,425 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Mr. Rowland.

<F11>
 (11) The above amount includes 3,531 shares held by Mr. Sparks' children, over
      which Mr. Sparks shares voting and investment power.

<F12>
 (12) The above amount includes 1,011 shares obtainable through the conversion
      of Preferred Stock held by Mr. Gilliland.

<F13>
 (13) Includes an aggregate of 107,921 shares obtainable through conversion of
      Preferred Stock.
</FN>
</TABLE>

      As of February 28, 1997, the Bank acted as sole or co-fiduciary with
 respect to trusts and other fiduciary accounts which own or hold 51,014 shares
 or 5.38% of the outstanding Common Stock of the Company, over which the Bank
 has sole voting and investment power with respect to 42,964 shares or 4.53% of
 the outstanding Common Stock and shared voting and investment power with
 respect to 8,050 shares or .85% of the outstanding Common Stock.

      Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires that the
 Company's directors, executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of
 the Company's Common Stock file reports of ownership and changes in ownership
 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Such persons are also required
 to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.
 Based solely on the Company's review of the copies of such forms, the Company
 is not aware that any of its directors and executive officers or 10%
 stockholders failed to comply with the filing requirements of Section 16(a)
 during the period commencing January 1, 1996 through December 31, 1996.


            PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

      The Board of Directors of the Company has unanimously approved an
 amendment (the "Amendment") to Article IV of the Company's Certificate of
 Incorporation (the "Certificate") that would increase the number of authorized
 shares of the Company's Common Stock, $4.00 par value per share, from
 2,000,000 shares to 6,000,000 shares.  The Board of Directors has also
 approved a resolution providing for a two-for-one stock split of the Common
 Stock in the form of a stock dividend if the Amendment is approved.  It is
 anticipated that the distribution date for the proposed stock split will be
 shortly after the annual meeting.  As of April 1, 1997, the Company had
 947,680 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding.

      The Board of Directors has proposed adoption of the Amendment for several
 reasons, including those set forth below.  First, the Amendment will provide
 for the additional shares of Common Stock necessary to effectuate the proposed
 stock split.  As a result of the stock split, the number of shares of Common
 Stock owned by each of the Company's stockholders as of the record date for
 the stock split will double, and each such share will have approximately half
 of the per share value of Common Stock prior to the stock split.  The decrease
 in the per share value of Common Stock should also lead to a commensurate
 decrease in the per share market price, thus making an investment in Common
 Stock by existing or potential stockholders of the Company more readily
 possible.

      Second, the additional shares authorized by the Amendment will provide
 management with enough shares of Common Stock to enter into certain
 transactions involving the use of Common Stock that may be advisable from time
 to time.  Such transactions could include, but are not limited to, the
 acquisition by the Company of additional branch locations, subsidiaries or
 bank or thrift holding companies.  Although no such transactions are planned
 for the immediate future, management and the Board of Directors believe that
 it is in the Company's best interests to have available a sufficient number of
 authorized shares of Common Stock if such transactions become advisable.

      Third, the additional shares of Common Stock authorized by the Amendment
 could be used to raise additional working capital for the Company or the
 Subsidiaries.  The Board of Directors does not currently have any plans to
 raise capital through the issuance of additional shares or otherwise, but
 these shares would be available for that purpose.

      The increase in the number of shares of Common Stock authorized by the
 Amendment will allow for the possibility of substantial dilution of the voting
 power of current stockholders of the Company, although no dilution will occur
 as a direct result of the proposed stock split.  The degree of any such
 dilution which would occur following the issuance of any additional shares of
 Common Stock, including any newly authorized Common Stock, would depend upon
 the number of shares of Common Stock that are actually issued in the future,
 which number cannot be determined at this time.  Issuance of a large number of
 such shares could significantly dilute the voting power of existing
 stockholders.

      The existence of a substantial number of authorized and unissued shares
 of Common Stock could also impede an attempt to acquire control of the Company
 because the Company would have the ability to issue additional shares of
 Common Stock in response to any such attempt.  The Company is not aware of any
 such attempt to acquire control at this time, and no decision has been made as
 to whether any or all newly authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock
 would be issued in response to any such attempt.

      To be approved by the Company's stockholders, the Amendment must receive
 the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
 THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE YOUR SHARES FOR THE AMENDMENT.


         RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

      Stockholders will be asked to approve the appointment of KPMG Peat
 Marwick LLP as the Company's independent public accountants for the year
 ending December 31, 1997.  A proposal will be presented at the annual meeting
 to ratify the appointment of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.  If the appointment of
 KPMG Peat Marwick LLP is not ratified, the matter of the appointment of
 independent public accountants will be considered by the Board of Directors.
 Representatives of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP are expected to be present at the
 meeting and will be given the opportunity to make a statement if they desire
 to do so and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

 THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR RATIFICATION OF
 THIS APPOINTMENT.

           STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 1998 ANNUAL MEETING

      For inclusion in the Company's Proxy Statement and form of proxy relating
 to the 1998 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, stockholder proposals must be
 received by the Company on or before December 17, 1997 and must otherwise
 comply with the Company's bylaws.

                              GENERAL

      Your proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors and the cost of
 solicitation will be paid by the Company.  In addition to the solicitation of
 proxies by use of the mails, officers, directors and regular employees of the
 Company or the Subsidiaries, acting on the Company's behalf, may solicit
 proxies by telephone, telegraph or personal interview.  The Company will, at
 its expense, upon the receipt of a request from brokers and other custodians,
 nominees and fiduciaries, forward proxy soliciting material to the beneficial
 owners of shares held of record by such persons.

                          OTHER BUSINESS

      It is not anticipated that any action will be asked of the stockholders
 other than that set forth above, but if other matters properly are brought
 before the meeting, the persons named in the proxy will vote in accordance
 with their best judgment.

                    FAILURE TO INDICATE CHOICE

      If any stockholder fails to indicate a choice in items (1), (2) or (3) on
 the proxy card, the shares of such stockholder shall be voted (FOR) in each
 instance.

                        REPORT ON FORM 10-K

      THE COMPANY WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH PERSON REPRESENTING THAT
 HE OR SHE WAS A BENEFICIAL OWNER OF THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK AS OF THE
 RECORD DATE FOR THE MEETING, UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, A COPY OF THE COMPANY'S
 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K.  SUCH WRITTEN REQUEST SHOULD BE SENT TO MR.
 WILLIAM S. ROWLAND, FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC., 1515 CHARLESTON
 AVENUE, P.O. BOX 499, MATTOON, ILLINOIS  61938.


                                          By order of the Board of Directors




                                          Daniel E. Marvin, Jr.
                                          Chairman
 Mattoon, Illinois
 April 16, 1997

                      ALL STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO SIGN
                        AND MAIL THEIR PROXIES PROMPTLY

 PROXY            FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.             PROXY
             PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
        FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS -- MAY 21, 1997

      The undersigned hereby appoints Dan R. Cunningham, Stanley E. Gilliland
 and Alfred M. Wooleyhan, Jr., or any of them acting in the absence of the
 others, with power of substitution, attorneys and proxies, for and in the name
 and place of the undersigned, to vote the number of shares of Common Stock
 that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if then personally present at
 the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc.,
 to be held at the Ramada Inn, 300 Broadway Avenue, East in Rooms A B and C,
 Mattoon, Illinois 61938, on Wednesday, May 21, 1997, at 11:00 a.m., local
 time, or any adjournments or postponements thereof, upon the matters set forth
 in the Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement (receipt of which is
 hereby acknowledged) as designated on the reverse side, and in their
 discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may
 come before the meeting:


 { }  Check here for address change.
      New address:



 { }  Check here if you plan to attend the meeting.



                 (Continued and to be signed on reverse side.)

                      FIRST MID-ILLINOIS BANCSHARES, INC.
     PLEASE MARK VOTE IN OVAL IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER USING DARK INK ONLY

     1.  Election of Directors
         Richard Anthony Lumpkin,
         William G. Roley, and 
         William S. Rowland

     2.  To amend the Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of
         authorized shares of Common Stock.

     3.  To ratify the selection of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as auditors for the
         Company for 1997.

     The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all proposals.

     To ratify the selection of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as auditors for the 
     Company for 1997.

                                    THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
                                    SPECIFICATION MADE.  IF NO CHOICES ARE
                                    INDICATED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR ALL
                                    PROPOSALS.


                              Dated:                              , 1997

 NOTE:  Please sign exactly as your name(s) appears.  For joint accounts, each
 owner should sign.  When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee
 or guardian, etc., please give your full title.

 Signatures:



<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>  9
<PERIOD-TYPE>   12-MOS
       
<S>                                    <C>
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                      DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                           DEC-31-1996
<CASH>                                  20,158,000
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                     453,000
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                         6,500,000
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<LOANS>                                348,217,000
<ALLOWANCE>                              2,684,000
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<DEPOSITS>                             413,676,000
<SHORT-TERM>                            50,786,000
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                      3,175,000
<LONG-TERM>                              6,200,000
<COMMON>                                 3,771,000
                            0
                              3,100,000
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<INTEREST-LOAN>                         27,827,000
<INTEREST-INVEST>                        7,487,000
<INTEREST-OTHER>                           245,000
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                        35,559,000
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                      15,310,000
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                      17,805,000
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                   17,754,000
<LOAN-LOSSES>                              147,000
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                          (9,000)
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                         15,977,000
<INCOME-PRETAX>                          6,429,000
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>               6,429,000
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                  0
<CHANGES>                                        0
<NET-INCOME>                             4,166,000
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 4.22
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 3.98
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                3.98
<LOANS-NON>                                790,000
<LOANS-PAST>                               575,000
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<CHARGE-OFFS>                              375,000
<RECOVERIES>                                98,000
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<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                     2,684,000
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                              0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                    244,000
        


</TABLE>


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