UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
(X) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
MOLL, JON H.
2610 WEST BERWYN ROAD
MUNCIE, IN 47304
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION
FRME
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Year
December 1996
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
(X) Director ( ) 10% Owner ( ) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
(specify below)
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
(X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
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Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
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1. Title of Security |2. |3. |4.Securities Acquired (A) |5.Amount of |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect |
| Transaction | or Disposed of (D) | Securities |ect | Beneficial Ownership |
| | | | Beneficially |(D)or | |
| | | | | A/| | Owned at |Indir | |
| Date |Code|V| Amount | D | Price | End of Month |ect(I)| |
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<S> <C> <C> <C><C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock |12-17-|G* |V|300 |D | |(1) 1371.1303 |D | |
|1996 | | | | | | | | |
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Common Stock | | | | | | |1,350 |I |IRA Self-Directed |
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Common Stock | | | | | | |(2) 1682.6272 |I |Spouse |
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Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con- |3. |4. |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount |8.Price|9.Number |10.|11.Nature of|
Security |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and| of Underlying |of Deri|of Deriva |Dir|Indirect |
|or Exer | | | rities Acqui |Expiration | Securities |vative |tive |ect|Beneficial |
|cise | | | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/| |Secu |Securities |(D)|Ownership |
|Price of| | | posed of(D) |Day/Year) | |rity |Benefi |or | |
|Deriva- | | | |Date |Expir| | |ficially |Ind| |
|tive | | | | A/|Exer-|ation| Title and Number | |Owned at |ire| |
|Secu- | | | | | D |cisa-|Date | of Shares | |End of |ct | |
|rity |Date |Code|V| Amount | |ble | | | |Month |(I)| |
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C><C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Non-Employee Director | | | | | | | | | | | |1,200 |D | |
Stock Option (Right to| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Buy) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:
*Gift of 190 shares to First Presbyterian Church and 110 shares to Ball State
University Foundation
(1) Includes 15.8690 shares acquired in September 1996 and 15.4615 shares
acquired in December 1996 under the
First Merchants Corporation dividend reinvestment plan.
(2) Includes 15.9782 shares acquired in September 1996 and 15.5677 shares
acquired in December 1996 under the
First Merchants Corporation dividend reinvestment plan.
(3) Effective midnight, December 31, 1996, reporting person resigned as a
director of the Corporation.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
Jon H. Moll (Confirming Statement on File)
DATE
December 30, 1996
