UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 5
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
( ) Form 3 Holdings Reported
( ) Form 4 Transactions Reported
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
Browne, Michael L.
Harleysville Group Inc.
355 Maple Avenue
Harleysville, PA 19438
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Harleysville Group Inc.
HGIC
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
4. Statement for Month/Year
12/31/98
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 Reporting (Check Applicable Line)
(X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
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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 |
|Date |Code| | Beneficially |(D)or | |
| | | | A/| | Owned at |Indir | |
| | | Amount | D | Price | End of Year |ect(I)| |
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock | | | | | |8,776.6759(1) |D | |
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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 |Date |Code| rities Acqui |Expiration | Securities |vative |tive |ect|Beneficial |
|cise Pr | | | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/| |Secu |Securities |(D)|Ownership |
|ice 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 | | | Amount | |ble | | | |Year |(I)| |
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
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</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:
(1) Total includes shares acquired through 12/30/98 under the Harleysville
Group Inc. Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
Total also includes 130 shares held by Mr. Browne as custodian for a minor
child under the UGMA, as to which
Mr. Browne disclaims ownership. This report shall not be deemed an admission
that Mr. Brown is the beneficial
owner of these shares for the purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose;
total reflects a 2 for 1 stock split
on
10/6/97.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ Michael L. Browne
DATE
2/11/99
