Exhibit 99 (a)


                              LINCOLN BANKSHARES, INC.
                                 101 Boyer Street
                              Lincoln, Arkansas 92933
                                  __________, 1998

Dear Stockholder:

     You are cordially  invited to attend a special meeting of the  shareholders
of Lincoln  Bankshares,  Inc.  (the  "Company") to be held at the offices of the
Company,  101 Boyer Street,  West side of Square,  Lincoln,  Arkansas  72744, on
December 15, 1998, at 11:30 a.m., as set forth in the attached Notice of Special
Meeting of  Shareholders,  for the purpose of voting  upon a proposed  merger of
Lincoln  Bankshares,  Inc. with and into Simons First National  Corporation (the
"Merger") pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated August
25, 1998 and to elect to be governed by the Arkansas Business Corporation Act of
1987. Pursuant to the Merger,  shareholders of the Company will receive 30.41445
shares of the Class A common stock of Simmons  First  National  Corporation  for
each share of the common  stock of the Company  held,  other than shares held by
dissenting  shareholders  and the  payment  of cash in lieu of the  issuance  of
fractional  shares of Simmons stock.  Consummation  of the Merger will terminate
the  existence  of the  Company.  The  election to be  governed by the  Arkansas
Business  Corporation  Act of 1987  will be  effective  only  if the  Merger  is
approved.

     Accompanying  this  letter  is a  Notice  of  Shareholders  Meeting,  Proxy
Statement  (which  includes  in Annex  II,  A.C.A.  ss.4-26-1007,  a part of the
Arkansas Business  Corporation Act of 1987 concerning  dissenter's rights and in
Annex  III,  Subchapter  13 of the  Arkansas  Business  Corporation  Act of 1987
concerning  dissenters  rights) and Proxy. You are urged to read these materials
carefully and promptly.  The Proxy Statement contains descriptions of the Merger
and the  merger  agreement,  financial  information  about the  Simmons  and the
Company  and  other  related  information.  Only by  reading  the  entire  Proxy
Statement  will you be able to obtain  sufficient  information  to enable you to
make an informed decision about how to vote on the Merger.

     The  owners of at least  two-thirds  of the  shares of common  stock of the
Company  outstanding  on October 29, 1998 must be voted in favor of the Plan and
the Amendment in order for this action to be approved. In view of the importance
of the  meeting,  it is  highly  recommended  that your  shares be  represented,
whether or not you are able to attend in person.

     The Company's  board of directors has approved the Merger and the Agreement
and recommends voting FOR approval of the Merger.  You are urged to vote FOR the
proposition  and to complete,  date,  sign and return the enclosed  proxy in the
envelope provided.

     I look forward to visiting with you at the meeting.

                                Very truly yours,


=                               Loyd R. Swope
                                President and Chairman of the Board