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




                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT



           Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 19, 1999




                       SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        Arkansas                      0-6253                   71-0407808
(State or other jurisdiction of    (Commission               (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)     file number)              identification No.)




  501 Main Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas                           71601
(Address of principal executive offices)                        (Zip Code)





                                 (870) 541-1000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)








ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

 The following is the text of a press release  issued by the registrant at 11:35
A.M. Central Standard Time on January 19, 1999:


For Release:  Tuesday, January 19, 1999


            SIMMONS FIRST COMPLETES ACQUISITION IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS


         Pine Bluff, AR - J. Thomas May, Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer  of  Simmons  First  National  Corporation  (SFNC)  announced  today the
completion of the merger of Lincoln Bankshares, Inc. into Simmons First National
Corporation. As a part of the transaction,  SFNC acquires Bank of Lincoln, which
has branches in Lincoln and Prairie Grove.

         Commenting  on the merger,  Mr. May stated,  "We are excited  about our
affiliation  with this  outstanding  institution  and look  forward to  offering
financial  services of the Simmons First family of banks to our new customers in
Northwest Arkansas."

                                       ###


FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
J. Thomas May
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Simmons First National Corporation
(870) 541-1103







                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the  requirements 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.


                                        SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION


Date:    January 19, 1999                    /s/ J. Thomas May
         ----------------               --------------------------------------
                                        J. Thomas May, Chairman, President &
                                        Chief Executive Officer