Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  ELLINGTON KIMBERLY J
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
05/06/2005		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
FIRST MERCHANTS CORP [FRME]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
200 EAST JACKSON STREET		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) __X__ Other (specify below)
Senior Vice President / Director Human Resources
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

MUNCIE, IN 47305		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 766.082 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Options (Right to Buy) 07/01/2003 07/01/2011 Common Stock 914 $ 19.73 D  
Employee Stock Options (Right to Buy) 07/01/2004 07/01/2012 Common Stock 3,308 $ 26.93 D  
Employee Stock Options (Right to Buy) 07/01/2005 07/01/2013 Common Stock 3,150 $ 23.46 D  
Employee Stock Options (Right to Buy) 07/01/2006 07/01/2014 Common Stock 3,600 $ 25.595 D  
Deferred Stock Units 12/31/2005 12/31/2005 Common Stock 50.23 $ (2) D  
Deferred Stock Units 12/31/2006 12/31/2006 Common Stock 131.26 $ (2) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
ELLINGTON KIMBERLY J
200 EAST JACKSON STREET
MUNCIE, IN 47305		       Senior Vice President Director Human Resources

Signatures

Kimberly J. Ellington 05/09/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Includes 102.9482 shares owned by reporting person in her 401K account.
(2) Conversion of derivative security is 1 for 1.

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