For the Year Ending
                                December 31, 2002

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

                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. 17)

                       SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION
                                (Name of Issuer)

                              CLASS A COMMON STOCK
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    828730200
                                 (CUSIP Number)

      Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
schedule is filed:

     [X] Rule 13d-1(b)
     [ ] Rule 13d-1(c)
     [ ] Rule 13d-1(d)

     1)  Names of Reporting Persons S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos.
         of Above Persons -- SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION
         EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
         71-6050807

     2)  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

         (a) ________________________________________
         (b) ________________________________________

     3) SEC Use Only--------------------------------------

     4) Citizenship or Place of Organization ARKANSAS

                                        5) Sole Voting Power             -0-
Number of Shares
Beneficially                            6)  Shared Voting Power          -0-
Owned by Each
Reporting                               7)  Sole Dispositive Power  582,249
Person With
                                        8) Shared Dispositive Power      -0-

     9) Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person -
        582,249 shares

    10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares
        (See Instructions)

    11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9.... 8.23%

    12) Type of Reporting Person (See Instruction) EP



Item 1(a)     Name of Issuer:

              SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION

Item 1(b)     Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

              501 MAIN STREET
              P. O. BOX 7009
              PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS 71611

Item 2(a)     Name of Person Filing:

              SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION
              EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

Item 2(b)     Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:

              501 MAIN STREET
              P. O. BOX 7009
              PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS 71611

Item 2(c)     Citizenship:     ARKANSAS

Item 2(d)     Title of Class of Securities:    CLASS A COMMON STOCK

Item 2(e)     CUSIP Number:         828730200

Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b),or 13d-2(b), check
whether the person filing is a:

              (a)     [ ] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the
                          Act

              (b)     [ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a)6) of the Act

              (c)     [ ] Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of
                          the Act

              (d)     [ ] Investment Adviser registered under section 8 of the
                          Investment Company Act

              (e)     [ ] Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
                          Investment Advisers Act

              (f)     [X] Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject
                          to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
                          Security Act of 1974 or Endowment Fund; see section
                          240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)

              (g)     [ ] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with section
                          240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G) (Note: See Item 7)

              (h)     [ ] Group, in accordance with section
                          240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)





Item 4.       Ownership

              (a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 582,249

              (b) Percent of Class: 8.23%

              (c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

                    (i)  sole power to vote or direct the vote

                         -0-

                    (ii) shared power to vote or direct the vote

                         -0-

                    (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of

                         582,249

                    (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of

                         -0-

Item 5.       Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.  NOT APPLICABLE

Item 6.       Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

              PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION
              EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN, ANY DIVIDENDS RECEIVED OR PROCEEDS
              OF SALE OF THE SUBJECT SECURITIES WOULD INURE TO THE BENEFIT OF
              THE EMPLOYEES OF SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORPORATION AND ITS
              SUBSIDIARIES, WHO ARE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN, AND WOULD BE HELD,
              ADMINISTERED AND DISTRIBUTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH
              PLAN. THE PLAN COVERS IN EXCESS OF 700 EMPLOYEES AND NO SINGLE
              EMPLOYEE'S INTEREST THEREUNDER EQUALS OR EXCEEDS FIVE PERCENT (5%)
              OF THIS CLASS OF SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER.

Item 7.       Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
              the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company.

              NOT APPLICABLE.

Item 8.       Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

              NOT APPLICABLE.

Item 9.       Dissolution of Group.

              NOT APPLICABLE.





Item 10.      Certification.

     By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary
course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or
with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the
securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a
participant in any transaction having that purposes or effect.

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

1/13/03
------------------------------------------------------------
Date


/s/ Joe Clement
------------------------------------------------------------
Signature

Joe Clement, President
Simmons First Trust Company, N.A., Trustee,
Simmons First National Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan