content: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  
                                   Date of Report
                (Date of earliest event reported) - January 8, 1996
  
  
                           UNITED COUNTIES BANCORPORATION
                 (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
  
                                     NEW JERSEY
                   (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
  
  
                   0-11282                          22-2453041
          (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
  
                  Four Commerce Drive, Cranford, New Jersey  07016
                      (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
                                   (908) 931-6600
                          (Registrant's Telephone Number)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  
                                 Page 1 of 5 Pages
                              Exhibit Index on Page 5
  Item 5.    Other Events
  
  
        United Counties Bancorporation, announced today, January 8, 1996, that it
  will reconvene the adjourned Special Meeting of Stockholders on Wednesday,
  February 7, 1996, to vote on the proposed merger with Meridian Bancorp, Inc.
  The meeting was adjourned to permit shareholders to receive supplemental
  information concerning the proposed merger of CoreStates Financial Corp and
  Meridian Bancorp, Inc.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
  
  
                                 Page 2 of 5 Pages
        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 hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
  
  
                                   UNITED COUNTIES BANCORPORATION
  
  
  Dated:  January 10, 1996         By: /S/Nicholas A. Frungillo, Jr.
                                       -----------------------------
  
                                               Treasurer and
                                          Chief Financial Officer
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
                                 Page 3 of 5 Pages
  Item 7.    Exhibits
  
  
        99.1    Press Release of United Counties Bancorporation
                   dated January 8, 1996
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  
                                 Page 4 of 5 Pages
  Exhibit 99.1
                  Press Release of United Counties Bancorporation
                                  January 8, 1996
  
  
        United Counties Bancorporation, announced today that it will reconvene
  the adjourned Special Meeting of Stockholders on Wednesday, February 7, 1996, to
  vote on the proposed merger with Meridian Bancorp, Inc.  The Meeting was
  adjourned to permit shareholders to receive supplemental information concerning
  the proposed merger of CoreStates Financial Corp and Meridian Bancorp, Inc.
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metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "UNITED COUNTIES BANCORPORATION", "cik": "0000719623", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "222453041", "state-of-incorporation": "NJ", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-11282", "film-number": "96505154"}, "business-address": {"street1": "FOUR COMMERCE DR", "city": "CRANFORD", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07016", "phone": "9089316600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "FOUR COMMERCE DRIVE", "city": "CRANFORD", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07016"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                                   Date of Report
                (Date of earliest event reported) - January 8, 1996
  
                           UNITED COUNTIES BANCORPORATION
                 (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
  
                                     NEW JERSEY
                   (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
  
                   0-11282                          22-2453041
          (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
                  Four Commerce Drive, Cranford, New Jersey  07016
                      (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
                                   (908) 931-6600
                          (Registrant's Telephone Number)
  Page 1 of 5 Pages
                              Exhibit Index on Page 5
  Item 5.    Other Events
  
        United Counties Bancorporation, announced today, January 8, 1996, that it
  will reconvene the adjourned Special Meeting of Stockholders on Wednesday,
  February 7, 1996, to vote on the proposed merger with Meridian Bancorp, Inc.
  The meeting was adjourned to permit shareholders to receive supplemental
  information concerning the proposed merger of CoreStates Financial Corp and
  Meridian Bancorp, Inc.
  Page 2 of 5 Pages
        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 hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                   UNITED COUNTIES BANCORPORATION
  
  Dated:  January 10, 1996         By: /S/Nicholas A. Frungillo, Jr.
                                       -----------------------------
  
                                               Treasurer and
                                          Chief Financial Officer
  Page 3 of 5 Pages
  Item 7.    Exhibits
  
        99.1    Press Release of United Counties Bancorporation
                   dated January 8, 1996
  Page 4 of 5 Pages
  Exhibit 99.1
                  Press Release of United Counties Bancorporation
                                  January 8, 1996
  
        United Counties Bancorporation, announced today that it will reconvene
  the adjourned Special Meeting of Stockholders on Wednesday, February 7, 1996, to
  vote on the proposed merger with Meridian Bancorp, Inc.  The Meeting was
  adjourned to permit shareholders to receive supplemental information concerning
  the proposed merger of CoreStates Financial Corp and Meridian Bancorp, Inc.