On December 16, 1765, The Maryland Gazette carried an article recounting the death and burial of "The Stamp Act" at the hands of the citizens of Frederick. On December 16, 1861, Frederick citizens were forbidden to sell or give liquor to soldiers under a rule signed by the Union Army provost marshal. On December 16, 1866, present day Trinity United Methodist Church was founded by 14 people. It was organized by the Rev. Samuel Register. On December 16, 1963, Floyd and Marie Smith, of Old Annapolis Road, filed a $100,000 damage suit in Frederick County Circuit Court on behalf of their son Donald K. Smith, who was attacked on November 5 and critically injured by three dogs belonging to Gilmore "Jake" Hamilton. On December 16, 1968, the demolition of the old Fredericktown Bank and Trust Company building in the first block of North Market Street in Frederick was begun. On December 16, 1981, a deed was recorded giving ownership of a 134.4 acre farm near MD Rt. 355, along the Monocacy River, to the National Park Service for inclusion in the Monocacy National Battlefield. The U. S. government paid the former owners, Dr. and Mrs. A. Earl Vivino, $360,000 for the property. On December 16, 1985, Lee J. Betts, president of Muscatine Community College in Muscatine, Iowa, was named president of Frederick Community College. He announced his retirement on November 20, 1996, effective December 31, 1997. If anyone can add information to these History Moments, or would like to suggest an item for another calendar day, please contact me privately. John W. Ashbury [email protected]