Repudiation Day facts for kids
Frederick County, Maryland celebrates a special half-day holiday every November 23 called Repudiation Day. This day remembers an important event from 1765 when judges in Frederick County stood up against a British tax law called the Stamp Act. The Maryland General Assembly officially made November 23 a bank half-holiday in Frederick County in 1894 to honor this act of defiance.
Contents
What Was the Stamp Act?
In 1765, the British government created the Stamp Act. This was a new tax designed to help pay for the cost of keeping British soldiers in the American colonies. The act required colonists to buy special stamps for many different paper items. These included legal documents, newspapers, and even playing cards.
Frederick County's Brave Stand
The judges in Frederick County were the first to openly reject the Stamp Act. They decided they would not charge this new tax. They also refused to stamp any documents as required by the law. At that time, the special stamps had not even arrived from Britain. Also, the colonists had not been properly told about the new tax. A respected judge named Edward Delaplaine later called these 12 Frederick County judges the "12 immortal judges" because of their courage.
How Repudiation Day is Celebrated Today
Each year, the Frederick Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) hosts a special tea party. This event celebrates Repudiation Day. Guests enjoy tea and crumpets. A highlight of the celebration is when the Clerk of the Court reads the original statement. This was the proclamation passed by the judges and the Maryland Provincial Assembly in November 1765.
Remembering the Judges
The house on Record Street where the judges made their decision has since been torn down. However, the brave actions of these judges are still remembered. In 1904, the Frederick Chapter of the DAR placed a plaque in the Frederick County Courthouse. This plaque lists the names of the twelve men who rejected the Stamp Act. You can see this plaque on the right side of the courthouse's entrance area.
The Twelve Immortal Judges
The names of the judges honored on the plaque are:
- Thomas Beatty
- Peter Bainbridge
- Josiah Beall
- Samuel Beall
- William Blair
- James Dickson
- Andrew Heugh
- Charles Jones
- William Luckett
- David Lynn
- Thomas Price
- Joseph Smith
