Notes for Francis Scott Key
!US Census 1850 (21 October) Maryland, Baltimore Co., 11th Ward Baltimre City, Roll M432_284, Sheet 410/411, Page 205B/206A, House No. 1062-1182, Lines 40-42: Mrs. F. S. Key (b. 1786 - 64 - in MD). Child listed is: Charles H Key (son b. 1827 - 23 - in DC). ALSO LISTED are:Elizth Madison (b. 1827 - 23 - in DC - Occ: Servant); Henry Unknown (b. 1832 - 18 - in MD - BLACK - Occ: Servant); and Nelly Owens (b. 1785 - 65- in MD - MULATTO - Occ: Servant).
!Information from web site -
http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/e/v/e/Jeffrey-L-Evensen/GENE4-0011.html
NNOTE: Much of the following information was based upon information from an article by Courtney Creighton:
When Francis spent time at his grandmothers home (Belvoir) he was tutored by Master Andrew Simmons. It was near the capital city of Maryland, Annapolis. At this time the Nation's capital was in Philadelphia. He graduated from St. Johns College in Annapolis at age 17. During his years at St. Johns College he was torn between being a preacher or a lawyer but upon his graduation he decided to be a lawyer.
Francis was accepted as a student in the office of Judge Jeremiah Chase. It was during this time that he met Mary Tayloe Lloyd. After some time he passed the bar and went to work for his Uncle Philip Key. When his Uncle ran for Congress he inherited the entire law practice.
In June 1812, the House of Representatives voted 79 to 49 for a declaration of war against England and the Senate voted 19 to 13 in favor of the declaration. Francis felt that his family and home were in danger and even though opposed to the war, he served for a brief period in the Georgetown Light Field Artillery (1813-14).
In August of 1814, the British burned the Capital and kidnapped a distant relative of Francis, Dr. Beanes. He decided to attempt to get Dr. Beanes released and went to Baltimore to obtain the services of Colonel John Skinner who was the government's prisoner of war exchange agent. Together they saild down the bay on the truce ship thought to be 'the Minden'. When they were out 2 days they spotted a large British fleet. The crew hauled up the flag of truce. And the large British battleship, the Tonnant, where Dr. Beanes was being held invited them to come aboard. They were planning to hang the Doctor but after Francis pleaded with Rear Admiral Cockburn he was released to Skinner and Key. They were forced to remain aboard their ship with a British crew until the British attacked Baltimore. On the night of September 13, 1814 Francis Scott Key (35 years old) and the crew watched from the Minden as the British ships surrounded Fort McHenry and began to fire from the Chesapeake Bay. The British were too far out for the guns of the Fort to reach them but still by morning they were returning the cannon fire. Fort McHenry is a star-shaped fort that was commanded by Maj. George Armistead. He wanted a flag so big that "the British would have no trouble seeing it from a distance". Two officers, a Commodore and a General, were sent to the Baltimore home of Mary Young Pickersgill, a "maker of colours," and commisioned the flag. Mary and her thirteen year old daughter Caroline, working in an upstairs front bedroom, used 400 yards of best quality wool bunting. They cut 15 stars that measured two feet from point to point. Eight red and seven white stripes, each two feet wide, were cut. Laying out the material on the malthouse floor of Claggett's Brewery, a neighborhood establishment, the flag was sewn together. By August it was finished. It measured 30 by 42 feet and cost $405.90. The Baltimore Flag House, a museum, now occupies her premises, which were restored in 1953. This flag was flown during the battle. Francis was able to see the flag still flying from his position on the Minden and at this time Francis Scott Key wrote down the words to a poem about the battle. He put the words to an old hymn - 'To Anacreon in Heaven'. He shared the poem with Colonel Skinner and Dr. Beanes who both liked it very much. When it was printed it was a hit that he called 'In Defense of Fort McHenry' but as you know it was called 'The Star Spangled Banner' to honor the flag that withstood the battle. The unsuccessful attack also ended the British raids on the USA.
During the Presidency of Andrew Jackson he was appointed US District Attorney to the District of Columbia. His brother-in-law, Roger Taney, was also appointed to be a judge of the US Supreme Court. He was eventually appointed to be Chief Justice and administered the oath of office to Lincoln in 1861.
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