Francis Scott Key

Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer and amateur poet, best known as the writer of the national anthem of the United States, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ Born into a prominent family of plantation owners of Maryland, he later studied law and practiced in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Because of his religious views, he was against the War of 1812 and believed that the conflict could be resolved without an armed battle. Yet, he served in the ‘Georgetown Light Field Artillery.’ He was sent to mediate the release of a Maryland physician named Dr. Beanes, who was taken prisoner by the British. Key was detained on a British ship during the bombardment on ‘Fort McHenry’ of Baltimore. After the day-long attack, when Key saw the American flag flying on the fort, he wrote ‘Defense of Fort McHenry,’ which became the official American national anthem in 1931. He practiced as a lawyer for nearly 4 decades and often appeared at the ‘Supreme Court.’ He was appointed as the ‘Attorney for the District of Columbia.’ He was involved in many religious activities. Key was married to Mary Tayloe Lloyd, with whom he had 11 children. He died of pleurisy at 63.