The San Francisco call., 1898-07-04
REUNION OF
 KEYS FAMILY Members Coming From
 Many States. A GRANDDAUGHTER'S STORY PLAYED "STAR-sPANGLED BAN- NER" TO ITS AUTHOR. Strong Religious Sentiment Was Always the Leading Trait in the
 Family Since Their Set
 clement.
PLAYED "STAR-SPANGLED BAN
 NER" TO ITS AUTHOR,
Oakland Office San Francisco Call.

The most interesting visitor to Oak lana Of the Fourth is Mrs Reuben NorWood, a granddaughter of Francis scott Key, whose famous song, "The Star Spangled Banner" bids fair to be- come the national anthem of the United States. Her home is at Texar- kama. one of the lively cities that lie on the borderland of Texas, and is claimed as part of Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as the Lone Star State.
 Mrs. Norwood is the only descendant or the famous poet whom Texas shell ters, and her visit to the coast is to at- tend gathering of the Western de- scendents. Captain Baldwin, a great grandson of Francis Scott Key, and an officer in the Kansas Volunteers, is visiting his mother in San Francisco, and Mrs. Lieutenant Cutts, grand daughter, whose home is at Mare Island, is also in that city attending the family reunion.
 Mrs. Norwood is woman we'll past 70 years of age, but keen of mind and vigorous of body. She is the daughter Of Anna Key, who married Congress- man Turner of South Carolina. Anna Key was belle and a beauty and her wit and briliancies made her the toast of all the beauX in Washington, and later in Atlanta, where as the wife of wealthy Congressman, whose father was Governor of the State, her social powers were uneXcelled
 Mrs. Norwood was raised in all the luxury of a wealthy Southern home, with slaves to wait on her slightest wish. She inherited much of her mothers beauty and wit and also some of her grandfather's genius for she too, writes poetry and has set some of 1t to music. She is a clever conversa- tionalist and is full of "reminiscences of the poet, who died when she was about F years of age.
 "Francis Scott Key was one of the best men that ever lived" said she. There were two things that he held dearer than all else in the world-his country and his God. He inculcated into his children and his grandchildren this love. He was a quiet, modest man and was not wont to talk of himself or what he had done. He was an intellectual man, and ] remember that every Christmas brought box of books from grandfather to his grandchil- dren- and these were days when books were expensive luXuries. He was a man of most domestic tastes and nothing pleased him more than to gather his chil- dren and grandchildren around him at family reunions. He was devoted  which will be found in the hymnal.
 Tn personal appearance he was rath- CT small man, but fine looking. He was dignified and yet there was an affection ate kindness about him that drew all hearts to him. He was devoted to his grandchildren and they in turn were de- voted to him."
 Mrs Norwood declared that many of Keys poems are now lost During his lifetime he would never consent to have any of them published. and though one of his daughters collected several poems for publication later, the collection is not complete.
 Mrs. Norwood is an accomplished musi- elan and plays skillfully on the harp, a brilliant arrangement of "The Star spangled Banner which as a girl she played to the composer. and now as an old lady still plays for her friends.
 definite length of time and may not re- turn until next year She has had several pictures taken of the monument in Gold en Gate Park to her grandfather's mem ory. Mare Island, where the bodies of her mother and father are buried, will also be visited before Mrs. Norwood re- turns to Texas.
 The most noted characteristic of the family of the Keys has been for three generations their strong religious ten dencies. Thomas Key, the father of Francis Scott Key, who died in Maryland in 1764 left will which is remarkable for it's devoutness and manliness. Had all slave owners been of the same disposition as old Thomas Key. the Civil War would have been postponed for a long period. Compared with the curt 'In the name of God. amen" with which modern wills commence, Thomas Keys opening para graph is a complete declaration of Chris tian faith, even to the Trinity in Unity and Unity and Trinity" to whom he ap- peals The will makes detailed provision for every debt and every slave and breathes the spirit of nobility and charity in avery line