Evening star., 1937-04-04

WASHINGTON SONG WRITERS
IIoe Home Star Spanged Banner" and "Bate Hymn
of Republic Associated With Names Which Brought
Much the Capital.

very fond OF visiting friends IN Ana
costa and Parrots Woods, part Of
the latter Of which Is now Oak Hill
Cemetery, where lie the remains Of
the composer Of the worlds most
notable song. His death occurred in
Tunis on April 9, 1852, and the re-
interment Of his body took place
June 9, 1883. The grave is appro-
priately marked with monument.
Francis Scott Key, author OF The
Star-Spangled Banner" was more OF
. Washingtonian than he was
Marylander, for although he was
concededly born near Frederick, Nd,
and died in Baltimore, still. from the
time he attained his majority until the
time Of his death, he was actually
q resident Of the District Of Columbia.
In 1901, he began the practice OF
law in Frederick, Md, but soon moved
to Georgetown, where he became
associated with his uncle, Philip Bar
ton Key, in the general practice OF
law. In 1902, he married Mary Tayloe
LLOYD, and it was about this time, or
shortly afterward, that he built the
old mansion at 1915 M street, little
to the west of the Washington en-
trance to the Francis Scott Key
Bridge, named in his honor. and here
he resided until 1928. His married
life proved to be a happy one, and
here were born to him and Mrs. Key
IL children, six boys and. five girls,
they being: Elizabeth Phoebe, Maria
Lloyd, Francis Scott, jr., John Ross,
Ann Arnold, Edward Lloyd, Daniel
Murray, Philip Barton, Ellen Lloyd
Alice and Charles Henry.
Adjoining the old mansion there
was a ne-story building used by Mr..
Key as his law Office. and 1t was here
he was living and practicing his pro-
fession when he wrote the anthem
for which he is noted.
HISTORY informs us that the
L L public buildings in the city Of
Washington were burned and their
contents destroyed by the British on
August "a, 1914. With this purpose
in view, the enemy had, on August
10, landed its forces 8 miles below
Benedict, Charles County, Md, and
from there the invaders had taken
up their march to the Capital, passing
through the village Of Upper Marl-
boro. Here lived a prosperous and
well-knoWn physician named William
Beanes, whose home was selected as
the headquarters of Gen. Ross.
mention this because DR.. BeaneS was
mconsciously the immediate contrib
uting cause of MIR. Keys presence of
Baltimore during the memorable
bombardment Of 1914.
Beanes, it appears. had played host
to the British officers while they were
occupying his residence. He had a
large number Of slaves and horses and
other valuable property, and most
naturally thought that discretion was
the better part Of valor.
However, his courtesy to the British
seems to have misled them into as
suming that he was pro-British,
whereas just the contrary was really
the case. since DR.. Beanes had served
in the American Army during the
Revolutionary War and naturally was
100 per cent loyal to his own country.
What happened was this: On the
day Gen. Ross passed through Marl-
boro after his triumphant march into
the city Of Washington, where he de-
stroyed byaflre 100000 worth OF pub
lie property, including magnificent
library and valuable archives that
money could never replace, and while
he was returning to the British fleet.
marauders appeared in the town and
were arrested and thrown into the
county Jail by committee headed by
DR.. Beanes and several friends.
One OF those imprisoned escaped
and informed Gen. Ross Of the circum-
stances. He ordered the arrest Of DR..
William Hill, Philip Weems and DR..
Beanes. The first two were released,
but DR.. Beanes, at Nottingham, was
taken aboard one of the British YES
sells, which, with the rest of the feet,
weighed anchor from Benedict on Au-
gust 20.
In the meantime DR.. Beanes' friends
were active in his behalf, and it was
upon the appeal Of Richard w. West
that Key was induced to seek the re-
lease Of the doctor.
KEY was soon on his way to Balti-
more, where he met John 8. Skin