Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779, on the family estate of Terra Rubra in western Maryland. He was the son of an established Maryland family and graduated from St. Johns College at the age of 17. He started a law practice in 1805 in the town of Georgetown, Maryland, and was a strongly religious man. Francis Scott Key had, by the year 1814, appeared in the U. S. Supreme Court many times.
Even though he really wasn't in favor of the war he did serve for a brief time in the Georgetown Light Field Artillery - he gave out field position assignments to the troops without having any training in how to do this.
During the War of 1812 his friend, Dr. William Beanes, was a British army prisoner and Francis left for Baltimore to try to arrange a prisoner of war exchange using the services of Colonel John Skinner. Although successful in negotiating his friend's release, he was held by the British until after the Baltimore attack. His vessel was 8 miles south of Fort McHenry and he witnessed first hand the British attack. It was this attack that inspired him to write the poem, "The Star Spangled Banner". The poem was set to the rhythm of a British song, "To Anacreon in Heaven". "The Star Spangled Banner" was officially made the national anthem (a song) of the United States in 1931 by an act of Congress.
After the war was over Francis Scott Key served as a District Attorney for the United States and wrote several hymns. Francis Scott Key died of pleurisy (inflammation of the lungs) on January 11, 1843, during a visit to his sister in Baltimore. He was laid to rest in Mr. Olivet Cemetery in the City of Fredrick, Maryland.