Part 11 (2/2)

William Beanes, by the British, in the War of 1812, Mr. Key made the trip to Baltimore to see what he could do to help the old gentleman, who had done some very rash talking down in Prince Georges County. Mr. Key was a connection of Mrs. Beanes', who was a member of the Plater family.

Mr. Key went on board the British man-of-war, under the command of Admiral c.o.c.kburn, called _The Red Devil of the Chesapeake_, lying opposite Fort McHenry, but was told by the captain that he would have to spend the night on board as a bombardment was about to take place.

Imagine his sensations all through the night--no wonder that he burst forth into such a poem of love for his flag when he came on deck in the early morning and saw it ”still there!”

[Ill.u.s.tration: HOME OF FRANCIS SCOTT KEY]

Poetry was only a side issue with Mr. Key. I have often thought how interesting it is that a man may work all the days of his life at his profession or vocation, and some avocation, like verse-making, may carry his name down to posterity; like Izaak Walton, who had an insurance business in London, but is remembered now only as a fisherman.

Don't you imagine Mr. Key would have been amazed if he could have had a vision of the years to come, when on parade grounds all over this great land at sunset, every day, troops stand immovable at attention while the emblem of their country is being lowered for the night, and the strains of the music of his poem thrill all who hear it? ”The Star-Spangled Banner” was first read by Mr. Key at a meeting of the George Town Glee Club.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FRANCIS SCOTT KEY]

Francis Scott Key was a nephew of Philip Barton Key, and a vestryman, like his uncle, of Saint John's Church. He was a fine, humanitarian gentleman. In a recent book, called _Father Takes Us to Was.h.i.+ngton_, he is accused of having treated his dozen slaves in a terrible manner. His great-grandson has just come out with a refutation of such treatment and said that Mr. Key freed all of his slaves before his death in 1843 and that he was one of the founders of the American Colonization Society, which had for its purpose the freedom of the Negroes and their colonization on the West Coast of Africa. Of course, it was in James Monroe's administration that Liberia was founded and its capital named Monrovia.

In later life, Francis Scott Key moved to Frederick, Maryland, where he lies buried. The beautiful new bridge, only a stone's throw from his home, bears his name. It replaces the aqueduct bridge which was built about 1880, and before that, there was a bridge which carried the ca.n.a.l across the river to continue on its way to Alexandria. I cannot remember it, but I have been told that, looking across from the Virginia side, it was a very picturesque sight with its long arches reaching above the bridge, carrying its dripping load beneath, and standing against the western sky, the towers of Georgetown College.

Chapter VIII

_High Street, Prospect Avenue, the College, the Convent, and the Threlkelds_

Up the hill from Bridge (M) Street on the east side of High Street (Wisconsin Avenue), a door or two above where the Farmers and Mechanics Branch of Riggs Bank now stands, was a fine old house where the Potomac Fire Insurance Company had its first home. But long before that, it was the home of Mrs. Caperton, whose son, Hugh Caperton, became a well-known lawyer here.

At the present 1239 Wisconsin Avenue, where Becker's Paint Store has been for a good many years, was the house which Robert Peter gave to his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, when, at the age of sixteen, she married her cousin, James Dunlop, in 1787. This old letter gives some news about the wedding.

It is addressed to: John Davidson, Esq., Merchant, Annapolis:

George Town August 17th, 1787

Dear Sir:

Without any ceremony or preamble I have undertaken to enclose you the measure for a pair of Stays, not that I suppose that you are to make them, but that you may undertake to engage Mrs. Davidson's interest to undertake the direction of them.

They are for a daughter of mine who is tollerably nice, and she will not consent to trust the business entirely to the Staymaker, nor, it seems, to any other Lady in Annapolis but Mrs. Davidson, so that you see what a deal of trouble I have brought her into, by having often observed in my daughter's hearing how that Mrs. Davidson seemed to me to be in all things about her Family, in short the Girl has taken it into her head that she is old enough to become a wife, and does not only beg of Mrs. Davidson to direct as to her Stays, but wishes she would take the trouble of procuring some Paterns of silks fit and suitable for what they call a Wedding Gown, with the prices paid or annexed to the Patterns, and when the choice is made I suppose the next favor will be of Mrs. Davidson to direct as to the making of it. Mrs. Davidson must take the cause of all this trouble to herself, for if she did not merit the charge she would not have had the trouble. I am just now interrupted by receiving a further commission, to wit for a crepe cus.h.i.+on made by the best and most fas.h.i.+onable Barber in Annapolis, and a lock of the color wanted is enclosed. I want everything good and fas.h.i.+onable, but you know we old Fellows like everything as cheap as they can be got to have them good. I leave everything to yours and Mrs. Davidson's good management, but, at the same time, it would appear as if there was some expedition. The samples and prices of the silk I will be obliged by your sending by post, the Stays and Cus.h.i.+on perhaps you may be able to forward by Miss Patty Lingan who will be coming down in nine or ten days, as I am informed. I am just now tortured with black guard consignment business and therefore I conclude by remaining Your Very Humble Servant,

ROBERT PETER.

They were married in October and had eight children, all but one of whom lived to maturity.

In 1792, five years after their marriage, James Dunlop bought an estate of 700 acres known as ”Hayes,” seven miles out in Montgomery County; this later became their permanent residence. It had been built in 1762 by the Reverend Alexander Williamson, rector of Rock Creek Church (now St. Paul's), until he resigned in 1776, being a Tory. In history, he is called the ”Sporting Parson” because of his love for fox-hunting and c.o.c.k-fighting.

The back lawn of this house was the bowling green and the old b.a.l.l.s are still in the attic there. Also, there is still there an old rose bush bearing small white roses, which was planted by Elizabeth Peter Dunlop.

This was my summer home when I was a girl and is now in possession of my eldest brother.

Just above number 1239 is the crook in High Street (Wisconsin Avenue) and, until a few years ago, I never knew why it was that way: actually, it follows the line of the grant of the Rock of Dumbarton, which was surveyed that way. The reason the streets on the west side of High Street (Wisconsin Avenue) don't match those on the east side is because they were laid out by different owners.

<script>