Lawyer, Commissioned Officer of the Continental Army, father of Francis Scott Key. Born at Redland, Frederick County, Maryland to English parents Francis Key, who's parents had come to Maryland in 1726 and his wife Ann Arnold Ross, who was a strong influence on her grandson Francis when he lived with her near Annapolis when he was in school there. Mustered into service at Frederick on June 21st, 1775 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of Captain Thomas Price's Maryland Rifle Company. They were one of the first military forces that came to aid General Washington in Boston, July-August, 1775. By 1781 he was a Captain and commanded a Frederick County Company of Cavalry during the Yorktown Campaign and he was honorably discharged as a General. He was also a Justice of the Peace, a Judge and Associate Justice of his Judicial District, which comprised Allegany, Washington and Frederick Counties. His brother Philip Barton Key, also an attorney arranged for his nephew Francis to study law under his friend, Judge Jeremiah Townley Chase in 1800 and with whom he would later be a partner in Georgetown. Francis took the practice over entirely when his uncle ran for congress. He married Ann Phoebe Penn Dagworthy Charlton at the city of Frederick on October 19, 1775. Six children were born to the couple, but only three reached maturity. Francis Scott Key, his sister Anne Arnold Phoebe Charlton Key who would marry Roger Brooke Taney and John Alfred Key who died at Edgefield, South Carolina. He died at the age of 67 in Frederick City.
From the Frederick Town Herald of Oct. 20, 1821
" On Friday evening last, general John Ross Key, an officer of the Revolution, and a respectable inhabitant of this county."
From the Frederick Town Herald of Oct. 20, 1821
" On Friday evening last, general John Ross Key, an officer of the Revolution, and a respectable inhabitant of this county."
Lawyer, Commissioned Officer of the Continental Army, father of Francis Scott Key. Born at Redland, Frederick County, Maryland to English parents Francis Key, who's parents had come to Maryland in 1726 and his wife Ann Arnold Ross, who was a strong influence on her grandson Francis when he lived with her near Annapolis when he was in school there. Mustered into service at Frederick on June 21st, 1775 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of Captain Thomas Price's Maryland Rifle Company. They were one of the first military forces that came to aid General Washington in Boston, July-August, 1775. By 1781 he was a Captain and commanded a Frederick County Company of Cavalry during the Yorktown Campaign and he was honorably discharged as a General. He was also a Justice of the Peace, a Judge and Associate Justice of his Judicial District, which comprised Allegany, Washington and Frederick Counties. His brother Philip Barton Key, also an attorney arranged for his nephew Francis to study law under his friend, Judge Jeremiah Townley Chase in 1800 and with whom he would later be a partner in Georgetown. Francis took the practice over entirely when his uncle ran for congress. He married Ann Phoebe Penn Dagworthy Charlton at the city of Frederick on October 19, 1775. Six children were born to the couple, but only three reached maturity. Francis Scott Key, his sister Anne Arnold Phoebe Charlton Key who would marry Roger Brooke Taney and John Alfred Key who died at Edgefield, South Carolina. He died at the age of 67 in Frederick City.
From the Frederick Town Herald of Oct. 20, 1821
" On Friday evening last, general John Ross Key, an officer of the Revolution, and a respectable inhabitant of this county."
From the Frederick Town Herald of Oct. 20, 1821
" On Friday evening last, general John Ross Key, an officer of the Revolution, and a respectable inhabitant of this county."
Bio by: D C McJonathan-Swarm
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