American Patriot. He is recognized for his role in early American history. Born into a wealthy family, he studied under another physician as there were no medical colleges in the American colonies. In 1799, Beanes, along with doctors John and Thomas Archer, established the Medical Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, now known as the Maryland State Medical Society. During the American Revolution, he served as physician at the General Hospital in Philadelphia as well at the frontlines of battles, including Valley Forge. During the War of 1812, he was a surgeon to the Maryland Marching Militia and was entrusted in the safe keeping of the Maryland State Records as he had been during the American Revolution. Since it was feared that Annapolis would be attacked and burned by the British, the records were sent to Upper Marlboro. Annapolis was spared of invasion during both wars but Upper Marlboro was invaded three times but with no destruction. The British were led to believe that Dr. Beanes was loyal to King George. As one British unit was leaving Upper Marlboro, two drunken British soldiers were stragglers. Out of disgust, Beanes had them arrested without thinking about the safety of the destruction of the town and records. One of the British soldiers escaped returning to his ship. Upon learning about the physician, the British officers on the ship had Dr. Beanes arrested as a spy and sent him to be jailed at Baltimore. The townspeople enlisted the help of lawyer Francis Scott Key and Colonel John Stuart Skinner in gaining Beanes' release. After agreeing to release Beanes, the British would not allow the three Americans to leave the ship as Beanes and the other knew the British positions in the Chesapeake Bay. On the morning of September 13, 1814, the Battle of Baltimore began with the three men witnessing the "rockets' red glare" and "bombs bursting in the air," but at "dawn's early light," the American flag was still flying over Fort McHenry. That attack inspired Key to write the poem that would be eventually used as lyrics to the song called the "Star Spangled Banner." Without the arrest of Dr. Beanes, Francis Scott Key would never have been in Baltimore to witness the battle at Fort McHenry and the "Star Spangled Banner" would have never been written. Beanes spent the remainder of his life living in his home in Upper Marlboro. In 1931 President Herbert Hoover would officially make Key's "Star Spangled Banner" the national anthem.