Francis Scott Key Autograph Document Signed.
KEY, Francis Scott.
Francis Scott Key Autograph Document Signed.
Rare Autograph Document Signed by Francis Scott Key
$2,800.00
In Stock
Item Number: 151155
Rare autograph legal document signed by Francis Scott Key as defense attorney. One page, portion and draft handwritten legal document, docketed on verso, circa 1801. The document is signed by Francis Scott Key and his co-counsel, Roger Nelson (1759-1815), to defend a man named John, Jr. in a case relating to an unpaid debt. Framed. In near fine condition with mail folds and toning. The entire piece measures 11.5 inches by 16.25 inches.
Francis Scott Key (1779–1843) was an American lawyer, poet, and amateur lyricist best known for writing the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” which later became the lyrics of the United States national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. Key composed the poem in 1814 after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 while aboard a British ship negotiating the release of an American prisoner. Beyond his literary legacy, Key practiced law in Maryland and Washington, D.C., and served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1833 to 1841.
