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Frederick in Frederick County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Final Resting Place

Francis Scott Key

 
 
Final Resting Place Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
1. Final Resting Place Marker
Inscription. In the final months of his life Francis Scott Key enjoyed visits to Terra Rubra farm, his boyhood home not far from Frederick Town. He thought and wrote about the end of life and his hopes of immortality in a life to come.

Key died at his daughter’s home in Baltimore, January 11, 1843, and was buried nearby in Old St Paul’s Cemetery. In 1866, Key’s family moved his remains to a plot in this cemetery where he could lie as he wished in the shadow of Catoctin Mountain.

In 1898 the Key Monument Association reinterred Key and his wife in the circle in front of you, and erected above their graves the granite monument bearing his bronze figure.

“And the loud hallelujahs of angels shall rise To welcome the soul to its home in the skies. Home, home, home of the soul!” FS Key.

Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Coppini completed work on the Key Monument in 1898 at the cost of $30,000. School children across the nation donated pennies, nickels, and more to help pay for the monument.

At the top, Key holds “The Star-Spangled Banner” manuscript and points to this nation’s flag. Seated below is Columbia, representing patriotism, flanked by allegorical youths representing defense and music.

(Inscription near the photo in the lower center)
Pompeo Coppini (1870-1957) Coppini designed the Half-Dollar, and

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thirty-six public monuments throughout the United States.

(Inscription above the photo in the upper right)
In the late 1800s descendants of Key gather at his first gravesite in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Perhaps they are singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

(Inscription above the photo in the lower right)
All four verses of “The Star-Spangled Banner” appear on a bronze plaque on the rear of the monument. Coppini formed every letter, although he did not yet know the English language.
 
Erected by Key Monument Association.
 
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Government & PoliticsPatriots & PatriotismWar of 1812. A significant historical date for this entry is January 11, 1816.
 
Location. 39° 24.372′ N, 77° 24.75′ W. Marker is in Frederick, Maryland, in Frederick County. Memorial is on S. Market Street. The marker is located in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in the Francis Scott Key Plot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 515 S Market Street (Cemetery Entrance), Frederick MD 21701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Home of the Brave (here, next to this marker); O Say Can You See? (a few steps from this marker); Francis Scott Key (a few steps from this marker); Maryland's “Cemetery Beautiful”

Final Resting Place Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
2. Final Resting Place Marker
(a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Francis Scott Key (within shouting distance of this marker); “Frederick's Other City” (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Francis Scott Key (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Francis Scott Key (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Frederick.
 
Francis Scott Key Monument and Grave image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
3. Francis Scott Key Monument and Grave
Plaque at the rear of the Monument image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
4. Plaque at the rear of the Monument
Tribute to Francis Scott Key by the US Daughters of 1812 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
5. Tribute to Francis Scott Key by the US Daughters of 1812
Tribute to Francis Scott Key by the Rotary International image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
6. Tribute to Francis Scott Key by the Rotary International
Tributes to Francis Scott Key image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
7. Tributes to Francis Scott Key
Final Resting Place-Soldier of War of 1812 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
8. Final Resting Place-Soldier of War of 1812
Final Resting Place-Soldier of War of 1812 image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
9. Final Resting Place-Soldier of War of 1812
O Can You See? image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
10. O Can You See?
Francis Scott Key marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 26, 2014
11. Francis Scott Key marker
Pompeo Coppini (1870-1957) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
12. Pompeo Coppini (1870-1957)
Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Coppini completed work on the Key Monument in 1898 at the cost of $30,000. School children across the nation donated pennies, nickels, and more to help pay for the monument.
Close-up of photo on marker
Columbia (Elizabeth di Barbieri) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
13. Columbia (Elizabeth di Barbieri)
At the top, Key holds “The Star-Spangled Banner” manuscript and points to this nation’s flag. Seated below is Columbia, representing patriotism, flanked by allegorical youths representing defense and music. The sulptor's model for Columbia was Elizabeth di Barbieri. Coppini fell in love with Elizabeth and married her five months before the monument was dedicated.
Close-up of photo on marker
Key's Original Headstone image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
14. Key's Original Headstone
In the late 1800s descendants of Key gather at his first gravesite in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Perhaps they are singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Close-up of photo on marker
The Star Spangled Banner image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
15. The Star Spangled Banner
All four verses of “The Star-Spangled Banner” appear on a bronze plaque on the rear of the monument. Coppini formed every letter, although he did not yet know the English language.
Columbia image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
16. Columbia
Elizabeth di Barbier posed for the figure of Columbia on the Francis Scott Key monument. Coppini married her on February 27, 1898. He became an American citizen in 1902.
Francis Scott Key image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 1, 2017
17. Francis Scott Key
on Coppini's Star Spangled Banner plaque.
Francis Scott Key image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 23, 2017
18. Francis Scott Key

This Stone
marks the grave where
Francis Scott Key
Born Aug. 9, 1780
Died Jan. 11, 1843

father of
The Star Spangled Banner
was buried prior to removal to
the crypt within his monument
on May 18, 1898.


Original Mt. Olivet headstone stored in the basement of the Francis Scott Key Memorial Chapel. The wording was expanded in 1898 when Key's body was moved to his monument. (The original words are in bold above.) Key was first interred in the Howard vault in Baltimore's St. Paul's Cemetery following his death, in Baltimore, on January 11, 1843. His body was moved to Mount Olivet in 1866.
Mary Tayloe Key image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 23, 2017
19. Mary Tayloe Key

This Stone
marks the grave where the
wife of Francis Scott Key
Mary Tayloe Key
Born May 26, 1781
Died May 18, 1859

was buried before removal to
the crypt beside her husband
on May 18, 1898

Original Mt. Olivet headstone stored in the basement of the Francis Scott Key Memorial Chapel. The wording was expanded in 1898 when Mrs. Key's body was moved to her husband's monument. (The original words are in bold above.)
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 14, 2017. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 718 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on July 29, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland.   10, 11. submitted on July 30, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland.   12, 13, 14. submitted on May 2, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.   15, 16, 17. submitted on May 5, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.   18, 19. submitted on June 8, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 28, 2024