Terra Rubra Plantation, Carroll County

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Contents 1 Persons 1.1 1783 Ann Key Taney 2 History 2.1 Wiki 2.2 MHT 2.3 2014 Current Owners 3 =History 3.1 History 2

Persons

1783 Ann Key Taney

• Anne Charlton Taney formerly Key Born 13 Jun 1783 in Frederic County, Maryland *Daughter of John Ross Key and Ann Phoebe Penn (Charlton) Key
• Sister of Francis Scott Key and Catherine Charlton Key
• Wife of Roger Brooke Taney — married 7 Jun 1806 in Tera Rubra, Frederick County, Maryland

History

Wiki

Terra Rubra is a historic home and plantation located near Keysville, Carroll County, Maryland, United States. ^[1]

It was the birth site of Francis Scott Key in 1779. ^[1]

The present Federal-style house was built in the 1850s after the Key residence had become badly deteriorated. ^[1]

The original house was built in the 1770s by Francis Key for his son, John Ross Key, father of Francis Scott Key.[2]^[1]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[1]^[1]

MHT

1770 Original House:

The original house at "Terra Rubra" was built in the 1770s when the land was part of Frederick County. ^[2]

1753 Patent to Philip Key

The land patent was granted to Philip Key in 1753 and passed into the possession of his son Francis Key. ^[3]

Francis Key wanted to establish an estate at "Terra Rubra" for his son, John Ross Key, to operate and inherit. The mansion house was built and the farm was set up on a large scale, as was common at that time, with various outbuildings to provide for the self-sufficiency of the estate and slaves for the manual labor. ^[3]

After serving in the Revolutionary War, John Ross Key returned to "Terra Rubra" to pursue the life of a gentleman-farmer. ^[3]

His son, Francis Scott Key, was born at "Terra Rubra" on August 1, 1779. ^[3]

A painting of the original house by Francis Scott Key's grandson, John Ross Key, depicts a 2 1/2-story structure with a four bay wide main façade and a colonnaded portico containing a second story porch across the full length of the façade. The chimneys were gable end, and there were three gabled dormers on the roof, and the roofline extended across the front to form the portico roof. Key spent his early childhood on the estate and visited his family there during vacations and summers when he was a student in Annapolis. ^[3]

Key became a lawyer, received his training in Frederick, Maryland, and settled in Georgetown, D.C. to establish his business. ^[3]

In 1814 he went to Baltimore in an effort to secure the release of Dr. Barnes, a prisoner of the British fleet in the Baltimore harbor. While Key was on board a British vessel, the British began an attack on Baltimore and detained Key. During this battle, Key wrote a poem to the tune of "Anacreon in Heaven" which later became the National Anthem.^[3]

2014 Current Owners

^[4]

When William and Debra McGrew made their decision to purchase a 150-acre property in Keysville, it was largely based on the land being flat and connected. That the property is the birthplace of the author of "The Star Spangled Banner" is an added — if sometimes inconvenient —bonus.

The McGrews — with help from their youngest daughter — raise beef cattle at the farm in Keysville known as Terra Rubra, the birthplace of Francis Scott Key, who penned the poem that became the national anthem during the Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry in 1814. The property has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.

On Monday, the Taneytown Historical Committee and Taneytown History Museum presented the McGrew family with an American flag which was recently flown at Fort McHenry during the Star Spangled Bicentennial Celebration. The presented flag featured 15 stripes and 15 stars, also known at the Star Spangled Flag, to symbolize the 15 American states at the time of the Battle of Baltimore.

"We just wanted to recognize the part that this little portion of Carroll County played in Francis Scott Key history," said Nancy Eyler, president of the Taneytown Historical Committee and Taneytown History Museum.

A monument to Francis Scott Key and a flag pole where a United States flag flies 24 hours a day are housed on the front lawn of Terra Rubra.

The McGrews plan to display the Star Spangled flag on special holidays such as Veterans Day and the Fourth of July.

"What is surprising is how many flags we go through," Debra McGrew said. "They wear out quick. Last winter we went through two. They were really tattered."

The McGrews, who are originally from Carroll County — Debra from Eldersburg and William from Gamber — began looking at acquiring a new farm in February 2011. The couple had been living in southern Pennsylvania, where they owned and worked four farms.

"My husband is always looking at farm land and for the longest time trying to get us to move," Debra McGrew said. "We raised five kids at the other farm. I dug my heels in and said 'I'm not moving.'"

But, as the last of their children left home, Debra McGrew told her husband she would consider relocating if he found the perfect farm.

On Feb. 15, 2011, William McGrew saw a listing for Terra Rubra. The McGrews made an appointment and visited the farm the next day and by Feb. 17, had put a contract on the property.

"We left for vacation in Florida and during the week he negotiated the property and got the contract and signed about a month later," Debra McGrew said. "That happened fast."

William McGrew liked the look of the property, his wife said. It is basically flat with some rolling hills and all of the farm is on one side of the road. At their previous farm, they had to cross several roads.

When the McGrews purchased the land, their real estate agent, who specialized in historical properties, informed the couple of Terra Rubra's significance.

"It wasn't so much the history that drew us to the farm, but the farm itself," Debra McGrew said. "The history part is really just an added bonus."

In order to keep Terra Rubra preserved, Debra McGrew said there is a list of things they cannot do to the property. For example, they cannot put siding on the house or paint the house a "crazy" color; it has to remain in line with the way it looked when it was built.

Debra McGrew said she is often surprised how many people have heard of Francis Scott Key, but often know very little about his life or his contributions.

"We feel very blessed to live here, it's such a beautiful farm," she said. "It's a little bit that we can do for our patriotic duty to take care of the farm and keep the information and the story of Francis Scott Key alive."

Terra Rubra is generally a quiet, peaceful place to live, McGrew said, although because of its historical significance, people will routinely come to try to visit and tour the property, something she still hasn't gotten used to.

Terra Rubra is private property and the McGrews do not open it for tours.

"I'm am surprised at how many people stop by to look," Debra McGrew said. "I'm a very private person and when people pull in the driveway any time they want and want to look at the house... I've learned to be grateful and accommodate."

Terra Rubra is Latin for "red earth."

The 3,000-acre plantation belonged to John Ross Key, a circuit judge and Revolutionary War army officer.

Francis Scott Key was born there in 1780.

The original house was sold after Francis Scott Key's death and deteriorated, according to the National Register of Historic Places.

After a storm in the late 1850s destroyed the home, it was torn down and a new home was built. Some of the materials of the original home were used to construct the newer building.

=History

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Terra Rubra - Keysville MD in Wikipedia Entries Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Don.Morfe N 39° 37.470 W 077° 15.120 18S E 306711 N 4388504

Quick Description: The original house at "Terra Rubra" was built in the 1770s. The land was granted to Philip Key in 1753 and passed to his son Francis Key. In the War of 1812, while Key was on board a British vessel he wrote a poem which became the National Anthem.

"Terra Rubra is a historic home and plantation located near Keysville, Carroll County, Maryland, United States. It was the birth site of Francis Scott Key in 1779. The present Federal-style house was built in the 1850s after the Key residence had become badly deteriorated. The original house was built in the 1770s by Francis Key for his son, John Ross Key, father of Francis Scott Key.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978." Wikipedia Url: [Web Link]

History 2

Property CXurrently owned by Lee B. Brown.

^[5]

"Terra Rubra" is located on the Keysville-Bruceville Road approximately one mile northwest of the junction of Md. Route 194 and the Keysville-Bruceville Road in Carroll County, Maryland.

The present farmhouse is built on the site of the original "Terra Rubra," the birthplace of Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star Spangled Banner."

The original house was sold after Key's death and deteriorated until a storm in the late 1850's furthered its destruction. Shortly after this, it was torn down to provide for a new and more substantial house.

A painting of the original house by Francis Scott Key's grandson, John Ross Key, depicts a two and one-half story structure with a four bay wide, main facade and acolonnadedportico containing a second story porch across the full-length of the facade. The chimneys are gable end, there are three gabled dormers on the roof, and the roofline extends across the front to form the portico roof.

The brick farm house that replaced the earlier building is built on part of the latter's fieldstone foundation. It is a two and onehalf story, five-by-two bay structure of stretcher bond with interior gable end chimneys. The plan of the house is L-shaped with a parlor and dining room on either side of a central passageway which contains the staircase. The kitchen is in the ell.

Some of the materials of the original house were used in the construction of the present structure. An example is the summer beam in the basement supporting the main floor which was turned upside down for its present use, revealing the butt cog mortises for the original floor joists. Other reused framing members are some of the common rafters and a partial summer beam in the attic.

The main facade of the present "Terra Rubra" faces west-and has a central doorway inset with molded panels on the wall sides and a frontispiece of half-columnswith Corinthian capitals supporting the flat pediment. Above the six-paneled door is a four-light transom ornamented with a row of dentil molding. This frontispiece is probably an addition of the twentieth century. The other four bays on the main floor and the five bays on the second floor contain 6/6 double hung sash windows with blinds and flat wood pediments with dentil trim. The dentil pattern is repeated in the roof cornice and continued around the house and the ell.

The north gable end has a window identical to those on the main facade in the first floor bay towards the west. There are also two half-story windows here and in the south gable end. The south facade has the ell built flush to the wall of the main section. The main section's fenestration has two windows diagonally arranged—one on the first floor in the west bay and one on the second towards the east. The ell of the south facade has a small porch with a shed roof on the main floor and two 6/6 sash windows on the second floor. The north facade of the ell originally had a double-tiered frame porch between the house proper and the first bay of the ell. This has since been bricked in. The rear of the main section of the house

has a window on each floor opposite the ell and the ell rear facade has two half-story windows. The interior is characterized by simple ornamentation and moldings. The mantelpieces in the parlor and dining room are of wood painted white, with applied ornamentation. The kitchen mantelpiece is more provincial with carved reeding framing pilasters and framing panels. The open-well staircase has an ovoid handrail on square balusters. The carved newel post is from the original house. Two stone outbuildings are said to be from the original estate. One of these was used as a slave quarters and is now connected to the house. The other was a smokehouse.

A monument to Francis Scott Key and a flag pole where the American flag flies twenty-four hours a day stand on the front lawn at "Terra Rubra."

The original house at "Terra Rubra" was built in the 1770*s when the land was part of Frederick County, The land patent was granted to Philip Key in 1753 and passed into the possession of his son Francis Key.

Francis Key wanted to establish an estate at "Terra Rubra" for his son, John Ross Key, to operate and inherit. The mansion house was built and the farm was set up on a large scale, as was common at that time, with various outbuildings to provide for the self-sufficiency of the estate and slaves for the manual labor.

The farm operation served as its own community like many plantations in Maryland and Virginia.

After serving in the Revolutionary War, John Ross Key returned to "Terra Rubra" to pursue the life of a gentleman-farmer. He was successful as an agriculturalist, and took an active role in the politics in nearby Frederick Town, later accepting ah appointment as judge.

In his role as a planter and community leader, Key exemplifies the idealized conception of the Southern farmer.

His Son, Francis Scott Key, was born at "Terra Rubra" on August 1, 1779. He spent his early childhood on the estate and visited his family there during vacations and summers when he was a student in Annapolis. He became a lawyer, received his training in Frederick, Maryland, and settled in Georgetown^<,C. to establish his business.

In 1814, he went to Baltimore in an effort to secure the release of Dr. Barnes, a prisoner of the British fleet in the Baltimore harbor. While Key was on board a British vessel, the British began an attack on Baltimore and detained Key. During this battle, Key wrote a poem to the tune of "Anacreon in Heaven" which later became the National Anthem.

At the death of his father, Key bought "Terra Rubra" in hopes of retiring there. However, his activities as a supporter of the abolition movement kept him in Georgetown until his death, when "Terra Rubra" was divided and sold.

The mansion had a characteristic double portico across the front and numerous outbuildings to accommodate the plantation activities.

In the book Francis Scott Key, Life and Times, Edward Delaplaine presents this description of the "Terra Rubra" mansion: "The mansion to which Key brought his bride was the largest within a radius of many miles. Across its entire front, measuring nearly a hundred feet, was a two story portico with columns two feet in diameter.

Extending from the main building were wings, in one of which lived the tenant and his family, and in the other the Negro slaves.

The main dwelling was a plaster frame structure, while the wings were brick. The wings were connected with a double porch and a brick paved court. In 1858 a part of the house was blown away by a storm. In 1859 it was torn down to

make way for a new structure." (p.3) After the partial destruction of the original structure, a new brick house was built on the latter's foundation.

The new owners of "Terra Rubra" did not have the means of the Key family, and instead of returning to a large scale estate, "Terra Rubra" became a small farmstead representative of others in the area. This is reflected in the architecture of the reconstructed farmhouse which has a central passage plan with a symmetrical facade and an ell wing with a doubletiered porch on the inner side. These characteristics, with their lack of embellishment, are consistent with the farmhouses throughout this central Maryland region. In the new house, some of the mansion's construction materials were reused, such as members of the flooring and roof frames and ornamental features, including the newel post and kitchen mantelpiece.

The architectural difference in these two buildings was the result of a change in the farms of the South in the mid-19th century. There was is a slow transition during this period where the plantation and its cultural accoutrements became phased out. This especially occured after the Civil War, but the signs of weakening the plantation system are in evidence in the border states earlier. The colonial system of landed estates run by planters of diverse interests was replaced by the independent farmer and small landholder. This trend was caused by changing agricultural and economic conditions and the transfer of power from the versatile planter to an established order in the cities.

"Terra Rubra," besides its significance as the site of the birthplace of Francis Scott Key, is an example of this colonial farming and cultural life and its decline or transformation during the 19th century development of the United States.