Ida Charles Wilkins Foundation of Balto, 

4325 Berger Avenue 
Baltimore 6 Md.
January 1I, 1956. 
File 207

Mrs. Jesse Selover,SAMUEL SANDS OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
524 N. E. 4th Avenue,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Dear Mrs. Selover,:
This supplements my letter of January 5, with respect to your investigation of the 

FORBES-SANDS-INNES FAMILIES:

In your letter of January 2, 1957 the following statement is made:


"There was a William Sands who was an apprentice in the office of the Baltimore American 
(newspaper) in 7.814! when Francis Scott Key came in to have his poem "The Star Spangled 
Banner: printed. This young man I am told was alone and printed the ‘broadsides’, I want 
to know the parentage of the above William Sands. I am of the Inns clan and understand 
this young mans s mother was an Inns. I believe his father Was one Samuel Sands, who 
died in October 1809."

I find that the above statement is not exactly correct. While the stage is about 
correct, the actors were not the same. It was Samuel Sands who was the apprentice on duty 
at the old Baltimore American Newspaper when Francis Scott Key’s brother-in law, Judge 
Joseph Hopper Nicholson came in to have Key’s poem set to type. The version of the first 
publication some say went like this:

"Early the next morning the poet (Francis Scott Key) showed his verses to Judge 
Joseph Hopper Nicholson., his brother-in-law. Having served as an artillery officer at 
Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, Nicholson was quick to recognize the stirring 
spirit of the verses.  A patriotic poem with fine literary qualities he thought would give 
a finishing touch to the victory celebration. He rushed the manuscript to the printing 
office of the Baltimore American and had the verses printed in handbill form.  Under the 
title "The Defence of Fort McHenry" (sic) Key’s poem soon passed from hand to hand through 
city," (Maryland Historical. Society Library Reference MF 179 K 44 M2).

Samuel Sands died in Baltimore, Maryland on July 28, 1891 and his obituary is
found in an extensive article published in the Baltimore Sun (newspaper) on Wednesday 
July 29, 1891.Excerpts from this article follows:

"Mr. Samuel Sands of the American Farmer (newspaper), one of the oldest and most 
widely known newspaper men of Baltimore died at the residence of his son., William B. 
Sands at Lake Roland, yesterday after a long illness.  He was born April 10,1800 in 
Annapolis Maryland and with his mother, who was left a widow with several children and 
limited means removed to Baltimore in 1811.

"Within two days after Young Sands found himself apprenticed to learn the printers 
trade in the office of the Whig a daily paper then issued here....

"It was during his apprenticeship that he put into type Francis Scott Key's 'Star 
Spangled Banner'. The manuscript was handed to him all the older hands being in the earth 
works expecting the British attack on the city, and set it up in the shape of a hand bills 
which was then distributed by him throughout the city.....

"For about 60 years he was a member of the Christian Church or Disciples., a 
people following the religious lead of Alexander Campbell.  During the later years of 
his life, he attended the First Christian Church] corner of Fremont and Harlam Avenue 
(Baltimore),.....

"Mr. Sands married in 1819 Sarah Buckler Innes, and eight children resulting from 
the union, only one William B. Sands survives. In 1853 he married Anna J. Buck. widow of 
John Buck of Baltimore County who left one daughter Anna, now wife of Horace M. Harriman 
of this city. .. ..

"In person Mr. Sands was of medium height and weight with no physical indication 
to account for his great longevity, being of rather delicate health most of his life....

"The flag of the City Hall was ordered at half mast, out of respect for 
Mr. Sands...”
The End of the Quotation

A photograph of Mr. Samuel Sands is hanging in the Star Spangled Banner Flag 
Houses New :Museum and Squares a national. shrines birthplace of the Fort McHenry 'Victory 
Flag' of 1814, 844 E. Pratt Street., corner Albemarle, Baltimore 2 Maryland.

I found an interesting paper on the printing of the Star Spangled Banner in the 
vertical files, Maryland Rooms Pratt Library: Baltimore., Mary-lands which I quote in full 
below:

THE PRINTING OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
(Mary Bosley MatthewsMitchell,  York Road, near Glencoe, Md. Baltimore County. From a 
record in the possession of Miss Mary Mitchell, Glencoe., Maryland)

"My mother has often told me the story of the printing of the Star Spangled Banner 
as it was told to her by Mr. Samuel Sands, who as a boy set the type for its printing. My 
mother's maiden name was Rebecca Frances Gorsuch and she was born at 'Retreat’, the old 
home of the Gorsuches: near Glencoe, Baltimore County Maryland.  My mother's mother died 
when she was a wee baby and after a time her father married Susannah Johnson.  Susannah 
Johnson had a sister, Anne., who married Mr. Samuel Sands.  When Mr. Sands visited the 
family, he loved to tell about the printing of the Star Spangled Banner.  He lived to be 
an old, old man and though he was interested in journalism all his life, he always felt 
this was the greatest thing he had ever done.

"And this is the story - Little Sammy Sands went to school during the day and at 
nights he worked in the printing office of the American Advertiser - the paper which 
afterwards became the American Paper. Sammy was not a printer, he only straightened up 
the office at night and had everything clean for the next day.

“One night after the Battle of Fort McHenry, September13, 1814, Sammy has in 
the office with only the head printer.  It was late and all the other men had gone.  A 
poem was brought in.  It was by Francis Scott Key and it was written while he was a 
prisoner on a British ship off the coast of Fort McHenry on the night of the bombardment. 
The printer merely glanced at the poem.  ‘It is too late [to] do anything with this 
tonight’, the printer said.  ‘It will have to go over for the next edition. Tomorrow 
one of the printers can set the type for it.’

"Sammy Sands liked poetry and he picked up the poem and read it, The boy was 
immediately inspired by its glorious patriotism and its thrilling beauty and he begged 
to be allowed to set the type for it that night so that it could be published in the next 
edition.

"The printer told Sammy he did not know anything about setting type and it was too 
late -- that he could not possibly finish it if he worked all night.But Sammy Sands 
knew he held in his hands immortal stanzas and that he must obey the urge he felt to type 
that poem and so he pleaded again to be allowed to set the type for the Star Spangled 
Banner.

"The printer finally agreed to let Sammy try it.  Sammy was left alone in the 
office and he started to set the type.   All night he worked setting the type by hand.  
Every little while he looked at the clock to see whether he or the day light would win. 
Then daybreak dawned and Sammy Sands had finished his task.

"Did Sammy Sands truly know the worth of that poem? He lived to hear it sung from 
one end of our country to the other.   The song in whose honor our men bare their heads 
and our women rise with them when we hear its strains.

Mary Bosley Matthews Mitchell York Road, near Glencoe, Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland
From a Record in possession of Miss Mary Mitchell, Glencoe, Maryland dune 19, 1932"
END OF THE QUOTATION

Scharf in his history of Baltimore City and County, has the following to say at page 
609 when dealing with the Press of Baltimore:

"THE BALTIMORE AMERICAN AND DAILY ADVERTISER

"It is said the number for September 21, 1814 gave to the people their national 
song "The Stars Spangled Banner" written only a week before.  Mr. Samuel Sands, afterwards 
the editor of the American Farmer was an apprentice boy in the American office at that 
time and had the honor of being the first person who set the song in type."
END OF QUOTATION.

The above consolidates the various accounts on the first printing of the Stars 
Spangled Banner. The facts are not 100% in accord with all instances, but none of them 
deny to Samuel Sands or to little Sammy Sands, that he and he alone was the first person 
to set the poem of Francis Scott Key to type.

The following entries were taken from Dielman's card file at the Maryland 
Historical Society on Samuel Sands (1800-1891):

''Samuel sands (1800-1891) was born in Annapolis Maryland.. April 109 1800o Married 
first:Sarah Buckler Innes  April 23j, 1839 by Rev. Richards
Married second: Mrs. Anna J. Buck
Died July 28, 1891.
Sarah (Buckler) Sands died March 12, 1851 in 50 year consort of Samuel Sands. (Baltimore 
American Newspaper issue March 13, 1851.)
END OF QUOTATION

I examined the records in the Orphans Court of Baltimore (Probate Section) and I 
find no will nor any administration for account of Samuel Sands.  The only thing of 
interest was a provision in the will of John Sands dated February 17S 1829 probated 
February 25, 1.829, saying:  

"I will and desire that Samuel Sands shall have the right to purchase my printing 
establishment at a fair valuation" The will also mentions that Elizabeth was the wife 
of John and John's three daughters were:  Rebecca: Elizabeth and Juliana.

There was no record indicating the relationship between John and Samuel Sands; there was n":
- indication that Samuel Sands exercised  the option given under John's will of February 
17.9 1829.

The 1850 Census Record for Baltimore City Maryland covering the family group of Samuel 
Sands (1800-1891) follows:

UNITED STATES CENSUS OF 1850 BALTIMORE CITY MARYLAND
Name           	Age     	Sex     	Occupation     	Birthplace
Samuel Sands   	50      	M       	Printer        	Maryland
Sarah B. Sands 	36	F	Maryland
Sarah J. Sands	20	F	Maryland
William B. 	8	M	Maryland
Susan Sands*	42	F	Maryland
Elizabeth Neely	10	F	Maryland	
(Ward 4 Dwelling 940 Family 1100)
*probably Samuel Sands' sister, (wnw)