Philip Key (1750 – January 4, 1820) was an American congressional representative from

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...

. Key was the son of Dr. John Key and was probably born on his father's estate near

Leonardtown, Maryland Leonardtown is a town in and the county seat of St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,563 at the 2020 census. Leonardtown is perhaps most famous for the national oyster-shucking championship that is held annually at th ...

. His father died in 1755, leaving his grandfather and later his uncles to act as his guardians. He pursued an academic course in England. Key eventually returned to Maryland and engaged in farming, he then began to study law and was later admitted to the bar and practiced. Key served in the

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis ...

in 1773, he then became a member of the committee of correspondence for St. Mary's County, in 1774. He again served as a member of the House of Delegates during 1779–1790. Key was then elected to the Second Congress, and represented the 1st Congressional district of Maryland from March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793. Key then returned to the House of Delegates in 1795 and 1796 where he served as speaker. Key died in Chaptico, Maryland, and is likely interred in the churchyard there. Key is also the cousin of

Philip Barton Key Philip Barton Key (April 12, 1757 – July 28, 1815), was an American Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War and later was a United States Circuit Judge and Chief United States Circuit Judge of the United States circuit court for the Fo ...

and great-grandfather of

Barnes Compton Barnes Compton (November 16, 1830 – December 2, 1898) was a Representative of the fifth congressional district of Maryland and a Treasurer of Maryland. Early life Barnes Compton was born on November 16, 1830 in Port Tobacco, Charles County ...

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s* Speakers of the Maryland House of Delegates Members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland 1750 births 1820 deaths Members of the Maryland House of Delegates People from Leonardtown, Maryland Key family of Maryland {{Maryland-politician-stub