The Keysers and Wymans were two of Baltimore's leading civic-minded and philanthropic families during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. William Keyser (1835-1904), his twin brother, Samuel (1835-1906) and their cousin, William Wyman laid the groundwork and provided financial assistance for Hopkins' acquisition of the Homewood site in 1902. William Keyser's son, R. Brent Keyser (1859-1927), was Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1903 until shortly before his death in 1927.

William Keyser was born in Baltimore on November 23, 1835, the son of Samuel Stouffer Keyser and Elizabeth Wyman Keyser. He was educated at various private schools in Baltimore, and entered St. Timothy's Academy in Catonsville in 1846. He and his twin brother, Samuel, remained there until 1850, when their father's declining health and weakening financial situation made it necessary for the boys to leave school. Samuel eventually moved to New York City to make his way in business there, while William stayed in Baltimore to manage his father's warehouses. In 1857, William formed a partnership with his other brother, Irvine Keyser under the name "Keyser Brothers". He was active in the firm, as well as the Abbott Iron Co. and the Baltimore Copper Company, throughout the 1860s/ On November 11, 1858, he married Mary (Mollie) Brent, daughter of the well-known Baltimore lawyer, Robert Brent. They had three children who lived to adulthood: Robert Brent Keyser, Henry Irvine Keyser, and Mathilde Lawrence Keyser. In 1870, William Keyser became involved with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, taking a position as second vice-president during the term of its president, John Work Garrett. While at the B&O, he was instrumental in labor negotiations during the 1871 and 1877 strikes. In 1881, Keyser left the B&O. His action was precipitated by Garrett's decision to promote his son, Robert Garrett, over Keyser. Keyser next ventured into copper manufacturing. In 1882, the court appointed him to oversee the financial affairs of Pope and Cole, a local copper processor. The company had declared bankruptcy, and Keyser, as one of their largest creditors, had a vested interest in seeing them regain solvency. His association with Pope and Cole piqued his interest in the copper industry. He eventually reestablished Pope & Cole as the Baltimore Copper Company and purchased the Baltimore Smelting and Rolling Company. His entry into copper production allowed him to amass a fortune larger than if he had stayed with the railroad. Keyser put his money to many philanthropic uses. He donated funds for a hall at Hannah More Academy in Reisterstown, and was instrumental in the founding of the JHU Homewood campus. Material in the Keyser-Wyman Papers recounts his association with his cousin, William Wyman, who donated a large portion on the land, and their efforts on behalf of the University. Before his death in June, 1904, Keyser was appointed a member of the Citizens' Emergency Committee which was charged with developing a plan for rebuilding the downtown after the calamitous fire of February 1904. The Committee prepared street and dock improvement plans, which were adopted. Keyser died suddenly at his summer home, Brentwood, on June 3, 1904. His wife, Mollie, and three children survived him; Mollie Keyser later died on October 29, 1911.

Robert Brent Keyser, known as R. Brent Keyser, William Keyser's oldest son, was born on August 5, 1859. He attended St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire from 1875-1878. After leaving St. Paul's he embarked on a European tour (June-October 1879). At his return, he began his long career in business, working in the firms connected with his father: Baltimore Copper Smelting and Rolling, Keyser Brothers, Baltimore Electric Refining Company, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

On June 14, 1888, Brent married Ellen Carr McHenry, a descendant of Col. James McHenry. They had three children: Juliana Brent Keyser, later Mrs. Gaylord Lee Clark, Ellen Keyser, who married the diplomat, James Bruce, and William McHenry Keyser.

Throughout his life, R. Brent Keyser was active in many local Baltimore organizations. He served on the boards of the B&O, Municipal Art Society, Mercantile Bank and Trust, National Union Bank, McDonogh School, Baltimore Board of Trade, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, and Hospital Relief Association. He was also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Johns Hopkins University from 1904-1927. R. Brent Keyser, like his father, devoted much time and energy to promoting Hopkins. He participated in the planning and development of, and the fundraising for, the campus at Homewood.

R. Brent Keyser died on March 1, 1927. He was survived by his wife and their two daughters.

Juliana Brent Keyser Clark, R. Brent Keyser's oldest daughter, was born on August 5, 1891. She continued her father's association with Hopkins through her unflagging efforts to have a suitable memorial erected to her grandfather, William Keyser, and great uncles, Samuel and William Wyman. Her correspondence documents this crusade. The University eventually honored the men by naming two quadrangles after them: the upper quad, bounded by the Library and Gilman Hall, became the Keyser Quadrangle, and the lower quad, the Wyman Quadrangle. Juliana and her husband, Gaylord Lee Clark, carried on her family's longstanding interest in their history. She collected additional genealogical data, and compiled family-related newspaper clippings. The Clarks were married on April 16, 1921. Juliana and Gaylord had five children: a son, Gaylord, and four daughters, Juliana Watts, Mathilde Holmes, Letitia Sexton, and Sally Cary Wolff. Sally Cary died in 1966, followed in 1969 by Juliana's husband. Juliana died in March, 1975. She was survived by her son, and her other three daughters. After their mother's death, the daughters donated the family papers to Johns Hopkins University.