JUDGE JAMES W. UNDERWOOD

From the 1887 History of Vernon County, Missouri, p. 427:

James W. Underwood

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Section 28-38-33, Post-office, Hume).

   Mr. Underwood was born in Cass county, Mo., May 7, 1838, and is connected by birth with a family whose reputation is not confined alone to this part of Vernon county.  Jackman K. Underwood, his father, was a son of Joel Underwood, who was born March 12, 1776, in the State of North Carolina, and died September 19, 1840, near Lone Jack, Mo.  His wife, whose maiden name was Susannah Cunningham, was of Scotch-Irish extraction and was born January 28, 1782; she died May 25, 1839, leaving the following children:  Jackman K., Wesley, Narcissa, John H., William H. H., Grizella, James F., Sally, Susan Rebecca, Eliza and Martha.  The first named child, Jackman K., first saw the light in Surry county, N. C., on the 4th of January, 1805.  He grew up in his native State, taught school there and in Virginia, and while in the Old Dominion married Miss Amanda Leonard.  Leaving that portion of the country in 1837 Mr. Underwood moved westward, finally taking up a location in what is now Cass county, Mo., during the following fall.  In 1868 he came to Vernon county and made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Frank Lawrence, under his widely mourned death January 18, 1880.  Perhaps no man had a stronger hold upon the affections of the people in this community than Mr. Underwood.  Plain, honest and honorable in all his dealings, his life was above reproach; for over forty years he was connected with the M. E. Church South, lived a faithful, earnest Christian career, and was devoted to the church.  To be in the classroom and at the love-feast was to him the greatest pleasure, and in his humble way he would say, "I am stumbling along toward Heaven and I expect to stumble in after awhile."  To know this esteemed man was to love him.  He was the father of five children:  William C., now deceased; James W., Rossy A., now Mrs. F. M. Lawrence; Susan M., deceased, as is also Henry H.  James W. Underwood, a worthy member of the family whose name he bears, was reared to a farm experience, and has always followed that calling, and with uniform good success.  In March, 1869, he settled in this county.  During the war he enlisted in Co. A, 16th Missouri infantry, serving actively in the siege of Lexington, battle of Lone Jack, Jenkin's Ferry, Pleasant Hill, and others of severe importance, returning after the close of the war to his home in Cass county.  March 27, 1872, Miss Mary Bowman, of Fremont county, Ia., became his wife.  She was born in 1852.  They have one child, Ada, born October 13, 1873.  Mr. Underwood is the owner of 360 acres of land.

TO ATTEND RE-UNION OF HIS OLD COMPANY.

     Judge J. W. Underwood of Walker, one of Vernon county's ex-Confederate veterans, left on the noon train for Independence to attend the thirteenth annual reunion of his company, which is Company A, 16th Missouri Infantry.  Judge Underwood attends the reunion of his old company each year and these occasions are always a source of much pleasure.

The Nevada Daily Mail, Nevada, Missouri.  October 6, 1908.

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