This gentleman is of English ancestry. The first representatives of the Underwood family in this country settled in Lexington, Mass. The records in possession of our subject take him back to his great-great-grandfather, also named Israel, who was a native of Massachusetts, and with his son, Israel, served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The latter after the war closed located at Holden, Mass., where he married, and became the father of a family, among whom was Eber, the father of our subject. The latter was born in Hubbardstown, where he grew to manhood on the farm of his father, who was one of the earliest settlers of that region, to which he had moved soon after his marriage, accompanied by his bride. Upon this trip, which was made in the winter, the snow was so deep they could not get through with the team but walked on snow-shoes the entire distance. There Israel Underwood, Sr., remained until his death. He married Miss Dinah Baker, of Westminster, Mass., and purchased a tract of timber land two miles from the old homestead, where he cleared a farm and spent the balance of his life, dying in 1867 at the age of seventy-three years. The mother survived her husband but three months and then also passed to her long home. Of the seven children but two are now living, our subject and his brother Calvin. The latter is a resident of Worcester, Mass.

Israel Underwood of this sketch has in his possession the old family Bible which has been preserved by the Underwoods for upward of 200 years. From this book we learn that his birth took place in Hubbardstown, Worcester Co., Mass., June 19, 1826. He was the fifth child of his father's family and attended school quite steadily from the time he was six until he was ten years old, and afterward pursued his studies a few weeks of each winter until fifteen. He then commenced life as a teamster, going with a four-horse team from Hubbardstown to Boston, transporting merchandise to and fro for six years thereafter. After reaching his majority he opened a restaurant and boardinghouse in Worcester, and at the same time employed his leisure hours at the shoemaker's trade, which he followed four years. He then engaged in the livery and hotel business at Templeton, Mass., until 1855.

Underwood had now resolved to make a decided change, and believing that the West would provide for him something better than he had known in New England, he started out in January of the year mentioned and coming to this county established himself in Freeport, where he was occupied a year in the hotel business, and then removed to Lena. Here he commenced buying stock for the firm of Giddings & Wilson, and in the years thus engaged accumulated a small capital and determined to start in business for himself. He commenced buying cattle for the St. Paul, Chicago and Eastern markets, and put upon the rails the first carload of stock ever transported from Lena. His operations gradually extended, and in 1861 he became the partner of J. T. Soles, and commenced buying horses. The two continued together until the spring of 1863, when Mr. Soles retired and our subject has conducted the business alone since that time. He now ships annually from 300 to 500 head of horses, and in 1866 shipped 800 head to Boston and other Eastern markets. He has displayed excellent judgment and forethought in the management of this business, and the results have been highly satisfactory to him and to those with whom he has had dealings. His career illustrates in a forcible manner the results of perseverance. Mr. Underwood commenced with comparatively nothing and may now be ranked among the capitalists of Stephenson County. His marriage with Miss Caroline Balcom took place in Ticonderoga, N. Y., in September, 1854. Mrs. U. was born in Hague, Warren Co., N. Y., and was the daughter of John and Cynthia (Densmore) Balcom. She survived her marriage only two years, dying in March, 1856, after becoming the mother of two children, viz: Lillie, now the wife of Dr. Lathrop, of Pecatonica, and Charles R., of Chicago. In 1860, Mr. Underwood was married the second time, to Miss Martha Balcom, the sister of his first wife. Their father, a native of Massachusetts, was the son of Isaac Balcom, also of the Bay State, who removed to New York about 1810, being among the first settlers of Hague. He went there while the land was mostly covered with timber, and cutting the trees away opened up a farm which he occupied until his death. The father of Mrs. U. learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed all his life. He spent his last years in Ticonderoga, where his death took place about 1852. The mother, a native of New Hampshire, died while the family were residents of Hague. Mr. and Mrs. Underwood are pleasantly located, and occupy a dwelling which forms one of the attractive features of the town, and a view of which is given elsewhere in this ALBUM. It is the resort of the cultured people of Lena, and is at once recognized as the home of intelligence and refinement, whose inmates enjoy all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.

Contributed by Carol Parrish from Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 428