Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-03-25
HE READ GREEK.
Once wealthy, College Graduate and
Presidents Friend.

Presidents Friend.
| Joseph Underwood, an eccentric
and very poor old man. was found
dead in his hut, seven miles north
west of Pomona. Cal, near the Dalton
canyon. He had died of heart dis
ease, from which he had long suffered.
The old man probably suffered from
lack OF food during his last days,
His coffin, that he himself had made
from rude fence boards several years
ago, was found beneath his bed.
There are few men who have met
with the great changes in fortune
that the deceased did in his seventy
two years of life. He was the son Of
wealthy parents in England and was
student AT Cambridge University
for three years. He came to the
United States in 1913 with $40, 900
and for several years added largely
to his money In boat factory III
Buffalo. He was prominent in society
IN that city and was on friendly terms
with such men as ex-Presidcnt Fill
more and Lewis Allen, the uncle Oh
Grover Cleveland In some affair
with u young lady in Buffalo young
Underwood's character was so injured
that he lost his business and led
irom Buffalo with only few hundred
dollars. He made another small for.
tune by lucky investments in the
growing city of Chicago in 1880 and
started for California with other
young men who had the gold fever.
vi the horrors Of starvation. thirst.
cold and heat Of the seven months
Underwood spent in coming across the
plains he always spoke with d shuddcr.
says the San Francisco Examiner. He
was several years recovering his
broken health, and when he did he
had not dollar During sixteen
years Underwood made fortune ~ /
ABOUT $4,000 in mining In Nevada
and then lost il all Ia a placer
mining scheme in Yuba county. For
year or two he was So poor that he
vas helped by charity. Then he made
strike in some real estate transac-
Ion, and for several years every deal
10 made In real estate was success
al. He had about $1,000 in 1870
nd went 20 Europe He travelled
broad for a year, and became en-
aged 70 young widow on the
teamer that brought him back 10 thi,
ountty. and was married at Trinity
hurch as soon as they arrived.
Underwood was so flush with money
those days that he gave the minis
y $1,000 as marriage fee. la less
ian six months Underwood and his
ride had parted In great anger. and
. gave her $4,000 10 leave him for.
'er. He returned to California ana
'ent several years in Potaluma and /
IN Francisco. but his spirit wns /
oxen. He lost his property III a
inc on the ComstGpk. and after G
ore poverty made several thousand I
'ilars In Tombstone, which ho sub. 4
quently lost in real estate in san a
ego. b
The last eight or nine years II Tn d
rwood's life were spent In the most /,
Iect poverty imaginable. He lived
one IN a hut and -ub-isted on money "
lde from the sale OF firewood. m q
- the dirtiest and most uukempt Z,
rson in Pomona valley. Ilo hated il
world and despised every one who 4
d means. His only recreation was "
reading a Greek testament from Of
iich he could repeat whole chapters RI
the original from memory. III r
q numerous cousins, ncphcws ana 70
cles in Sacramento and Tehama b.
mites, but left no record 81 who pr
" are or where they live. Two OF
lars will buy all the property the trl
man left. th