St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-03-19
Levi p. Underwood Dead.
A Native of Hardwick. aud Lleu''-""''
ernOr of Vermont During Gov ErA'-
rus Fairbanks' Second Term

A Native of Hardwick. aud Lieut'"GOF-
erDor of Vermont During Gov. ErAS-
,us Fairbanks' Second Term
After 20 years of retirement from the
practice of his profession, II OF winch
were spent at the Brattleboro Retreat,
Ex-Lieut. Gov. Levi P. Underwood died
a. Brattleboro March II. But a short
time before his death communication
was received telling of the death OF his
wife which occurred at the home OF her
dapqhter in New York less than "a hours
before he passed away. This intelligence
was NOT communicated to the dying
man As Mr.. Underwood was native
Of Caledonia county, and began his two
terms as lieutenant governor of the state
during Governor Erastus Fairbanks sec
ond administration, sketch OF his lite
will be of interest in this vicinity.
Levi Underwood was porn in Hard
wick. December "a, 1921. He was the
son of Silas Underwood, who was a
nrominent citizen of that town, which he
represented in the legislature in 1883
and in which he held the Offices OF justice
of the peace, selectman tor many years,
and other local offices. His mother,
Marv Leslie, was descended from a
family OF Scotch covenanters whose later
members emigrated to America. MI
Underwood studied law with Hon. Luke
P. Poland at MorrsvilIe, was admitted
to the LamoiIle county bar in 1S42, ana
a few months later began the practice OF
law in Burlington. His vigor OF intellect
industry, and capacity in the prepare,
ton of his cases, and gifts as clear and
forcible speaker, soon brought him a
lucrative practice. In the prolonged
railroad Iitigations of a generation ago
he was prominent as an attorney ano
counsellor; and he came to be recognized
as one OF the leaders of the Vermont bar
with a wide acquaintance and large
practice in this and other states. Ht
was Tohn Gregory Smiths leading coun
sci in Vermont Central litigation, anc
was also leading counsel for Jim Fisk'
when he was at the height OF his spec
tacular career.
MIR. Underwood was prominent IN poll
tics, having been a Free Soil democrat
he Joined the republican party when
was first organized in Vermont. Hewa
elected to the state senate as repuhl,
can in 1856, and was an able and init
entail senator In 1860 he was electe
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT on the ticket wit
Gov. Erastus Fairbanks, and was rt
elected in 1861, on the ticket with Gov
Frederick Holbrook. He was appolnte
by the governor a delegate from Vel
mont to the famous peace conierenc
called by the legislature of Virginia, l
January, 1861, in a futile effort to pr
vent the impending civil war, and h
came home from that conference sati
fed that the issues between the Mort
and South could be settled only by tt
arbitrament of war. As president of tt
state senate and adviser to our first tw
war governors, he rendered importar
service in sustaining the honor and cred
of the state and the cause OF the govern
ment during the first trying years OF II
war, and he was always earnest and pa
riotic in the cause of the Union.
The double funeral of Mr.. and M
Underwood was held at st. Paul's churc
Burlington, Thursday afternoon.