WILLIAM UNDERWOOD was born about 1829 in Roane County, Tennessee, and died about 1878. He married MAHALA TUCKER Abt. 1854, daughter of WILLIAM TUCKER and ELIZABETH SMITH. Mahala was born Abt. 1836 in Illinois.

An obituary from 1878 appears to be his. The birthdate of 20 September 1829 matches the birthdate recorded for a William Underwood in a published genealogy (Patriots: Their Footsteps Erased by Mary Howenstein, 1987). This would make him one of the 14 children of Jesse and Mary (Ledbetter) Underwood, who moved from Roane County, Tennessee to Union County, Illinois in 1847.

If this connection is valid, then William Underwood was 1st married previously to Nancy Jane Green in Union County, Illinois 6 January 1850. William and Nancy had a son named Mastin Underwood, who was born 11 November 1852. Nancy died days later on 19 November 1852. Shortly after Nancy's death, William left Illinois and moved to Missouri. His son Mastin was listed in the houshold of William's mother in Union County, Illinois in 1860. Mastin died young on 10 November 1860.

The William and Mahala Underwood family appears in Linn Township, Dent County, Missouri in the 1860 census.

During the Civil War, four of William's brothers back in Illinois served in the Union Army. Copies of Prisoner of War Records I received from Glenna Prather appear to indicate that Willam served as a Private, Sergeant, and Lieutenant in the Confederacy, in the Missouri State Guard. He was captured in Reynolds Coujnty, Missouri on 2 May 1863. He was first taken to Salem, Missouri, then Rolla, Missouri, and then Gratiot Street Prison in Saint Louis, Missouri. At Gratiot, he made a statement, in which he indicated that he was 32 years old, lived in Dent County, Missouri, and was born in Roane County, Tennessee. In the statement, William was asked how many children he had, and he said four. This matches the census records for William and Mahala's oldest children: Mary Elizabeth, John, Francis, and Sarah.

He stated that he had been in arms twice serving under Generals McBride and Marmaduke. He had fought at Wilson's Creek, Drywood, and Lexington. The Battle of Wilson's Creek was was fought 10 August 1861 near Springfield, Missouri. The Battle of Dry Wood was 2 September 1861 in Vernon County, Missouri. The First Battle of Lexington, Missouri was fought from 13 September 1861 to 20 September 1861. He indicated that he served first as a private for four months and twelve days, and was discharged for disability. After about three months, he headed to Arkansas to re-enlist. He provides the date of his second enlistment as in Company K, Colonel Preston's Regiment on 25 August 1862 in Randolph County, Arkansas. He was promoted to Sergeant and then to Lieutentant about 3 February 1863. At the end of April 1863, he was left sick by General Marmaduke at Fredericktown, Missouri. When he recovered, he went by to visit his family before returning to his unit in Arkansas, and was captured.

In the 1870 census, William and Mahala's family were still listed in Linn Township, Dent County, Missouri. Some time in the 1870's, they apparently moved to Northeast Arkansas. By 1880, Mahala was a widow living in Union Township, Dunklin County, Missouri. She remarried to Isaac Stoner on 1 Sep 1890 in Dunklin County, and died 17 Aug 1893.

Children of WILLIAM UNDERWOOD and MAHALA TUCKER are:

1) MARY ELIZABETH UNDERWOOD was born 24 Dec 1855 in Missouri, and died 15 Mar 1931 in Newton County, Arkansas. She married HARVEY DOKE RICH 08 Jun 1873 in Dent County, Missouri, son of WILLIAM RICH and KEZIAH HAMPTON. He was born 11 Sep 1844 in Tennessee, and died 22 Mar 1918 in Newton County, Arkansas.

Children of MARY UNDERWOOD and HARVEY RICH are:

i. ADA CATHERINE RICH, b. 29 Jun 1874, Missouri; m. JOHN W. MAHAN 6 Aug 1893, Shannon County, Missouri; b. Abt. 1866, Missouri.

ii. WILLIAM HARVEY RICH, b. 27 Sep 1875, Kennett, Dunklin County, Missouri; d. 22 Dec 1956, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas; m. ANNIE ISABELLE VANDERPOOL, 13 Jan 1905, Newton County, Arkansas; b. 28 Apr 1888, Newton County, Arkansas; d. 17 Feb 1977, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas.

iii. BARTLEY DOKE RICH, b. 03 Mar 1877, Bartlett, Shannon County, Missouri; d. 31 Dec 1944, Newton County, Arkansas; m. (1) THENA CAMPBELL; m. (2) SARAH ISABELLE WILSON, 08 Dec 1899, Red Rock, Newton County, Arkansas; b. Abt. 1885, Tennessee.

iv. FRANCIS RICH, b. Abt. 1879.

v. ANN RICH, b. Jun 1880.

vi. ELIZABETH ARMINTA RICH, b. 29 Oct 1883, Missouri; m. DAVID MONROE EASTER, 10 Oct 1906, Newton County, Arkansas; b. 08 Apr 1883, Arkansas; d. 15 Mar 1969, Washington County, Arkansas.

vii. HARRY FRED RICH, b. 05 Dec 1886, Cotton Plant, Dunklin County, Missouri; d. 15 Mar 1969, Stilwell, Adair County, Oklahoma; m. ARMINDA ELNORA BEAN, Newton County, Arkansas; b. 24 Feb 1890, Oklahoma; d. 20 Feb 1974, Stilwell, Adair County, Oklahoma.

viii. CORA VIOLA RICH, b. 23 Sep 1888, Missouri; m. JOSEPH E ZEARING.

ix. HERMAN CHRISTOPHER RICH, b. 25 May 1890, Missouri; d. 13 Oct 1954, Sikeston, Scott County, Missouri; m. ELSIE BEAN; b. 12 Jun 1901, Arkansas; d. 20 Jan 1984, Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas.

x. MAGGIE KEZIAH RICH, b. 28 Dec 1893, Birchtree, Shannon County, Missouri; d. 29 Aug 1976, Arkansas; m. (1) RICHARD LEE JONES, Abt. 1912; m. (2) JOHN HALL, Abt. 1919; b. Jan 1880, Arkansas; m. (3) GEORGE PATRICK, Abt. 1928; b. Abt. 1883, Arkansas.

xi. EMMA RICH, b. 05 Jul 1897, Deer, Newton County, Arkansas; d. 29 Jan 1988, Redding, Shasta County, California; m. (1) VERNON DAVIS; m. (2) JAMES ABRAHAM BOWERS, Apr 1914, Swain, Newton County, Arkansas; b. Abt. 1892, Missouri; m. (3) WESLEY PERKEY, 1929, Salinas, California.

xii. MAHALA RICH, b. 26 Mar 1899, Wayton, Newton County, Arkansas; d. 24 Oct 1973, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico; m. ROBERT MURAT HALL, 23 Sep 1916, Wayton, Newton County, Arkansas; b. 12 Mar 1890, Patrick, Madison County, Arkansas; d. 20 Jan 1967.

2) JOHN A. UNDERWOOD was born Abt. 1858 in Missouri. He married CORETHA GLASSCOCK 25 Feb 1885 in Dunklin County, Missouri. She was born in Arkansas, and died Bef. 1900.

Children of JOHN UNDERWOOD and CORETHA GLASSCOCK are:

i. DORA J. UNDERWOOD, b. 13 Aug 1885, Missouri; d. 08 Jan 1964, Florida?; m. ISAAC N. MANGRUM, 13 May 1906, Craighead County, Arkansas; b. 22 Dec 1884, Arkansas; d. 16 May 1961.

ii. ALLIE UNDERWOOD, b. Apr 1889, Missouri; d. Abt. 1972; m. WILLIAM M. WHITLEY, 20 Jan 1906, Craighead County, Arkansas; b. Abt. 1881, North Carolina; d. Abt. 1951.

iii. DAN W. UNDERWOOD, b. Jan 1895, Missouri.

3) FRANCIS M. UNDERWOOD was born Oct 1859 in Missouri. He married ELIZABETH MOURNING. She was born Mar 1871 in Tennessee.

Children of FRANCIS UNDERWOOD and ELIZABETH MOURNING are:

i. WILLIAM R. UNDERWOOD, b. Mar 1891, Missouri.

ii. CHARLES C. UNDERWOOD, b. Dec 1896, Missouri.

4) SARAH M. UNDERWOOD, b. Abt. 1862.

5) JACOB C. UNDERWOOD was born Feb 1866 in Missouri. He married (1) LUCY E. FURGERSON 26 Sep 1894 in Dunklin County, Missouri. She was born Feb 1876 in Missouri. He married (2) MATTIE BANKS 08 Oct 1908 in Craighead County, Arkansas. She was born 20 Oct 1885, and was the daughter of John and Evie BANKS.

Children of JACOB UNDERWOOD and LUCY FURGERSON are:

i. EMMIE CORDELIA UNDERWOOD, b. 20 Oct 1895, Arkansas; d. Apr 1982, Black Oak, Craighead County, Arkansas; m. BERT D. PLUNK, 24 Feb 1917, Craighead County, Arkansas; b. 1883, Tennessee; d. 1953.

ii. WILLIAM FRANCIS UNDERWOOD, b. Dec 1897, Kentucky.

6) MUNSON UNDERWOOD, b. Abt. 1867.

7) RILEY W. UNDERWOOD was born 1869, and died 04 May 1926. He married PINNEY Abt. 1892. She was born Oct 1876 in Tennessee.

Children of RILEY UNDERWOOD and PINNEY are:

i. ETHEL M. UNDERWOOD, b. Oct 1895, Arkansas.

ii. ANNIE B. UNDERWOOD, b. Oct 1897, Arkansas.

iii. OSCAR? S. UNDERWOOD, b. Nov 1899, Arkansas.

8) JOSEPH S. UNDERWOOD, b. Jan 1872, Missouri; m. JULIA, 22 May 1925, Craighead County, Arkansas; b. Abt. 1880. Joseph died Feb 1937 in Paragould, Greene County, Arkansas.

9) RUTH MAHALA UNDERWOOD was born 15 Dec 1873 in Arkansas, and died 22 Dec 1949 in Hornersville, Dunklin County, Missouri. She married WILLIAM HARRISON BRANUM 20 Nov 1890 in Dunklin County, Missouri, son of PARISH BRANUM and MARY HORNER. He was born 17 Mar 1870 in Dunklin County, Missouri, and died 31 Oct 1953 in Kennett, Dunklin County, Missouri.

Children of RUTH UNDERWOOD and WILLIAM BRANUM are:

i. LILLIE BRANUM, b. Abt. 1892.

ii. PETER BRANUM, b. Abt. 1893, Missouri; m. CORA; b. Abt. 1897, Arkansas.

iii. EMMA BRANUM, b. 05 Mar 1895, Clay County, Arkansas; d. 19 Apr 1933; m. GEORGE DUNAWAY.

iv. LOUIE BRANUM, b. Abt. 1897.

v. ALBERT BRANUM, b. 20 Oct 1898, Arkansas; d. 08 Oct 1934.

vi. ELLA BRANUM, b. Abt. 1904, Missouri.

vii. CLARENCE BRANUM, b. Abt. 1907, Missouri.

viii. BETTIE BRANUM, b. Abt. 1908, Missouri.

ix. DESSIE BRANUM, b. Abt. 1909.

x. MILTON BRANUM, b. Abt. 1911, Missouri.

xi. ALICE BRANUM, b. Abt. 1913, Missouri.

10) JESSIE UNDERWOOD, b. Abt. 1877.