(From the Minutes of the Bethlehem Baptist Association. 9th Annual Meeting, 1878, held with New Hope Church, Pollard, Arkansas on (sic) Sept 1878)
The Committee on Obituaries made the following report which was adopted, namely:
W. R. Underwood, who was a deacon of the church at Pleasant Valley, has departed this life. He was born Sept 20th, 1829 and professed faith in Christ at the age of nineteen and was a faithful member of the Baptist Church from that time until his death on Aug 13, 1878. His seat is vacant in our midst. He has been called by the Master of assemblies from labor to refreshments. Believing our loss to be his gain, therefore be it:
Resolved that this body tender to his bereaved family their heartfelt sympathies. While a husband and father sleep in death, a soldier of the cross has fallen at his post. May the great head of the church fill the vacancy caused by the death of our brother with his spirit to comfort the breaved (sic) family. To the Lord's care and protection we commend the bereaved widow and fatherless children.
Respectfully, Submitted,
H. Holcomb
G. Lively
John Underwood, Committee
Note: I typed this from a copy a transcription of this obituary from Beverly Underwood. I added "(sic)" once where there was an incomplete date, and once for a misspelling.