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Underwood Mountain, Washington, as seen from Ruthton Overlook, Oregon.
Image taken October 25, 2003.
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Underwood ...
Underwood Mountain ...
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Underwood Mountain, Washington (2,755 feet elevation), is an early Pleistocene shield volcano, erupting between 20,000 and 850,000 years ago, and covering east-dipping Grande Ronde Basalt a few hundred feet above the river. The basalt of Underwood Mountain is composed of numerous blocky, jointed flows, each about 10 to 30 feet thick. The total thickness of the basalt reaches at least 590 feet. Underwood lavas crossed and probably briefly dammed the Columbia River, as remnants of the Underwood flows can be found on the Oregon side.
Underwood Mountain rises between the Little White Salmon River downstream, and the White Salmon River upstream. The towns of Underwood and Hood lie at its base, along with the Spring Creek Fish Hatchery. A good view of Hood, Underwood, and Underwood Mountain can be had from the Oregon side of the Columbia at Hood River, or just west of Hood River at Ruthton Park.
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Underwood Mountain, Washington, as seen from Hood River, Oregon.
The Spring Creek Fish Hatchery at Hood, Washington, is at the base of Underwood Mountain.
Image taken September 26, 2003.
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Click image to enlarge
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Underwood Mountain, Washington, as seen from Hood River, Oregon.
The Spring Creek Fish Hatchery at Hood, Washington, lies at its base.
Image taken September 26, 2003.
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Early Underwood ...
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According to Place Names of Washington (Hitchman, 1985) the Washington town of Underwood was named for Andoniram Judson Underwood, a veteran of the Yakima Indian wars who settled on the west bank of the White Salmon River at it's confluence with the Columbia in 1875. Mr. Underwood platted the townsite in the fall of 1881.
"Sally" Victoria Mistretta (personal communication, 2008) writes the town of Underwood was founded by her Great-Great-Grandfather Amos Underwood.
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"Your article on Underwood WA and Underwood mountain are very nice indeed, but I would like to make a correction on the founder of Underwood. The founder was Amos Underwood who filed and established the town of Underwood. He was born December 10, 1834 in Cincinnati, Ohio of John and Lovisa Underwood. He came west on a wagon train September 9, 1852. He was a famed Indian fighter during the Cayuse wars. On June 1, 1861 he married Taswatha Ellen Chenowuth the daughter of Chief Chenowuth, who was hung in 1856. I am her Great, Great Granddaughter and with several other cousins have been working on our family roots in the Gorge, and the East. The family Cemetery is at the top of the hill on the Cook Underwood Rd. I hope you can use this information."
["Sally" Victoria Mistretta, January 31, 2008, personal communication, used with permission]
The 1870 Federal Census for Skamania County, Washington Territory, lists Amos Underwood, age 34, farm labourer, born in Indiana, race "W", and Ellen Underwood, age 30, keeping house, born in Washington Territory, race "I", and four children, Isabella, age 14, Jefferson, age 7, Mary, age 5, and Marshal, age 1 (Rootsweb.com Website, 2008).
The 1875 cadastral survey map (tax survey) for T3N R10E, Section 22,
shows two Underwood homes lying west of the White Salmon River. The homes are divided by the "Trail to the Cascades".
North of the trail is the home of "A. Underwood" and south of the trail is the homeof "E. Underwood" (Bureau of Land Management Website, 2008).
The 1880 Federal Census (found on "Rootsweb.com") lists Amos Underwood, age 43, farm laborer, color "W", and his wife Ellen Underwood, age 40, color "W", and 3 children, Jefferson, age 18, Mary, age 15, and John, age 11. The 1880 census also lists Ed Underwood, age 24, farmer, color "W", and his wife Lavinia, age 23, keeping house, and 3 children, Gracie, age 7, Maggie, age 5, and Isabel, age 1 (Rootsweb.com Website, 2008).
The Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office Records (2007) show
Amos Underwood being granted title to 160 acres of parts of T3N R10E, Sections 21 and 22, on July 7, 1885 (1862 Homestead Entry Original), and 164.5 acres for parts of T3N R10E, Section 23, on July 21, 1896 (1820 Sale-Cash Entry).
The records show Edward Underwood being granted title to 160 acres for parts of T3N R10E, Section 22, on February 10, 1882 (1862 Sale-Cash Entry), and Edward Underwood being granted title to 160 acres for parts of T3N R10E Section 15, on October 26, 1892 (1862 Homestead Entry Original).
In 1979 the U.S. Board of Geographic Names made "Underwood" the official name for the community.
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Amos Underwood ...
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From "The Hood River Glacier", Hood River, OR., December 19, 1917, page 1 (courtesy "Rootsweb.com"):
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AMOS UNDERWOOD CALLED BY DEATH
Amos Underwood, a pioneer resident of Underwood, well known in Hood River, died Saturday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mary V. Olson at Underwood.
Mr. Underwood was 83 years old and came to Oregon from Iowa in 1852. He was a veteran of early Indian wars and served as Corporal in Company B, Oregon volunteers. He was a member of the party which captured the famous Cayuse chief, Pepe Mux Mux. Later, when an Indian uprising threatened the settlement of Hood River, Mr. Underwood rendered valuable assistance to troops sent from the Dalles to protect the settlement.
Mr. Underwood was active in the development of the Underwood section, where he and a brother, Edward, took up a homestead and from whom the town of Underwood received its name. For many years they operated a ferry between Underwood and Hood River, while they also operated flat boats from Cascade Locks to The Dalles for many years before there were steamers plying the middle Columbia river.
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Mary Lane and Ellen Underwood ...
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From "The Hood River News", Hood River, Or., February 24, 1950 (courtesy "Rootsweb.com"):
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MARY LANE WAS HISTORIC FIGURE OF MID-COLUMBIA, By Mrs. Nora Rumbaugh
(Editor's note: Mrs. Lane, who passed away on Saturday of last week, was born at North Bonneville, Wn., at the time of the Civil War and was known and respected throughout the mid-Columbia region. The following tribute by Mrs. Brumbaugh should be of interest to all residents.)
Mary Underwood Lane was born on April 17, 1864 in North Bonneville, Wn., at the home of Aunt Wac-oo'-bule in Chief Wa-bana-ha's village. She died in White Salmon hospital February 14 and was buried in the family cemetery at Underwood, Wn. on Tuesday, February 2(sic).
Her parents were Amos and Ellen (Chenowuth Lear) Underwood. Her father was born on December 2, 1833, in Ohio and died in 1917 at Underwood. He came to Oregon from Missouri in 1852 and was a private in the Yakima war in 1855. He first homesteaded, or purchased, the pre-emption of Peter Rudio in Hood River county (then Wasco county) in 1859. He took out his patent in February 10, 1864, and sold out to John Marden later. He then moved to Skamania county, Wn., where he homesteaded with a soldier's warrant west of White Salmon river (then in Klickitat county), buying railroad, timber and stone land until he owned 320 acres. He also had 10 gold mines along the river, operated at ferry between White Salmon and Hood River and owned a saloon at Underwood, Wn., which was named for him. He was familiarly known as "Captain Ame." He had a hotel and ferry at John Day with Day Leonard and owned three freighting scows also.
Mrs. Lane's mother was Ellen Chen-O-wuth of the Royal Columbia river Indian family. She was born in 1841 at Wy-yac-eck, Cascades Falls, Ore. Ellen had married Lt. William King Lear in 1856, to which union was born a daughter, Isabella, on May 21, 1857. A separation followed in 1858. Amos and Ellen were married in an Indian ceremony in 1861. They were married later by the Rev. Thomas Condon, as was the custom. Ellen died the same year as her husband.
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Lewis and Clark Medals ...
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On April 11, 1806, during Lewis and Clark's return trip, the Captains handed out a "Medal of the Small size" to the Chief of the "Clah-clel-lah" tribe. This medal, one of the "Washington Season medals", ended up at the Maryhill Museum by way of the Chief's grand-daughter, Mary Lane.
From "The Hood River News", Hood River, Or., February 24, 1950 (courtesy "Rootsweb.com"):
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"... Mrs. Lane was a colorful figure in this area and was much sought out by historians. The Oregon historian, J. Neilson Barry, who visited with her many times, convinced her to take her mother's heirlooms to the Maryhill museum. ... Among the collection was a necklace with a medal given to her grandmother, Queen Sally Wa-chi-chus by Lewis and Clark in 1806 at the famous council held at Cascade Falls. ..."
From the Lewis and Clark's Journals:
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"... a cheif of the Clah-clel-lah tribe informed us that there were two very bad men among the Wah-clel-lahs who had been the principal actors in these seenes of outradge of which we complained, and that it was not the wish of the nation by any means to displease us. ... The Cheif appeared mortified at the conduct of his people, and seemed friendly disposed towards us. as he appeared to be a man of consideration and we had reason to beleive much rispected by the neighbouring tribes we thought it well to bestoe a medal of small size upon him. he appeared much gratifyed with this mark of distinction, and some little attention which we shewed him.
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[Lewis, April 11, 1806]
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"... a Cheif of the Clah-clal-lahs Tribe informed us that there was two very bad men who had been guilty of those mischevious acts. that it was not the wish of their tribe that any thing should be done which might displese the white people. this Chief had a large fine pipe tomahawk which he informed me he got from a Trader he called Swippeton. I exchanged tomahawks with this Chief, and as he appeared to be a man of consideration among the tribes of this neighbourhood and much conserned for the ingiries offered us, we gave him a Medal of the Small Size which appeard. to please him verry much; and will I hope have a favourable tendincy, in as much as it will attach him to our interest, and he probably will harang his people in our favour, which may prevent any acts of violence being Commited, on either Side.
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[Clark, April 11, 1806]
The fate of the medal given by Lewis and Clark on April 11, 1806, and eventually ending up at the Maryhill Museum is not good.
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"... At the recent annual meeting of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation I had the pleasure of chatting with Mike Venso who is doing scholarly research on the Peace Medals. His research indicates that there are 2 large, 4 mid-size, and 5 small Jefferson Peace medals documented. There were 11 known Washington medals, but the two at Maryhill Museum have been reported missing ..."
[Mike Carrick, Oregon Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, September 2000 Newsletter, vol.II, no.IV.]
[MORE on Jefferson Peace Medals]
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Mount Hood from Underwood ...
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Great views of Mount Hood can be seen from Underwood.
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Mount Hood, Oregon, from Underwood, Washington.
Underwood is just downstream of the White Salmon River, looking towards Mount Hood. Hood River, Oregon is just upstream.
View from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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