Walter Underhill (September 12, 1795 – August 17, 1866) was a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Biography

Born in New York City, he completed preparatory studies and became active with his brothers in a successful flour business which had been started by their father. Underhill was also involved in several civic endeavors, and served in local government. He was a trustee of the

New York House of Refuge The New York House of Refuge was the first youth detention center, juvenile reformatory established in the United States. The reformatory was opened in 1824 on the Bowery in Manhattan, New York City, destroyed by a fire in 1839, and relocated firs ...

, and

Treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury o ...

of New York City for several years. He served on the board of managers of the Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquents in the city of New York from 1845 to 1866, and was Treasurer from 1857 to 1866. Underhill was elected as a Whig to the Thirty-first Congress, holding office from March 4, 1849, to March 3, 1851. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1850. Underhill advocated an end to slavery, and also supported efforts to have former slaves settle in Liberia, with compensation paid to their former owners. Regarded as a moderate on the slavery issue, Underhill frequently conversed with

Alexander H. Stephens Alexander Hamilton Stephens (February 11, 1812 – March 4, 1883) was an American politician who served as the vice president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, and later as the 50th governor of Georgia from 1882 until his death in 1 ...

, later Vice President of the Confederate States of America, as they sought ways to end slavery which would obtain enough public approval to avert the coming

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. After leaving office Underhill was President of the Mechanics & Traders' Insurance Company in New York City. Underhill died in Whitestone, Long Island in 1866, and was interred was in

Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and a designated National Historic Landmark. Located south of Woodlawn Heights, Bronx, New York City, it has the character of a rural cemetery. Woodlawn Cemetery opened during th ...

.Underhill Society of America
Annual Report
1904, page 28

References

External links

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a
''Political Graveyard''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Underhill, Walter 1795 births 1866 deaths Politicians from New York City City and town treasurers in the United States Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) 19th-century American politicians