William Wilson Underhill (13 September 1839 – 11 June 1935) was an American businessman who was president of the United States Fire Insurance Company of New York. He was educated at Burlington College and the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his professional roles, he was a descendant of

Captain John Underhill John Underhill (7 October 1597 – 21 July 1672) was an early English settler and soldier in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Province of New Hampshire, where he also served as governor; the New Haven Colony, New Netherland, and later the Pro ...

and served as the first president of the

Underhill Society of America The Underhill Society of America is a non-profit family genealogical society that was organized in Brooklyn, New York, on June 16, 1892. The Society was incorporated in 1903. The purpose of the Underhill Society of America is to perpetuate the memo ...

, a lineage society that was formed to perpetuate John Underhill's memory.

Biography

Underhill was born in New York City on September 13, 1839, the son of Ira B. Underhill (1800-1857), grandson of Joshua Underhill (1765-1839), and great-grandson of Isaac Underhill (1726-1814). Underhill was raised in

Burlington, New Jersey Burlington is a city in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 9,743. Burlington was first incorporated on October 24, 1693, and was r ...

and was graduated from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

. From 1859-1862 he served as a clerk in the insurance business. Underhill married Emily H. Griffin, the daughter of John L. Griffin who was a prominent member of the

Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

. He also served as a member of the Township Committee of

Montclair, New Jersey Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. As ...

in the 1890s. In business he was a clerk in the commission business from 1858 to 1862. He entered the service of United States Fire Insurance Company in 1862 as assistant secretary. In 1865 he became secretary and in 1882 he was elected President, replacing his uncle Abraham Sutton Underhill who served as President before him. A war among insurance companies around 1898, caused a committee of 15 New York based insurance companies to be formed, and to organize a tariff association. E.C. Irvin of the Fire Association of Philadelphia said at the time, "Rates at first were made so high as to invite and foster unfair and illegitimate competition, loose practices, private deals, broken agreements, and at last utter demoralization. A meeting in September 1898 called for an association to rate and govern the fire insurance businesses in New York City. He was involved in discussions leading to formation of the tariff association, given his role as President of the United States Fire Insurance Company. Underhill was subsequently elected as Secretary for the Fire Insurance Tariff Committee. Citing the withdrawal of small companies and a large loss ration for the last two months in 1898, that the work of the committee would be favorably received. Underhill was selected as the first President of the

and also Chairman of the Monument Committee. The Underhill Society of America was founded in 1892 with the purpose of helping to establish this monument. Having made insufficient headway with raising the $6,000 in needed funds, He resigned as President of the Underhill Society and as Chairman of the Monument Committee.

Estelle Skidmore Doremus Estelle Emma Doremus ( Skidmore; May 6, 1830 May 21, 1905) was the daughter of Hubbard Skidmore, who served in the American Revolutionary War, and became a charter member and honorary vice president general of the National Society of the Daughter ...

took his place as the second President. Underhill died in the home of his daughter Mrs. Henry C. Meyer, Jr., at 25 Highland Avenue in

, on June 11, 1935. Underhill had been living there the past 15 years prior to his death at the age of 96. Surviving beside his daughter were two sons: Ernest Underhill of Verona, New Jersey and John Griffin Underhill of St. Petersburg, Florida.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Underhill, William Wilson 1839 births 1935 deaths University of Pennsylvania alumni Businesspeople in insurance Businesspeople from Montclair, New Jersey