Frederick Saunders Underhill
1865-1957
He once described himself as a "willing horse who tromped
along the road." Unfailingly loyal, generous, honorable, wise and,
most apparent, active are traits that more accurately described Frederick
Underhill. Mr. Underhill, or as residents knew him "Uncle Fred" served
Lansdowne in numerous roles including as a member of the Lansdowne School
District Board of Directors for 38 years, 23 of them as president. He
was active in the Union Athletic Association, joining the organization
shortly after it was formed in 1903 and remained involved in organizing
the borough's Fourth of July activities for the next 50 years. He served
various organizations that provided relief during World War I and later
would provide a significant donation to construct the Lansdowne World
War II Memorial. In his spare time as a young man he enjoyed playing
baseball and remained an avid fan throughout his life.
Born in Montreal, Canada Underhill came to the Philadelphia as a young
man. When he was sixteen years of age, while awaiting a special service
at the Arch Street Methodist Church in honor of the assassinated President
James Garfield, Underhill was greeted by a number of young men who challenged
him to accept Christ as his savior. At this young age ,Underhill made
what he considered his most important commitment. Underhill went on to
organize St. Matthew's Methodist Church at 52nd and Chestnut Streets,
Philadelphia. He preached at the church for several years until it grew
to a size that it needed a full-time pastor.
It was in 1893 that Underhill moved to Lansdowne and began his 64 years
associated with the Lansdowne Methodist Church. During those years he
saw the construction of the original church building and then the construction
of the present day building. He served the church in every role from
substitute janitor, preacher, Sunday School Superintendent to president
of the board of trustees. He was recognized for his 75 years of service
to the Philadelphia Annual Conference of Methodist Church.
Professionally, Underhill was a senior partner with the Philadelphia
lumber wholesale firm of Wistar, Underhill & Company. He was considered
an industry leader in the wholesale lumber business and served on the
National Hardwood Lumbermen's Association and was one of the founders
of the United States Chamber of Commerce. There is a story handed down
regarding Mr. Underhill's business practices. During the Great Depression,
his firm suffered as many did during this period, great financial losses
and had to renegotiate with his creditors. Though the agreements with
these creditors stipulated that he had to only pay a portion of the debt
owed, Underhill promised to pay the creditors in full and with interest.
True to his word Underhill did exactly what he had promised.
Mr. Underhill and his wife Hattie Macartney did not have any of their
own children but did look after numerous nieces and nephews and served
as an advocate for all of the children of Lansdowne in his role as a
member of the Lansdowne School Board. Not satisfied with serving in a
decision-making only capacity for the school district, "Uncle Fred" would
don a Lansdowne High School sweater and join the cheerleaders along the
football sidelines to cheer the home team on. In recognition of his unending
commitment to the school, the students named "Uncle Fred" an
honorary cheerleader.
His career as an elected member of the school board ended in a manner
that demonstrates the commitment Underhill had for the students and the
respect of the community for him. He had just won re-election to the
school board, but two of the women running for a seat were not elected.
Underhill met with the other members of the school board and stated that
he felt that it was crucial that women be represented on the board because
their perspective on the needs of the students were different from that
of the men on the board. He offered to resign his seat as long as the
remainder of the board would fill his seat with the woman who had the
greatest number of votes. The board did as Underhill requested. In return,
the board elected Underhill an honorary lifetime member of the Lansdowne
School Board.
In an article that appeared in the January 20, 1944 edition of The Christian
Advocate a guest during a testimonial dinner for Underhill, said, "It's
almost incredible the amount of good a man can do who devotes his lifetime
to sincere and unostentatious service wherever he is needed." As
was tradition he walked from his home at 19 East Plumstead Avenue to
his office at 1530 Locust Street in Philadelphia up to his 90th birthday.
His life-long walk would come to an end in his 92nd year in 1957.