Levi Underwood (December 24, 1821 – March 11, 1902) was a lawyer and politician from Vermont. Originally a Democrat, Underwood's antislavery views caused him to join the new Republican Party when it was founded. Underwood was most notable for his service as the 23rd lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1860 to 1862.
A native of Hardwick, Vermont, Underwood was raised and educated in Hardwick, studied law, and attained admission to the bar in 1842. A longtime resident of Burlington, Underwood was also active in railroads, banking, and insurance. Originally a Democrat, he served in local offices including justice of the peace. He was State's Attorney of Chittenden County from 1852 to 1854. He joined the new Republican party at its founding, served as president of its 1856 state convention, and was a delegate to the 1856 Republican National Convention. In September 1856, Underwood was elected to a one-year term in the Vermont Senate, and he served from October 1856 to October 1857.
In 1860, Underwood was the successful Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. He was reelected in 1861, and served from October 1860 to October 1862. As lieutenant governor during the American Civil War, Underwood supported the Union war effort through efforts including subscription drives to raise money for equipping soldiers from Vermont. Underwood declined to become a candidate for reelection or any other office in 1862, and returned to his Burlington business and legal interests. When Burlington became a city in 1865, Underwood served a two-year term on its original board of aldermen.
Underwood retired in the mid-1880s, and lived at the Brattleboro Retreat. He died in Brattleboro on March 11, 1902. Underwood was buried at Greenmount Cemetery in Burlington.
Early life
Levi Underwood was born in Hardwick, Vermont, on December 24, 1821, a son of Silas Underwood and Lucy (Leslie) Underwood. He was raised and educated in Hardwick, where his father served in local offices including selectman and justice of the peace, and which he represented in the Vermont House of Representatives. Underwood studied law with Luke P. Poland in Morrisville, attained admission to the bar in 1842, and moved to Burlington.
Legal and business career
Underwood practiced law in Burlington, first in partnership with B. J. Tenney, and ultimately as a solo practitioner. In addition to practicing law, he was also involved in several businesses, including serving as a director and president of the Bank of Burlington. When the bank merged with the First National Bank of Burlington, Underwood served on First National's board of directors.
Underwood was also a director of the Champlain Mutual Fire Insurance Company, president of the Burlington Manufacturing Company, which manufactured flooring tiles, and president of the Burlington Board of Trade. In 1856, he was elected to the board of directors of the Vermont Central Railroad. In 1872, he was an original incorporator of the Winooski and Burlington Horse Railroad Company.
Political career
Start of career
Underwood became active in politics as a member of the Democratic Party, and he served in local offices including justice of the peace. He was Chittenden County's State's Attorney from 1852 to 1854, elected by a coalition of Democrats and the Free Soil Party.
Underwood's anti-slavery views caused him to join the Republican Party at its founding, and he was president of the state party's 1856 state convention, and a delegate to the 1856 Republican National Convention. He was a member of the Vermont Senate from 1856 to 1857. During his senate term, Underwood was a member of the judiciary committee and the committee on joint rules. In addition, he was appointed to the committee that drafted the senate's response to the portion of the governor's annual message pertaining to the issue of slavery.