Francis Jay Underhill

Last updated
Francis Jay Underhill
Born30 April 1863
Died21 May 1938
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBond broker
Employer(s) Fisk & Robinson, J. & W. Seligman & Co.

Francis Jay Underhill (1863-1938) was a writer, amateur musician, and American bond broker with two firms, Fisk & Robinson and later with J. & W. Seligman & Co., that played a leading role in the financing and construction of the Panama Canal. [1] Owing to his commercial success, Underhill was a collector of art and musical instruments, including many engravings, etchings, and lithographs of noted European and American artists. Underhill was an amateur musician and acquired an Antonio Stradivari violin of 1732 called the "Red Diamond." [2] [3] Underhill was also 4th President of the Underhill Society of America.

Contents

Biography

Francis Jay Underhill was born April 30, 1863, in Chelsea, Massachusetts. [4] In 1880 he worked as a clerk in the Blackstone National Bank in Boston, Massachusetts, and later in Chelsea. In 1881 he moved to Buffalo, New York, and worked for the Standard Oil Company. [5] While in Buffalo, Underhill married Eliza Corning Otto.

After working for Standard Oil for several years, he struck out on his own in business as a manufacturer and wholesale dealer of pine and hardwood lumber between 1885 and 1900, under the name F.J. Underhill & Co. He continued in this role until around February 2, 1898. Facing financial difficulties, he relocated to New York City and became engaged in banking with Fisk & Robinson and later with J. & W. Seligman & Co. [6] He was a delegate to the American Convention of Bankers held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1902, reflecting his status. [7]

Francis Jay Underhill and his wife had one child, Helen Underhill, who was born on March 9, 1890, in Buffalo, New York, and died as a toddler on June 18, 1892. [8]

Following the death of his first wife in 1919, Underhill married his Hendrika Charlotte de Gee (18 Dec 1887-17 Apr 1985) of The Hague ('s-Gravenhage), The Netherlands, on October 17, 1928. Hendrika was the daughter of Charles Isaac de Gee and Sara Anthonetta (de Pril) de Gee of The Hague, The Netherlands. Underhill and Hendrika married in London at St. Mary Abbots, Kensington on High Street. [9]

Letters that Francis Jay Underhill wrote to Irving Underhill are held by the Underhill Society of America. They present a travelogue of places he visited in Europe leading to his wedding in London. A May 25, 1928 postcard was sent from London, a July 10 letter from The Hague, and an October 12, 1928 letter from London. These letters also recounted Taylor Underhill's search in England and Holland for material pertaining to the Underhill family. [10]

Underhill was a member of Grace Church, Broadway and Tenth Street in Manhattan, the Holland Society, Union League Club, Saint Nicholas Society in the City of New York, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Garden City Golf Club, and Saint Andrews Golf Club. [1]

Participation in Underhill Society of America

In 1900 he was on the committee that helped to plan the 8th reunion of the Underhill Society of America that met in Locust Valley, New York. [11]

In his capacity as Vice-President of the Underhill Society of America, he was actively involved in efforts to erect a memorial in honor of Captain John Underhill at the Underhill Burying Ground, succeeding in 1907. When the monument was formally dedicated on July 11, 1908, Francis Jay Underhill was responsible for giving the speech of acceptance. This was just prior to the formal comments delivered by President Theodore Roosevelt. [12]

Underhill served as 4th President of the Underhill Society of America between 1924 and 1932. He also worked with David Harris Underhill to compile materials for The Underhill Burying Ground. [13] These two men compiled and edited materials for The Underhill Burying Ground: An account of a Parcel of Land situate at Locust Valley, Long Island, New York, deeded by the Matinecock Indians, February twentieth, sixteen hundred and sixty-seven, to Captain John Underhill, for Meritorious Service and known as the Underhill Burying Ground. This book was published in 1926.

Between 1927 and 1930, Underhill worked with other descendants, s among those people, including William Wilson Underhill, E. Steward Underhill, Willard Underhill Taylor, and Myron Charles Taylor, to commission Henry C. Shelley in writing a book, John Underhill: Captain of New England New Netherland. This book was eventually published in 1932. A separate work was commissioned and written by John H. Morrison and entitled The Underhills of Warwickshire. This book by Morrison was published contemporaneously with Shelley's work.

Death and bequests

Underhill died May 21, 1938, at his residence at 129 Columbia Heights. Brooklyn, New York. [1] Upon his death instructions were provided to give his widow, Henriette Charlotte of Scheveningen, Holland, $20,000 in trust for life. For his housekeeper, Mary Ewel, who resided at 129 Columbia Heights, he left a trust fund of $10,000. Janette Corning Otto of Buffalo, sister of his first deceased wife, received a $4,000 trust fund. He left $2,000 to the Children's Hospital of Buffalo and $1,000 in trust to provide a perpetual fund for toys for the Christmas Manger Service of Grace Church, Manhattan. Trust funds of $3,000 each were bequeathed to nieces, Helen Sampson Fish of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth F. Cook of Haddonfield, New Jersey, and to Mrs. Johanna Sandstand of Bornholm, Denmark. [14]

The Library of the Late Francis Jay Underhill was published in catalog format following his death and numbered over 52 pages. [15] From his library, 217 volumes, including a 48-volume set of the works of Sir Walter Scott, found their way to the Boston Public Library. [16]

Owing to his commercial success, Underhill was also a collector of antiques and art objects. Following his death, his estate gave many items to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. [17]

Two violins, one by Antonio Stradivari (1732), known as the "Red Diamond," were also donated to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. [18]

Underhill also left an estate of more than $10,000 in personal property, which was given to the president and fellows of Harvard College. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Stradivari</span> Italian luthier (1644–1737)

Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a craftsman of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial Strad are terms often used to refer to his instruments. It is estimated that Stradivari produced 1,116 instruments, of which 960 were violins. Around 650 instruments survive, including 450 to 512 violins. His instruments are considered some of the finest ever made, and are extremely valuable collector's items.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stradivarius</span> String instruments built by Stradivari family, particularly Antonio

A Stradivarius is one of the violins, violas, cellos and other string instruments built by members of the Italian family Stradivari, particularly Antonio Stradivari, during the 17th and 18th centuries. They are considered some of the finest instruments ever made, and are extremely valuable collector's items.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giovanni Battista Guadagnini</span> Italian luthier

Giovanni Battista Guadagnini was an Italian luthier, regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. He is widely considered the third greatest maker after Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesù". The Guadagnini family was known for their violins, guitars and mandolins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivry Gitlis</span> Israeli violinist (1922–2020)

Ivry Gitlis was an Israeli virtuoso violinist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. He performed with the world's top orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paganini Quartet</span> American virtuoso string quartet

The Paganini Quartet was an American string quartet founded by cellist Robert Maas and violinist Henri Temianka in 1946. The quartet drew its name from the fact that all four of its instruments, made by Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737), had once been owned by the great Italian violinist and composer Niccolo Paganini (1782–1840).

The Kopelman Quartet is a Russian string quartet founded in 2002 by Mikhail Kopelman (violin), Boris Kuschnir (violin), Igor Sulyga (viola) and Mikhail Milman (cello). They studied at the Moscow Conservatory in the 1970s, but pursued individual careers for twenty-five years before founding the quartet.

The Otto Booth; Cho-Ming Sin Stradivarius of 1716 is an antique violin fabricated by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) of Cremona. The original label of the instrument was "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis faciebat Anno 1716". The Booth Stradivarius has a two-piece back and has a body length of 35.4 cm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ames Stradivarius</span> Violin by Stradivari (1734)

The Ames Stradivarius of 1734 is an antique violin, made by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. It is one of only 450–700 known extant Stradivarius instruments in the world. The Ames is named for violinist George Ames who owned it and performed with it in the late nineteenth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giuseppe Guarneri</span> Italian luthier

Bartolomeo Giuseppe "del Gesù" Guarneri was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri family of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and for many prominent players and collectors his instruments are the most coveted of all. Instruments made by Guarneri are often referred to as Del Gesùs.

Francesco Rugeri, also known as Ruger, Rugier, Rugeri, Ruggeri, Ruggieri, Ruggerius, was the first of an important family of luthiers, the Casa Rugeri in Cremona, Italy. His instruments are masterfully constructed. His violins are inspired by Nicolò Amati's "Grand Amati" pattern. Francesco was the first to develop a smaller cello design, which has become the standard for modern cello dimensions. Today, Rugeri's instruments are nearly as renowned as Nicolò Amati's instruments.

The Hellier Stradivarius of c. 1679 is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy. It derives its name from the Hellier family, who might well have bought it directly from the luthier himself.

The Kiesewetter Stradivarius of circa 1723 is an antique violin fabricated by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). The instrument derives its name from its previous owner, German composer and violinist Christophe Gottfried Kiesewetter (1777–1827).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Hottinger Collection</span>

Hottinger Collection – formed in New York City by Henry Hottinger.

The Tom Taylor Stradivarius is an antique violin made by renowned luthier Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy, circa 1732. Its namesake is British art critic Tom Taylor. Taylor was married to its onetime owner, violinist and composer Laura Wilson Taylor née Barker (1819–1905), who had been presented with the instrument by General Thomas Perronet Thompson during her youth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicola Amati</span> Italian master luthier (1596–1684)

Nicola Amati, Nicolò Amati or Nicolao Amati was an Italian master luthier from Cremona, Italy. Amati is one of the most well-known luthiers from the Casa Amati. He was the teacher of illustrious Cremonese School luthiers such as Andrea Guarneri and Giovanni Battista Rogeri. While no clear documentation exists for their being apprentices in his shop, Amati may also have apprenticed Antonio Stradivari, Francesco Rugeri, and Jacob Stainer, as their work is heavily influenced by Amati.

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 memory of Captain John Underhill and his descendants. Captain John Underhill was an important figure in Colonial America, having arrived from England in 1630 to form the colonial militia of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He and his descendants served in important roles in American life from the military, to politics, business, finance, and industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue</span> Italian violin collector (1755–1840)

Count Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue (1755–1840) was an Italian nobleman who was known as the first great connoisseur and collector of violins. A trove of correspondence and memoirs on the history of violinmaking known as the Carteggio forms the basis of his biography. Cozio's meticulous notes on nearly every instrument that passed through his hands contributed enormously to the body of knowledge surrounding Italian violinmaking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Museo del Violino</span> Museum in Cremona, Italy

The Violin Museum is a musical instrument museum located in Cremona. The museum is best known for its collection of stringed instruments that includes violins, violas, cellos and double basses crafted by renowned luthiers, including Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horace William Petherick</span> Artist and illustrator

Horace William Petherick (1839-1919) was an artist and illustrator, a violin connoisseur, and a writer. As an artist, four of his works are in public collections in the UK; as an illustrator, he illustrated over 100 books, some of which are still in print, and his work can be found in digital collections at the British Library, the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, and the Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature; as a violin connoisseur, he owned both a Stradivarius and a del Gesù; and as an author, three of his books are still in print.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "F.J. Underhill Dead; Retired Bond Broker" (PDF). The New York Times. May 22, 1938. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  2. ↑ Red Diamond. Red Diamond Mandolins. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. ↑ Cozio.com: violin by Antonio Stradivari, 1732 (Red Diamond). Cozio.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2005. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ↑ Genealogical Record, Volume II. Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York. 1916. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  5. ↑ Isles of Shoals Landmark: Miss Underhill's Chair. New Hampshire's History Blog. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  6. ↑ The New York supplement, Volume 78. West Publishing Company. 1903. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  7. ↑ Proceedings of the ... annual convention of the American Bankers' Association. The American Bankers Association. 1902. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  8. ↑ "Isle of Shoals Landmark: Miss Underhill's Chair". New Hampshire History Blog. 5 June 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  9. ↑ The New England historical and genealogical register, Volumes 93-94. New England Historic Genealogical Society. 1939. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. ↑ "Letters between Francis Jay Underhill and Irving Underhill" (PDF). 1928. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  11. ↑ Underhill Society Reunion. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 7, 1900.
  12. ↑ President Scores Socialist Ideal as 'Most Dishonest;' Declares Communal Principle to be one of the Grossest Forms of Privilege (PDF). The New York Herald. July 12, 1908. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "Past Presidents". Underhill Society of America. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  14. ↑ Over $20,000 Left by F.J. Underhill (PDF). Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 23, 1938. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  15. ↑ The library of the late Francis Jay Underhill. Dauber & Pine Bookshops, Inc. 1938. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  16. ↑ Annual report of the Boston Public Library, Volumes 78-88. Boston Public Library. 1930. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  17. ↑ "Collections Search". Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  18. 1 2 "F.J. Underhill Left Violins to Museum" (PDF). The New York Times. July 23, 1938. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.