Representative John Quincy Underhill

John Quincy Underhill (February 19, 1848 – May 21, 1907) was a U.S. Representative from New York, representing the state’s 16th congressional district. He was born in New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York, where he spent virtually his entire life. Raised in a community that was then transitioning from a rural town to a growing suburban center, he attended both private and public schools in New Rochelle, receiving a local education that prepared him for further study and civic engagement.

Underhill pursued higher education at the College of the City of New York (later the City College of New York), where he undertook the classical and commercial studies typical of the period. His education there provided him with the grounding in business and public affairs that would later inform both his professional career in insurance and his service in local and national government. Although specific details of his course of study are not recorded, his subsequent work suggests a strong aptitude for finance, administration, and public service.

After completing his education, Underhill entered the insurance business, which was becoming increasingly important in the expanding economy of the late nineteenth century. In 1869 he joined the Westchester Fire Insurance Company as a clerk, beginning at an entry-level position that allowed him to learn the business from the ground up. Over the next two decades he advanced steadily within the firm, assuming greater responsibilities in management and finance. In 1892 he rose to become vice president and treasurer of the company, a dual role that placed him at the center of its executive leadership and financial operations.

Parallel to his business career, Underhill became deeply involved in the civic life of New Rochelle. He was elected a village trustee in 1877, participating in the oversight of local ordinances, public works, and community development at a time when the village was experiencing growth and modernization. In 1878 he was elected village president, the chief local executive office, and he was reelected to that position in 1880, reflecting the confidence of his fellow citizens in his leadership. In addition to these posts, he served as town auditor, supervising and reviewing the financial accounts of the municipality, and he was a member of the local board of education for several years, contributing to the administration and improvement of the public school system.

Underhill’s record in local government and his prominence in business led to his selection as a Democratic candidate for Congress. He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-sixth Congress in 1898 from New York’s 16th congressional district, which included parts of Westchester County. In that election year he was the only Democrat to be elected from Westchester County, underscoring both the competitive political environment of the region and his personal appeal to voters across party lines. He entered Congress on March 4, 1899, and served one full term, participating in the national legislative process during a period marked by the aftermath of the Spanish–American War and the country’s growing international role.

During his tenure in the House of Representatives, which lasted until March 3, 1901, Underhill aligned with the Democratic Party on the major issues of the day, though the surviving record emphasizes his single term rather than specific legislative initiatives. At the conclusion of his service, he chose not to be a candidate for renomination in 1900. In keeping with this decision, he retired from both business and politics when his term ended, withdrawing from public life after more than two decades of combined local and national service.

In his later years, Underhill continued to reside in New Rochelle, where he remained a respected figure owing to his long association with the community, his leadership in the insurance industry, and his record in local and national office. He died from heart disease in New Rochelle on May 21, 1907. His funeral and burial took place in the city he had long served, and he was interred in Beechwoods Cemetery, a resting place for many of New Rochelle’s prominent citizens.