Border Vidette, Nogales AZ October 11, 1930. Page 3
PASSING OF DR UNDERWOOD
Scores of the leading citizens of Nogales, including many of the pioneer families, attended the funeral of John C. Underwood, prominent pioneer mining operator and engineer and former jurist, which took place Tuesday morning at the Episcopal church Rev. James L. Patton officiated and interment followed at Nogales cemetery, says the Nogales International.
Those serving as pallbearers were A.L. Peck, C.F. Holler, H.W. Kelsey, H.M. Ciagett, W.J. Mitchell and Dr. W.F. Chenoweth all of whom had been close friends of deceased for many years.
Mr. Underwood was a remarkable character, a man who had traveld extensively and who had mastered many subjects. He was an attorney-at-law, having been admitted to the bar in Louisville, Ky., and later to the Arizona bar at Phoenix. He was considered an expert mining engineer and geologist. For years he practiced medicine in Mexico, although he never graduated from a medical college, and he was a writer of note, having written several books and contributed special articles to the Saturday Evening Post, New York World and many other publications during his life time.
John Crittenden Underwood was a native of Kentucky. He was born at Bowling Green on January 17, 1854 and was nearing the seventy-seventh mile post of life when his unexpected death occurred last Saturday morning. He became suddenly ill a (sic) he stepped from a train on the Mexican side of the international line and died before a phycician (sic) arrived.
His father was Warner L. Underwood, a prominent pioneer of Virginia, who was a slave owner before the Civil War and who was sent by President Abraham Lincoln as consul general of the United States to Glasgow, Scotland.
Mr. Underwood first came to Nogales in 1885 and three years later he journeyed back to New Orleans, La., where he married Miss Hattie Eveline Sprague, a member of an old and well known Southern family. After spending their honeymoon at his old home at Bowling Green, Ky., they came to Nogales to live, but it was not long before they started to travel. Mr. Underwood's experience as a mining engineer soon made him known throughout the country and he and Mrs. Underwood traveled from state to state fifteen years. They were in every state in the Union several times and also lived in Canada, Mexico and several South american countries.
While living in Mexico Mr. Underwood practeced medicine in addition to looking after extensive mining duties and he had a very large practice. He understood the Mexican people as few Americans have and he was universally loved by those people.
When his unexpected death occurred in Nogales, Mrs. Underwood had been visiting in Los Angles and San Francisco and while there she had planned a surprise for her husband. She was arranging to have translated into Spanish a book which Mr. Underwood wrote years ago entitled "The Cobler of Tepic." It had been published in English and some time ago. In it Mr. Underwood drew a beautiful word picture of the intimate life of the Mexican people, following them in their joys and sorrows and their ambitions and emphasizing through out their inate love for the beauty in art and music. Mrs. Underwood said yesterday she will have the book translated into Spanish and have it copyrighted in Mexico.
The deceased is also survived by two nephews, Underwood Nazro, vice president of the Gulf Refining company at Houston, Texas, and Frank Nazro of Los Angeles. He also leaves four nieces, Miss Mary Underwood, Mrs. Josie Hines and Mrs. Lucy Merriwether, all of whome reside in Bowling Green, Ky, and Mrs. Kate Poynte of Maysville, Ohio. He was a first cousin of the late Oscar Underwood, United States Senator from Alabama.
Nogales International, Nogales, AZ May 4, 1940. Page 4
Sudden Death Of Well Known Pioneer Woman Shocks Both Sides of Line
Americans and Mexicans in all walks of life on both sides of the international border were deeply grieved to learn of the death at 7 o'clock Saturday morning of Mrs. Delfina Rochin de Vergobbi, about 65 years of age, very charming pioneer woman of this district.
She passed away at her home in goobi residence Sunday morning and the profusion of beautiful floral offerings attested to the high esteem in which she was held by her hundreds of acquaintances.
Mrs. Vergobbi is survived by her husband and two adopted daughters, Mrs. Rohan Cluff and Mrs. Francisco Uribe, the three being among the border's leading citizens and who, in their hour of bereavement, have the sympathy of the public in general.
BORN IN ALAMOS
The well known pioneer was born in Alamos, Sonora, and spent most of her life in Nogales. She was educated in Guaymas and Tucson and Los Angeles, graduating from a business college in the later city.
Upon completion of her business course, Mrs. Vergobbi, who was connected by blood ties with some of the most illustrious personalities and families of Mexico, established in Nogales, Sonora, the first store dealing exclusively in curios during a period when women in business were a rarity on both sides of the line.
Over a period of almost 40 years she followed her career as proprietress of a curio store with few intermissions. Accompanied by her husband, she frequently went to the interior of Mexico to secure art goods of the finest quality available. The Vergobbi parent location on International street in Nogales, Sonora, and La Industria Mexicana store at 33 Elias Street, across the line, are treasure houses of beautifully wrought curios of all kinds.
TELLS OF EARLY DAYS
On March 27th exactly one month before the death of Mrs. Vergobbi, the Nogales International carried an article in which she described early days at Nogales.
"What a good time we used to have here," she said. "In the days before the fence was built between the two countries we never thought of Nogales as two separate towns. We celebrated all the holidays of both countries together, joined in our dances and entertainments no matter which side of the line they were given on and everyone was very happy."
That article in The International on March 27th carried Mrs. Vergobbi's picture, (the one appearing in today's paper) [Omitted] and it was the first time, she said, "I ever had my picture in a newspaper."
Copyright © AZGenWeb 2021 AZGENWEB-SANTA CRUZ CO., ARIZONA: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial researchers, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for presentation in any form by any other organization or individual. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express written permission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed Santa Cruz Co. Coordinator. Quick Links
Contact UsIf you have questions, contributions, or problems with this site, email: Coordinator: Jean Walker State Coordinator: Colleen Pustola Asst. State Coordinators: Tiffany Flowers and MD Monk Questions or Comments?If you have questions or problems with this site, email the County Coordinator. Please to not ask for specfic research on your family.
|
