Catherine (Reynolds) Underwood (1808 - 1869)

Born 28 Sep 1808 in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Richard Yeomans — married 1828 (to 1833) in St Matthews Church of England, Windsor, New South Wales, Australia

Wife of Thomas Underwood (Pounds) Underwood — married 1836 in Presbyterian Church, Singleton, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 12 Jul 1869 at age 60 in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Catherine was born in 1808 to former convicts Richard Beale Reynolds (1769-1837) and Sarah Elizabeth (Sterling) Reynolds (1779-1826).

In 1828 she married Richard Yeomans (1804-1833) at Wilberforce.^[1] While they were together for around five years it appears that they did not have any children together. Richard died in 1833.

In 1833 she married Thomas Underwood (Pounds) Underwood (1805-1883) at Singleton.^[2] Thomas was a son of former-convict-made-good James Underwood (abt.1771-1844) through his common law relationship with convict Philadelphia Pounds (abt.1785-1816). James not only established the colony's first shipyard but also a distillery. When he died in 1844 in England he left an estate including 100 hectares of land around what is now Homebush. Due to the complexity of his family and business relationships it took three acts of the NSW Parliament and more than 30 years before the estate was settled!^[3]

In 1836-1837 Catherine's second husband worked as an auctioneer and then as a brewer. He also had access to his Catherine's properties, left by her first husband. He used some of the money from the sale of the properties to establish his brewery in Maitland. It proved a failure.

The family moved to Bowning where Thomas set up as a publican, seed dealer and ironmonger. He was declared insolvent in 1842.

Expecting a considerable inheritance following his father's death, the family moved back to Maitland and Thomas again began brewing, partnering with Hunter Brewery. He again fell heavily into debt. His inheritance was mortgaged and the family moved to Sydney 'to an old dwellinghouse' in Underwood St, Sydney. He worked occasionally as a storekeeper, though gave his employment as gentleman on his children's birth certificates.

In 1858 the family moved to Paddington. Thomas continued to go into debt with bad investments. He was declared insolvent in 1860.

James and Catherine had at least eight children together including:

1. Maria Frances (Underwood) MacDonnell (1837-1860)
2. Jane (Underwood) Lisson (1839-1875)
3. Thomas Underwood (1842-1867)
4. Sarah Underwood (1843-1872)
5. Mary Ann Underwood (1845-1866)
6. Catherine (Underwood) Felton (1846-1916)
7. James Joseph Underwood (1848-1891)
8. Elizabeth Phillis S Underwood (1850-1851)

Catherine died in 1869.^[4] Her death notice appeared as follows:^[5]

UNDERWOOD—July 12th, at her residence, Paddington-street, Paddington, Catherine, the beloved wife of Thomas Underwood, in her 61st year.

She was buried at Randwick.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ NSW BDM marriage registration 829/1828 V1828829 12
2. ↑ NSW BDM marriage registration 419/1836 V1836419 123
3. ↑ The Underwood Estate. (1877, September 5). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), p. 2. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108193536
4. ↑ NSW BDM death registration 2163/1869
5. ↑ Family Notices (1869, July 14). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved September 25, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13186159
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179172828/catherine-underwood: accessed 03 June 2023), memorial page for Catherine Reynolds Underwood (28 Sep 1808–12 Jul 1869), Find a Grave Memorial ID 179172828, citing Saint Jude's Cemetery, Randwick, Randwick City, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by Gravetas (contributor 49249288).

See also:

• 'Underwood, Catherine (Kate) (1808–1869)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/underwood-catherine-kate-24540/text, accessed 19 September 2021.