The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., November 25, 1936, page 1
MRS. UNDERWOOD EARLY PIONEER PASSES AWAY
Granddaughter of Chief of Mid-Columbia Indians, born in 1857.
The passing of Mrs. Isabelle Lear Underwood, oldest pioneer in the Underwood community in Portland Friday, November 20th, marked the close of an eventful life of one of the hardest pioneers ever to settle in the great Mt. Adams Area.
Funeral services were held at Underwood cemetery Monday afternoon, with the largest procession in that section of for some time. She left a large number of descendants that mourn her loss.


OBITUARY
She was born May 21st, at Hood River in the ancient Indian village of Chenowith, the site of which is now occupied by the Morton farm. She was a granddaughter of Chief Chenowith, of the Mid-Columbia tribe of Indians. Her mother was the Chief's second daughter Mellen, who was married in 1858 to Lieutenant William K. Lear of the United States Army, then stationed at the Upper Blockhouse at the Cascades. Lieutenant Lear was afterwards transferred to California and is now buried at Port Angeles, Washington.
His daughter Isabelle Lear at the age of 15 was married to Edward Underwood, of which union and there were born 11 children. Eight of these is still survived, Lovisa, Grace, Maggie, Nellie, Isabelle, Corbett and William. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren and by her sister Mrs. William Lane of Underwood.
When only 10 years old the deceased was brought to Underwood, the first child at this place, and lived there ever since until her death in Portland, Friday, November 20th, 1936 at the age of 79 years, five months and 29 days.
It was altogether fitting that on the beautiful autumn day, Monday, November 23rd, she was laid to rest in the Underwood cemetery which had been donated by her husband and herself as a burial lot for the people of this locality. The funeral service at the grave was conducted by Rev. H.V. Rominger and Mrs. K.H. Putney who sang two beautiful and touching musical selections. There was a large audience and many beautiful floral tributes.
Her memory will survive like the green grass above her grave not as that of the pioneer, but as a native born, the daughter of aborigines, who were here centuries before the white man came with his covered wagons, railroads, automobiles and airplanes. We take off our hats and stand aside as she passes on to the great realm of the great spirit from which no traveler ever returns.
The Mt. Adams Sun, November 25, 1936



The Oregon Journal, Portland, OR., August 24, 1935
"I was born at what is now Hood River, on May 21, 1857," said Mrs. Edward Underwood when I interviewed her at her home at Underwood, Wash. "Amos Underwood settled here first. My husband, Edward Underwood, who was his brother, came a little later. Amos took up the claim on which the town of Underwood is located. My husband took up a claim a little back from the river. This, his first claim, is now known as the Goddard place. The second place he owned is the property of Louie Thun. My husband owned a wood ranch on the mountain. They cut wood on his place and slid it down the river bank, loaded it on a scow, and when the wind was blowing up the Columbia they sailed up to The Dalles, with a sold the wood. My husband and Amos ran a saloon here for some years.
"My maiden name was Isabelle Lear. My father, William K. Lear, was born in Virginia. He was a soldier under General Philip H. Sheridan. As you know, Sheridan commanded a company of regulars at the time the Yakimas and Klickitat attacked the white people at the Cascades, late in March, 1856.
"My mother and my grandmother were members of the Cascade tribe. My grandfather, Chief Chenoweth, was a member of the Hood River tribe of Indians. When the Yakimas and Klickitats attacked the Cascades they escaped, and the Cascade Indians were left to bear the brunt of punishment for the attack. The Cascade Indians had always been friendly with the whites. My grandfather, Chief Chenoweth, had saved Mr. Hamilton, for whom Hamilton Creek and Hamilton mountain were named, from being killed by Indians. Chief Chenoweth and eight other Cascade Indians were hanged. Indians do not write history, and while the white men, at the time the incidents occur, may know the facts, the history is written by the white men, so the Indian side is rarely known or told. You will usually find that when a treaty is made with the Indians the white men expect the Indians to observe it to the letter, while the white men observe the treaty if it is to their interest to do so; otherwise, they will violate it.
Naturally, the Indians are restless when no dependence can be placed on the word of the white men. If Indians wrote their side of the Indian wars it would frequently be found that they were caused either by the bad faith of the white men or by acts of aggression of the whites. When white men are killed there must be a victim sacrificed to atone. Chief Chenoweth, though a friend of the whites, was a victim of the vengeance of the white men.
"My father was here only a short time, and left this part of the country before my birth. In fact, I did not see my father until I was married and had children. Many young army officers who served in Oregon and Washington prior to the Civil war had Indian wives. It was a custom at that time, and there are a large number of half-breed Indians in Oregon and Washington whose fathers later became distinguished army officers during the Civil war.
"My mother died here about 30 years ago.
"I learned to cook when I was a girl. I helped Mother cook from the time I was 12 until I was married at the age of 16. As soon as I was married I began cooking for the wood choppers my husband employed. My daughter, Grace, was postmaster here in the early days. When I was a little girl we used oil for lights - either seal oil, bear oil or Steelhead salmon oil. In those days there were lots of surgeon, seal and salmon in the Columbia river.
"My husband was a 11 years older than I. He was 27 and I 16 when we were married. He was born in Iowa on March 31, 1846. My daughter Lavisa was born on September 1, 1872; Grace, December 14, 1875; Maggie, June 17, 1878; Cornelia, June 9, 1880; William, October 30, 1882; Lafayette, March 30, 1886; Elsie, January 15, 1888; Lottie, October 6, 1890; Kate, April 21, 1893; Corbett, February 9, 1896; Isabell, March 14, 1905. I have 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.



Their suggestion:
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Isabelle Lear Underwood had a 1/2 brother she probably never knew about. His name was William "Billy" King Lear Jr
After the Civil War, Isabelle's father returned to the Pacific Northwest, where he took another Indian wife. Her name was Xwelas/ given Christian name of Mary. Lear once again did the same thing that he had done to Isabelle and her mother Ellen, he deserted them.