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Yonsei News

[YONSEI NEWS] 3rd, 4th, and 5th Generation Descendants of Underwood Gather In Seoul

연세대학교 홍보팀 / news@yonsei.ac.kr
2012-06-22

On June 1st, the third, fourth, and fifth generation descendants of Dr. Horace Grant Underwood (Won Du-woo) took a picture together in front of the Underwood Statute on Sinchon Campus. From the third generation, there was Richard Underwood (Won Deuk-han), who was a U.S. Army translation officer for the 6.25 Korean War Ceasefire Agreement and former Principal of Seoul Foreign School; from the fourth generation, Peter Underwood (Won Han-seok) and his wife Diana Underwood, and Won Deuk-han’s other son Fred Underwood and daughters Marilyn Underwood Burney and Elizabeth Underwood, and Elizabeth’s husband David Coleman; as for the fifth generation, Won Han-seok’s daughter Malissa Underwood and her husband Craig Michell, and Won Yo-han’s son Thomas Underwood. For Richard Underwood, it was his visit to Yonsei in five years. The Underwood family came together not only to attend the 100th anniversary ceremony of Seoul Foreign School, but also to visit the Underwood Memorial Hall after its renovation and honor their great grandfather Won Du-woo’s noble foundation spirit. On May 17th, the family looked around the new Underwood Memorial Hall, a former residence of the Underwood’s. This place is where the third, fourth, and fifth generations lived in their childhood. Fred Underwood said, “I remember when we played sleigh-riding in front of the house” and Won Han-seok said, “My room was in the very right side. When I lived here, there were a lot of magnolias in the front yard.” Pointing to a tree in front of the building, Richard Underwood said, “I planted that tree myself.” The old tree that is over 80 years old continues to stand by the Underwood Memorial Hall. Stepping in Won Du-woo’s room in the Memorial Hall, Richard Underwood said, “This place was the kitchen when I used to live here. The house used to be a two-story building. There were three fireplaces on the first floor, and two on the second.” Looking around Won Il-han’s room, he added, “This was Dr. Horace Underwood’s study room. It was packed with thousands of books, but they were all burnt during the Korean War.” Richard Underwood also shared a story while looking at the pictures in the Hall. In 1931, the Underwood sons went on a boat trip, but met an unexpected typhoon. They stayed in a house in Hwanghae-do for 3-4 days and were able to return to Seoul thanks to the help from the people there. It was Sunday worship when they arrived home. Entering the church building, the boys saw the surprised faces. “If it were not for the people in Hwanghae-do who helped us come home, we would not have been able to attend the Sunday service that week.” That day, the Underwood family also visited the Foreign Missionary Cemetery in Yanghwajin. In the evening, they attended the gala dinner show at Hyatt Hotel in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Seoul Foreign School.