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Asa
Underwood, for whom Asa Underwood Chapter Daughters Of The American
Revolution is named, was born at Woburn, Massachusetts, on August 30,
1752. Asa,
like many of the men who made up the army of the Revolution, was not a
soldier by trade, but a peaceful, landowning farmer who laid aside the
plow to fight for his country’s freedom. When
a campaign ended, he would return to till the soil so dearly bought,
only to march again to war when the need arose.
He
was 23 when he marched with Col. Davis Green’s regiment on the alarm
of April 19, 1775, at Cambridge.
This was only eleven days after the famous “shot heard ‘round
the world” was fired at Lexington, setting off the War of Independence.
He saw service at intervals thereafter throughout the war.
Asa
Underwood was twice married and fathered 13 children.
He died at Dracut, Massachusetts, on October 3, 1834, and is
buried there.
One of his sons, Ammon, emigrated to Texas in 1834 where he
settled at East Columbia, then called Marion, and conducted a successful
mercantile business.
He took part in the fight for Texas Independence and in the
affairs of the young republic.
The
Asa Underwood Chapter was organized on November 24, 1941, by his
great-granddaughter, Laura Underwood.
Eight of his descendants are past or present members of the
chapter which bears his name.
West
Columbia is known as the First Capitol of Texas. A replica of the first
capitol building can be found in West Columbia.
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