Mell Gilbert Underwood was a United States Representative from Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 and a United States federal judge

United States federal judge

In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....

.

Born at Rose Farm

Rose Farm, Ohio

Rose Farm is an unincorporated community in southwestern York Township, Morgan County, Ohio, United States. It lies along State Route 669 at its intersection with Tatmans Road. Ogg Creek, which meets the Moxahala Creek just north of Rose Farm, runs through the community...

 in rural Morgan County, Ohio

Morgan County, Ohio

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, Underwood attended the public schools. He was graduated from the New Lexington High School

New Lexington High School (Ohio)

New Lexington High School is a public high school in New Lexington, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the New Lexington City School District. Their mascot is the Panthers.-Famous alumni:* Mell G...

 in 1911. He taught in the public schools of New Lexington

New Lexington, Ohio

New Lexington is a village in and the county seat of Perry County, Ohio, United States, southwest of Zanesville. The population was 4,689 at the 2000 census.In 1900, 1,701 people lived in New Lexington, Ohio; in 1910, 2,559 lived here.-Geography:...

 for several years. Underwood studied law at the Ohio State University

Ohio State University

The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

 at Columbus, and then read law to be admitted to the bar in 1915. He entered private practice in New Lexington, Ohio

New Lexington, Ohio

New Lexington is a village in and the county seat of Perry County, Ohio, United States, southwest of Zanesville. The population was 4,689 at the 2000 census.In 1900, 1,701 people lived in New Lexington, Ohio; in 1910, 2,559 lived here.-Geography:...

 from 1915 to 1923. He was a prosecuting attorney of Perry County, Ohio

Perry County, Ohio

Perry County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. Founded on March 1, 1818, it was the 55th county to be formed in Ohio. Portions of Fairfield, Washington and Muskingum Counties were taken to create Perry County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,058. Its county seat...

 from 1917 to 1921.

Federal government service

Underwood was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for election in 1920 to the Sixty-seventh Congress. Eventually elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-eighth Congress and the six succeeding Congresses, he served from March 4, 1923, to April 10, 1936. He was chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions (Seventy-second through Seventy-fourth Congresses).

On January 27, 1936, Underwood was nominated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...

 to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio is one of two United States district courts in Ohio and includes forty-eight of the state's eighty-eight counties. Appeals from the court are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit at Cincinnati The...

 vacated by Benson W. Hough

Benson W. Hough

Benson W. Hough was a United States federal judge.Born in Berkshire Township, Delaware County, Ohio, Hough received a M.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1897 and a B.L. from Ohio State University in 1899...

. Underwood was confirmed by the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 on February 4, 1936, and received his commission on February 12, 1936. He served as chief judge from 1953 to 1962, assuming senior status

Senior status

Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...

on December 31, 1965. Underwood served in that capacity until his death.

He died on his farm near New Lexington, Ohio, and was buried nearby in Maplewood Cemetery.