Cecil Harland Underwood (November 5, 1922 – November 24, 2008) was an American Republican Party politician from West Virginia,[1] known for the length of his career.
While at Salem College, he met his future wife, Hovah Hall through her two sisters who were his classmates.[9] They were wed on July 25, 1948 at Knotts Methodist Church in Grantsville.[9]
At the age of 22, Underwood entered politics by running as a Republican for the West Virginia House of Delegates, winning six terms from 1944 to 1956.[1][2] He served as House Minority Leader in 1949, 1951, 1953 and 1955.[2][7]
First term as governor
Underwood's 1956 election as Governor of West Virginia marked the first election of a Republican to the office since 1928.[7] He had defeated Charleston Mayor John T. Copenhaver by only 7,200 votes in the primary, and enjoyed a decisive victory against Democratic U.S. RepresentativeRobert Mollohan in the general election by 63,000 votes.[6] Only a week prior to the election, it was discovered that Mollohan had received $20,000 and two cars from a coal operator on a strip mine at a male reformatory in Pruntytown while Mollohan was superintendent of the institution.[6] Underwood had turned 34 years old only one day before the election, making him one of the youngest U.S. governors to have ever been elected.
Following the lead of Governor William C. Marland, the Democrat who preceded him in office, Underwood continued the desegregation of West Virginia schools without violent confrontation at all levels and was a supporter of civil rights legislation.[7]
The previous governors since 1932 had all been Democrats. His first act as governor was to go on the new medium of television and inform every state employee that they were fired. He stated that this was the only way to destroy the corrupt "machine" system. He later advocated an organized civil service and retirementpension system, and provided temporary employment relief for low-income families.[7]
Underwood was instrumental in the creation of the West Virginia Mental Health Department,[2][7] and oversaw creation of the interstate highway in the state,[10] He oversaw the last three executions in the state, all in 1959.[11]
Activities in between terms as governor
Because West Virginia's state Constitution prohibited governors from serving consecutive terms at that time, Underwood ran for the United States Senate in 1960, but was defeated by incumbent Democrat Jennings Randolph.[1] He was nominated again for governor in 1964 but was defeated again, and then lost the Republican primary for governor to Arch A. Moore Jr. in 1968.[1][6] He was nominated again for governor in 1976, losing to Democrat Jay Rockefeller[6] by 250,000 votes, which would become his largest defeat.[1]
Underwood in 1998, during his second term as Governor
Underwood was elected again to the office of Governor of West Virginia in 1996[7] under the banner "Better Government, not Bigger Government",[10] carrying 38 of the state's 55 counties and defeating astronaut Jon McBride and future congressman David McKinley.[1]
During his governorship, he enabled the Governor's Commission of Fair Taxation, which was a thorough review of the state's tax structure. The Commission made numerous recommendations for improvement. He streamlined administrative costs from education and other government sectors.[10]
Underwood was the only sitting Republican governor defeated for re-election in 2000, narrowly losing to Democrat Bob Wise.[1][2]
Post-political career
His wife, Hovah, died on September 24, 2004,[6] from complications of a stroke.[1][7]
In March 2006, Underwood suffered a minor stroke and was hospitalized several times after that.[1] In early 2008, Underwood suffered a major stroke and lost the ability to formulate speech; he later had a severe blood infection.[7]
In June, he was admitted to a nursing facility before returning to his Charleston residence, where he received round-the-clock care. On November 23, Underwood was admitted to the Charleston Area Medical Center's Memorial Hospital with chest congestion and doctors found some slight bleeding in the brain. He died the following day.[7]
