Biography

Luyster - Caroline Susan (Luyster) Underwood (1828- 1915)

Father – Abraham Rapelje (or Rapelye) Luyster of New York Mother – Mary Robinson Birth Date – September 15, 1828 Born at – New York, New York Significant Siblings - Caroline’s sister, Katherine “Kate” Laurence Luyster (1835-), married Dr. George Latham Underwood (1831-1920), a first cousin of Caroline’s husband, Charles James Underwood.

Spouse Name – Charles James Underwood (1826-1895) Spouse Parents – James Underwood (1802-1841) and Sophia Sarah Brass (-1832) Wedding Date – May 6, 1847

Childhood Home – 19 Mercer Street, New York City

Summer Home – Squirrelhurst, Southwest Harbor, .

Winter Home - 119 Newburry Street, , .

Death Date – December 7, 1915 Death Place – Boston, Massachusetts

Caroline’s father, Abraham Rapelje (or Rapelye) Luyster (1790-1863), was a descendant of Pieter Cornelius Luyster who emigrated from Holland in 1656. Abraham R Luyster, then of Westfield, Richmond, [Long Island] New York disclosed assets of $45,000 in the 1850 census. He was a partner, with William Luyster, of W. & A.R. Luyster, merchants, at 192 Pearl Street in New York City. The Luysters later lived at 19 Mercer Street and owned many rental properties in the city.

Caroline Susan Luyster married into the Underwood family. Two branches of the Underwood family contributed to Southwest Harbor history. They extend from brothers: William Underwood (1787-1864) – born in England, died in Cambridge, Massachusetts James Underwood (1802-1841) – born in London, England

William Underwood (1787-1864) was a food manufacturer, born in London, England. He apprenticed at Crosse & Blackwell's factory. He came to America on the bark "Alfred," moved to Boston, in 1819 and founded William Underwood & Co in 1822, the first factory in New England.

The Underwood Canning Factory began its branch on Mt. Desert in the early 1850s at Steamboat Wharf in Southwest Harbor and then moved to what is now Bass Harbor in 1889.

William Underwood (1787-1864) and his wife, Betsy Hale (1797-1865), had nine children.

His eldest son, William James Underwood (1829-1897) - Continued the canning company.

William James Underwood (1829-1897) and his wife, Esther Crofts Mead (1831-) had three sons:

Henry Oliver Underwood (1858-1921) - President and Treasurer of William Underwood Canning Co.

William Lyman Underwood (1864-1929) – Bacteriologist and Photographer - Underwood & Underwood Photographers – also associated in the Underwood Canning business.

Loring Grant Underwood (1874-1930) – Landscape architect and photographer

See “Gentlemen photographers : the work of Loring Underwood and Wm. Lyman Underwood” Edited by Robert Lyons, with essays by Carol Shloss & Joel Snyder, introduction by George C. Seybolt, Publisher, Florence, Massachusetts, Solio Foundation, Boston. Distributed by Northeastern University Press, c1987.

Not to be confused with stereoscopic photographers, Underwood & Underwood, Elmer Underwood (1859-1947) and his brother, Bert Elias Underwood (1862-1943).

James Underwood (1802-1841) married Sophia Sarah Brass (-1832)

One of their children was Charles James Underwood (1826-1895)

Charles James Underwood (1826-1895) married Caroline Susan Luyster and had eight children among whom were four who never married.

Their summer cottage, “Squirrelhurst,” was built on the back shore in Southwest Harbor:

Sophia Amelia Underwood (1851-1942) William Lawrence Underwood (1856-1919) – Friend of photographer Henry L. Rand Mabel Whitney Underwood (c.1866-after 1942) Mary Robinson Underwood (c.1869-) – died after Mabel