The Underwood typewriter

By Steven L. Shields

Underwood No. 5 typewriter / Courtesy of Steven L. Shields

This Underwood No. 5 typewriter belonged to my grandfather. I'm not sure when he bought it, but based on the serial number the typewriter was built in 1929 (serial number 3,589,483). The No. 5 was built between 1900 and late 1931 or early 1932. The Underwood company made almost 4 million of the machines. There were other models, as well.

John T. Underwood, the founder of the company, made his fortune in producing ribbons and carbon paper. The primary customer was the Remington typewriter company. When Remington decided to produce their own ribbons and carbon paper, Underwood responded by building his own line of typewriters.

The No. 5 has been described as the first truly modern typewriter. By the early 1920s, sales of the No. 5 were equal to all other typewriter companies combined. One of the unique features of the Underwood design is that the type bars hit the front of the platen so the user could see what was being typed.

Most machines were under strokes ― they typed on the bottom of the platen, and the typist had to raise the carriage to see what was written. In its heyday, the Underwood Typewriter Company was the world's largest. Its factory was in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. There were dozens of models made by the company, and the Underwood brand appeared on typewriters until the 1970s.

John T. Underwood was the older brother of Horace Grant Underwood, among the first Presbyterian missionaries in Korea (arriving in 1885). John funded his brother's missionary work in Korea, and was a chief supporter of what is now Yonsei University. Horace G. Underwood was a member of the committee that translated the Bible into Korean in the early 1900s; he also was one of the founders of the Seoul YMCA.

I remember reading in Underwood's biography that in the early 1900s, while on furlough from missionary work in Korea, he traveled in Europe selling typewriters for his brother's company. He landed a big contract for the machines with the French government.

The role of Underwood and other early missionaries in shaping modern Korea has been long-lasting. Besides medicine and education, Hangeul was popularized by them.

Thousands of “Bible women” were trained to teach basic Bible lessons, and were taught Hangeul to do so. Missionary Underwood was the founding pastor of Saemunan Church in Seoul in 1887. The church has been at its present location since 1910.

My connection to the Underwood family is with Horace Grant Underwood II, the grandson of the early missionary. Horace G. II was a professor of literature at Yonsei and served in the administration of the university until his death. Horace G. II served as one of the interpreters at the armistice talks during the Korean War. His fluency in Korean was unsurpassed.

His father, Horace H. Underwood, and his son, Horace H. Underwood II, as well as other family members, taught at Yonsei and were involved in the establishment and operation of Seoul Foreign School (SFS) for decades. Peter Underwood, son of Horace G. II, is a member of the SFS “jaedan” (corporate body). Members of the Underwood family have lived and worked in Korea for more than 130 years.

Horace G. II was a good friend and neighbor (I lived next door to the university in Yonhi-dong). We were both active in the Royal Asiatic Society-Korea Branch. He served several terms as president of the organization and we were both councilors for many years.

Horace was in his 80s when he decided to retire, but became ill and died before leaving Korea. He is buried alongside many of his family members in the Yanghwajin Foreigner's Cemetery in Seoul.

I have marveled at becoming friends with a man whose family's typewriter I've used since I was a teenager (Dad inherited the typewriter when grandpa died). I wrote some of my first books and papers on the typewriter ― took it to university with me (even though the cast iron construction makes for a heavy machine ― it probably weighs 15 kg).

I used it for many years, until finally in 1985 I bought my first computer. I returned the typewriter to Dad, but it sat on a shelf for many years. Finally, after Mom and Dad went on to their eternal rewards, I took possession of the typewriter again and have kept it in working order.

Steven L. Shields (slshields@gmail.com) lived in Korea for several years in the 1970s and 1990s to 2000s. He served as copy editor of The Korea Times in 1977. He is a retired clergyman and a life member of the Royal Asiatic Society-Korea Branch.