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The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., February 17, 1950, page 1

OLDEST PIONEER OF AREA DIES THURSDAY

Death came to Mary V. Lane of Underwood at the West Klickitat hospital Tuesday evening at 6 p.m.
Mrs. Lane was well known and respected in this area and her loss will be noted by many. An obituary will be published next week.

The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., February 24, 1950, page 1

MARY V. LANE

Mrs. Mary V. Lane, better known as Aunt Mary by young and old all over the county, who resided at Underwood, Washington, passed away at the Klickitat General Hospital in White Salmon at the age of 85 years. Mrs. Lane was probably the oldest resident born in Skamania County, having been born at Fort Rains in the Middle Cascades on April 17th, 1864, the daughter of Amos and Ellen Underwood. Her father came to Washington Territory with the earliest immigrants and settled in the Middle Cascades in the early 1840's where he married Mrs. Lane's mother, who was a granddaughter of the famous Chief Chenoweth and a direct descendant of the chief of the Cascade Indians.
Mrs. Lane's life was full of varied and interesting experiences and she was devoted unselfishly to the welfare of her people. She possessed a large collection of Indian relics of great historical value, many of which she gave to the Maryhill Museum and a large number were destroyed when her home burned a few years ago. Her home had been the Underwood hotel and it was an early landmark which helped develop the town of Underwood.
She was beloved by all who knew her. In her death Skamania County has lost one of it's most interesting and lovable characters.
She is survived by three nieces: Maggie Howell of White Salmon: Cornelia Howell of Yakutat, Alaska; and Isabell Bullard, of Portland, Ore.; and a nephew, Coret J. Underwood of Barnes Hospital, Vancouver, Wash. Also many grand nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Lane was laid to rest in the Underwood Cemetery land that was donated by the uncle, Ed. Underwood for a community Cemetery.
Funeral Services were held at the Gardners Funeral Chapel Tuesday, February 21 at 10 a.m. with Rev. George officiating. Erma Kapp sang.

The Hood River News, Hood River, OR., February 24, 1950, page 1

MARY LANE WAS HISTORIC FIGURE OF MID-COLUMBIA
By Mrs. Nora Rumbaugh

(Editor's note: Mrs. Lane, who passed away on Saturday of last week, was born at North Bonneville, Wn., at the time of the Civil War and was known and respected throughout the mid-Columbia region. The following tribute by Mrs. Brumbaugh should be of interest to all residents.)

Mary Underwood Lane was born on April 17, 1864 in North Bonneville, Wn., at the home of Aunt Wac-oo'-bule in Chief Wa-bana-ha's village. She died in White Salmon hospital February 14 and was buried in the family cemetery at Underwood, Wn. on Tuesday, February 2(sic).
Her parents were Amos and Ellen (Chenowuth Lear) Underwood. Her father was born on December 2, 1833, in Ohio and died in 1917 at Underwood. He came to Oregon from Missouri in 1852 and was a private in the Yakima war in 1855. He first homesteaded, or purchased, the pre-emption of Peter Rudio in Hood River county (then Wasco county) in 1859. He took out his patent in February 10, 1864, and sold out to John Marden later. He then moved to Skamania county, Wn., where he homesteaded with a soldier's warrant west of White Salmon river (then in Klickitat county), buying railroad, timber and stone land until he owned 320 acres. He also had 10 gold mines along the river, operated at ferry between White Salmon and Hood River and owned a saloon at Underwood, Wn., which was named for him. He was familiarly known as "Captain Ame." He had a hotel and ferry at John Day with Day Leonard and owned three freighting scows also.
Mrs. Lane's mother was Ellen Chen-O-wuth of the Royal Columbia river Indian family. She was born in 1841 at Wy-yac-eck, Cascades Falls, Ore. Ellen had married Lt. William King Lear in 1856, to which union was born a daughter, Isabella, on May 21, 1857. A separation followed in 1858. Amos and Ellen were married in an Indian ceremony in 1861. They were married later by the Rev. Thomas Condon, as was the custom. Ellen died the same year as her husband.
Mary Underwood attended school in 1869 at a schoolhouse on the Little White Salmon River, along with five other pupils. The following year her father built a school one-half mile from their home. The family attended Sunday services in the Frankton school, directly across the Columbia river from their home. Mary was converted to the Shaker faith and was baptized.
Mary Underwood was married in 1885 to Harry Olson, a Norwegian sea captain who had come to the Columbia river. After his death she married William Lane. There were no children. However, Mrs. Lane raised and educated three of her nieces and was known as "Aunt Mary" by all. She owned and operated the Underwood hotel for 40 years until it burned in the big Underwood fire of 1948. She lived in a cabin on the grounds at the time of her death.
Mrs. Lane was a colorful figure in this area and was much sought out by historians. The Oregon historian, J. Neilson Barry, who visited with her many times, convinced her to take her mother's heirlooms to the Maryhill museum. Had this not have been done, they would have been destroyed when her hotel burned. Among the collection was a necklace with a medal given to her grandmother, Queen Sally Wa-chi-chus by Lewis and Clark in 1806 at the famous council held at Cascade Falls.
Mary Lane showed her royal blood in her carriage, her fluent speech and her haughty manner.
She was a life member of the Sons and Daughters of the Pioneers and was a charter member of the Hood River county Historical society.

The Skamania County Pioneer, Stevenson, WA., February 24, 1950, page 1

DEATH TAKES MANY V. LANE, COUNTY PIONEER

Mary V. Lane, of Underwood, passed away February 14 at the Klickitat General Hospital, White Salmon, at the age of 85.
Mrs. Lane was probably the oldest resident born in Skamania County, having been born at Fort Rains in the Middle Cascades on April 17th, 1865, the daughter of Amos and Ellen Underwood. Her father, Amos Underwood, came to Washington Territory with the earliest immigrants and settled at the Middle Cascades in the early 1850's where he married Mrs. Lane's mother, who was a granddaughter of the famous Chief Chenoweth and a direct descendant of the chief of the Cascade Indians.
Mrs. Lane's life was full of varied and interesting experiences and she was devoted unselfishly to the welfare of her people.
She possessed a large collection of Indian relics of great historical value, many of which she gave to the Mary Hill Museum and a large number were destroyed when her home burned a few years ago. She was beloved by all who knew her and in her death Skamania County has lost one of it's most interesting and lovable characters.
Mrs. Lane leaves surviving her numerous nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews.
Services were held at the Gardners Chapel in White Salmon and she was buried in the Underwood Cemetery February 21.