He partnered with their son, Thomas Underwood (also a tanner) who had become a beekeeper from 1853 to 1859 with up to 1200 colonies.Uncle Quinby in the Old Days by his nephew T.S. Underhill - Gleanings in Bee Culture - Volume 43 - April 1, 1915 - page 272 Thomas invented a movable honey frame known as the Leaf or Underhill hive. He reduced the number of hives in 1862, probably due to the shortage of labor caused by the Civil War and because his business partner Thomas in 1859 left for Williamsport, PA to develop his tanning business. He focused on raising Italian bees, selling packages and raising queens. He still produced and shipped 11 tons of honey to New York City. By 1867, he offered to ship queens through the Post Office, but soon they were banned from delivery. He continued to sell bee supplies.
