Joseph Rogers Underwood (October 24, 1791 – August 23, 1876) was an American politician, lawyer and judge who was a United States Representative and Senator from Kentucky.

Joseph Underwood moved to Barren County, Kentucky in 1803 and lived with his uncle, Edmund Rogers.

He was a presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1844, and voters again elected him to the State House in 1846, where he served as speaker.

Before the American Civil War, Underwood campaigned in Kentucky for the Constitutional Union Party.

He did not believe the federal government had the authority to impose slavery-related laws on states according to the constitution, but was opposed to secession.

His grandson Oscar Wilder Underwood (Eugene's son) became majority leader in the U.S. House as well as the U.S. Senate.