𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗕. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲. 

𝗔𝗻𝗱.... 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆'𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴!

One hundred and ninety-four years ago, on May 5, 1830, Stephen and Susanna Stetson of Orange, New Jersey, had a son, the seventh of twelve children. They named him John Batterson Stetson. As we know, his father was a hatter, and John learned his father’s trade. He eventually opened his own hat manufacturing firm which became very successful. His travels to Florida in 1885, encouraged by friend Henry DeLand, led to him build a beautiful mansion. His subsequent endowments of DeLand Academy developed into the Stetson University that we know and love today. John B. Stetson’s life and family are well known to most of us in this community. Beautiful Elizabeth Hall is a testament to his wife.

However, not much is discussed about Stetson’s prominent and interesting ancestry. John Stetson was a Mayflower descendent! His family line goes back through his paternal grandmother, Mary Adderton Stetson, to her grandmother Lucy Brewster Adderton and on back to his 6th great grandfather, Mayflower passenger William Brewster, the Ruling Elder of the Church of Plymouth for 24 years. Brewster was born in Scooby, England in 1566. He was a postmaster and became a religious man and joined the Separatists who went to Leiden, Holland. His religious exile ended with his sailing on the Mayflower in 1620 to what became Plymouth, Massachusetts. Brewster was a force in the success of the colony through some very difficult times. John B. Stetson certainly inherited his 6th Great Grandfather’s strong will, vision, and leadership skills.

John B. Stetson was not the only Brewster descendant to make a mark on West Volusia. Benjamin Brewster, 7th great grandson of the Mayflower passenger, married Leonie deBary Lyon. She was the sole inheritor of Frederick deBary’s estate, DeBary Hall. She made her mark in the renovation and expansion of the beautiful home they shared in her short period of ownership. Leonie and Benjamin Brewster died in a private plane crash on May 9, 1941. Debary Hall eventually came under the ownership of Volusia County and is now a wonderful museum and park. Had William Brewster’s family not survived the treacherous Mayflower journey and harsh early years at Plymouth, there would be no Stetson University, no Stetson Mansion, and probably no DeLand House Museum.  

Sources: Appleton Cyclopedia of American Biographies, Vol 1, Colonial Families of the USA, Vol V, Bradford, William, Of Plymouth Plantation, Brewster, Emma, The Brewster Genealogy, Brewster Photo from Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth, Mass, Bio and Stetson Photo from Stetson/Com/Stories

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