John B. Stetson was one of 12 children of Stephen and Susan Batterson Stetson. He was born in 1830 in Orange, New Jersey. In 1885 Henry DeLand convinced his friend John Stetson to visit Persimmon Hollow, now DeLand. Mr. Stetson spent the next 20 winters in the blossoming town. He became an active business and community leader.Outside of his own business world he was an important contributor to the YMCA and many other Philadelphia charities. In 1888 he endowed an academy in DeLand, Florida which later changed its name to Stetson University. The college offered liberal arts, music and business curriculums. At present it has a college of law in St. Petersburg, Florida, also. John B Stetson died in 1906 in his DeLand mansion home. He is interred in the family Mausoleum in the Ashland section of West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, PA.After his death, his son G. Henry Stetson ran the company until styles of dress changed so much that hat sales declined. The plant was closed in 1971. In 1977 the buildings were given to the City of Philadelphia. During the Depression his Elkins Park Estate was sold and mansion razed.  A road in the area carries the Stetson name.