Sarah Elizabeth Tyndall Shindler, Stetson.

BORN: June 11, 1858, in Orleans, Orange County Indiana, United States. DEATH: May 4, 1958, Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, United States. BURIAL: May 6, 1958, Baptist Cheltenham Curch Cemetery, Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, United States. 

MARRIAGE: April 9, 1883, John B. Stetson, Orleans, Orange County, Indiana, United States. 

CHILDREN: 1. JOHN Batterson Stetson, 1884. 2. Ben Schindler Stetson, 1885. 3. George Henry Stetson, 1857.

In the Mid 1880s, Sarah Elizabeth Tyndall, traveled from her home in Orleans, Indiana, to visit an Aunt and Uncle in Philadelphia. During a service at their Church, she caught the attention of John B. Stetson, the widowed owner of the world’s largest hat factory. Despite an age difference of almost 30 years, the Two Fell in Love and eventually married. As a gift, Stetson built his new Hoosier inlaws "Issac Tyndall and Family" a fine new Colonel Home in 1894 at 630 East Washington Street, on the edge of Orleans. “The House that Hats Built.” Philadelphia architect George T. Pearson is believed to have designed the Colonial Revival house, employing the new architectural style inspired by the nation’s Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The style strove to recapture elements of America’s colonial past by incorporating elements of architecture popular around the American Revolution. By the 1890s, the style was very popular on the East Coast, but Still largely Unknown in Indiana. Workers in Philadelphia Precut Lumber for the Home and sent it by rail to Orleans, where a crew of carpenters sent along with the materials completed assembly. Because of its high style origins, the house featured and retains many fine architectural elements unexpected in a small town Indiana home of the period. The Dining room includes an Ornately detailed China Cabinet and Large built-in Buffet, and the living room Fireplace features fine paneling around the Wooden Mantelpiece. A Magnificent Lancet window at the back of the House Illuminates the Staircase. 

Florida's First Luxury Estate, built in 1886 for famed hat maker John B. Stetson and his wife Elizabeth, is the largest, grandest, and most historic home ever built in Florida before the 20th century. It was the first home in Florida designed and constructed with Edison electricity, steam heat, indoor plumbing and a call bell system. Opulent details include 16 different mosaic parquet wood floor patterns, 10,000 panes of antique glass and various hand made wood embellishments.

Stetson wanted the home to be a year round residence, but Elizabeth objected, so construction was stopped before the west wing was built, and the house was two thirds the size of its original plan. The family used it as a winter home and occupied it from October to April every year. The third floor was used as the servants’ quarters and the five bedrooms housed servants, nurses, a governess, and a tutor.   

In 1906 Stetson was getting ready to bathe in the huge copper and wood bathtub adjoining the master bedroom on the second floor when he reportedly fell and suffered a stroke. He died soon after. The house remained in the Stetson family.