John B. Stetson
John Batterson Stetson (May 5, 1830 – February 18, 1906) was an American hatter, hat manufacturer, and in the 1860s, the inventor of the cowboy hat. He founded the John B. Stetson Company as a manufacturer of headwear. The company's hats are now commonly referred to simply as Stetsons.
John B. Stetson | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Batterson Stetson May 5, 1830 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 18, 1906 (aged 75) DeLand, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation | Hatter |
| Known for | Invented the cowboy hat |
| Spouses | Nancy Haines
(m. 1850, ?)Elizabeth Shindler (m. 1884) |
| Children | 3, including John Jr. |
| Signature | |
Stetson was born in New Jersey, the 8th of 12 children. His father, Stephen Stetson, was a hatter. As a youth, John Stetson worked with his father until John was diagnosed with tuberculosis and his doctor predicted he had only a short time to live. Given this, he left the hat-making business to explore the American West, afraid this would be his only chance to see it. There he met drovers, bullwhackers and cowboys. The former hat-maker turned a critical eye to the flea-infested coonskin caps favored by many of the gold seekers, and wondered whether fur-felt would work for a lightweight, all-weather hat suitable for the West.