The collection contains the personal, business and family papers of Frank Winthrop Stetson. This includes correspondence related to his education at UC Berkeley, his surveying work in San Jacinto, CA, his agricultural pursuits in Hemet, and his involvement with various local civic and social organizations.

Frank Winthrop Stetson (1877-1963) was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, to Charles Thomas (1847-1935) and Lillie F. Hall Stetson (1855-1930). He moved to California in 1899 and studied engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1902. He moved to Hemet, in Riverside County, California, in 1902, and the remainder of his family moved to Hemet from Boston later that same year. Frank pursued surveying and engineering work, and he served as city engineer for Hemet from the time of the city’s incorporation in 1910 until he retired in 1959. He also served as city engineer for San Jacinto and as a member of the San Jacinto Planning Commission. He also pursued agricultural interests in Hemet, growing potatoes, citrus and other crops for sale on the family’s Samoset Ranch. Stetson was also active in the Hemet Odd Fellows Lodge, the Comfort Rebakah Lodge of Hemet, and the Star encampment I.O.O.F. of Riverside.

12 archives boxes; 5 linear feet.

Property rights to the physical object belong to the Sherman Library. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The Sherman Library does not hold the copyright.

This collection is open for research.