Richard H. Stetson, Tax Collector of San Bernardino County, was born in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, in 1856. His father, James H. Stetson, was a direct descendant of Cornet Stetson, who settled on the place where he was born in 1634. His mother was Miss Phebe C. Nickerson, great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Nickerson, and was born and reared at Chatham, on Cape Cod. Richard enjoyed the educational advantages of the schools of Boston.
On reaching manhood he came direct to California, locating in San Bernardino in March 1877. He was employed as clerk in the office of a lumber company for about three years, and from that time until he was elected to his present office, was engaged in the hotel and livery business in partnership with his brother-in-law, John A. Cole, under the firm name of Cole & Stetson. At one time they owned and conducted three hotels and two livery stables. The hotels were the Trans-Continental, at Colton; the Railroad Hotel, at Daggett, and the railroad hotel and eating house at the Needles. Their livery stables were in San Bernardino and Colton. They did a successful and profitable business, netting sometimes $3,300 in four months.
On being elected to the office of Tax Collector in 1886, Mr. Stetson sold out his business interests. He received the largest number of votes of all candidates on the Republican ticket, there being 431 majority. Being re-nominated in 1888, he was re-elected by a majority of over 700 votes, the largest of all candidates on the ticket save one. On qualifying for the duties of his office the bond required and executed was for $120,000. The tax collections of San Bernardino County steadily increase, aggregating in the fiscal year of 1888-’89, $270,323.68, the sum total collected and turned into the office, as shown by the books. The total number of assessments in 1889, in the county, is 13,129, the amount collected on same being $326,066.28. During the busy season from four to eight assistants are required to discharge the labors of the office. The records of 1889 fill ten volumes of 200 pages each.
Mr. Stetson married Miss Cole, a native of California, and daughter of James A. Cole, au early settler in this state. They have resided for nearly six years in Colton, where they have a fine homestead. Mr. Stetson owns an eighty-acre tract of choice land in the heart of the district of Old San Bernardino.