by J. Edw. Gibbs, a son-in-law
Oliver Cromwell Hoskins, a son of Eliza Hoskins and Mary Hall was born May 17, 1827, at Georgetown Vermillion County, Illinois. He was married to Lucinda Howell, Jan. 18, 1846. They moved to Nauvoo, Ill. in 1847 arriving there after the Latter-Day Saints had made their exodus to the West.
In 1849 he went to Garden Grove, Iowa. Here he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in April, 1851 by Charles Hale and on the same day was ordained a Priest.
He emigrated to Utah in the year 1862 with the Lewis Brouson company of 57 wagons. Oliver was captain of ten wagons. Upon arrival in Utah he settled in South Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, Utah. Here he labored as a teacher.
In 1863 he moved to Kaysville, Davis County, Utah where he took an active part in the Church. In the spring of 1864 he was ordained an Elder by William Folsom. While living in Kaysville his son, Theodore, was accidentally shot. This was a very sad occasion and one that left an ache in his heart. On April 16, 1864, Oliver C. Hoskins and Lucinda were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1868 he moved to Portage, Box Elder County, Utah settling on the East side of the valley at what is known as Oregon Springs. Here he planted some fruit trees and cottonwood trees for shade. Some of the cottonwood and plum trees are still growing.
In 1869 he was set apart by Apostle Lorenzo Snow as the presiding Elder of the Portage Branch of the LDS Church. In 1873 he was ordained a High Priest by Lorenzo Snow. When the Portage Ward was organized on October 23, 1877 he was ordained Bishop of that ward.
He was instrumental in surveying and laying out the Village of Portage into lots and streets. The land surveyed and laid out as a village was on his homestead entry.
He also assisted in dividing the water coming from the canyon commonly called South Canyon. There were two streams and arranged so the water could come in turns every six days for 18 hours. This stream was brought to the west side of the village where it was divided into two streams, one going to the north and east and the other to the south and east, covering the city lots in the village.
He helped dig a canal on the east side of the Malad River where the settlers had spent $3,000 in cash and labor only to find the surveyor had the water at the wrong end of the canal. This was very disappointing to the settlers, all had built up high hopes for sufficient water for their farms.
On Feb. 12, 1888 the Malad Stake of Zion was organized. Oliver was chosen, sustained and set apart as president of this Stake with Abraham Zundell as first and William Henry Gibbs as second counselor and John D. Gibbs as tithing clerk and William Anthony as stake ecclesiastical clerk.
He held this position until March 22, 1902 when the Stake Presidency was reorganized. On Sept. 14, 1902 he was set apart as Patriarch of the Malad Stake by Apostle Rudger Clawson.
During the years 1876-77 he filled a mission to the United States laboring mostly in the states of Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. He also filled several missions in the different states of Zion, also missions to the Indians in different localities. For having yielded obedience to the principles of plural marriage he served a term of imprisonment in the Utah Penitentiary from Jan. 25th to April 10th, 1889.
He was a farmer and merchant. He operated a sawmill at Elkhorn for the Indian farm. This mill was located in the mountains east of Malad Valley. He also owned and operated a sawmill on Spring Creek just north of Malad City. On June 27, 1871 he was married and sealed to Ellen Jones of Malad City.
He had a loving and kind disposition and was loved and honored by all who knew him. He had an abiding faith in the teachings and principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -Day Saints. He was a close friend of Lorenzo Snow. He honored and respected all the general authorities of the Church, also all ward and stake officers where he resided.
(pictures of Ellen Jones Hoskins and Oliver Hoskins Jr. )