Oscar Orlondo Stoddard, Sr.

Oscar Orlando Stoddard was the son of Oren and Harriet M. Cook Stoddard. He was born in Elbridge, Onondaga, County, New York, December 30, 1821. He was married first to Polly Serafina Ferguson November 30, 1847, and divorced Jan. 4, 1857. He was baptized January 13, 1856, in the Jordan River near Salt Lake City, Utah. On April 6, 1856, he was appointed to a mission to Michigan, returning to Salt Lake July 12, 1858., having traveled nearly 8,000 miles mostly on foot. In the Spring 1859 (May 6), he started on his second time to Michigan with his father - Oren Stoddard - returning in 1860 as Captain of the last hand-cart company that had crossed the plains, and arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah September 24, 1860. His company numbered 126 emigrants with 22 handcarts and 6 wagons left Florence, Nebraska on July 6, 1860.

A Brother Cannon told them at the start if they would be humble and faithful not one of them should die on the way to the Valley. It was fulfilled as everyone who started from Florence under Capt. Stoddard came into Salt Lake with him, though there was some sickness they all succeeded in reaching the valley. When Capt. Stoddard's company left Florence they had many hard trials and experiences and happy times. Some troubles with the Ute Indians and Washaki Indians taking some of their food and clothing. One of the emigrants was Elizabeth Taylor, who Capt. Stoddard married on Oct 2, 1860, eight days after reaching the valley.

After their marriage they lived in Salt Lake City. April 23, 1861 he started to cross the plains to assist in bringing in the emigrants, he went to the Missouri River and returned again arriving in Salt Lake City, September 23, 1861. In the fall of 1863 he moved to Rush Valley and in the fall of 1864 he moved to Tooele City where he lived until summer of 1865, when he moved to Porterville, Morgan County. He spent between four and dive years on missions, crossed the plains 7 times before the railroad came in. He traveled nearly 20,000 miles, he has baptized and rebaptized at home and abroad nearly 200 persons, old and young. Oscar O. Stoddard had a stroke and was an invalid for a long time. Elizabeth did her best to care for him. He died with hiccups Sept. 9, 1896.

SOURCE: Family Search.org

Oscar Orlando Stoddard, captain of the tenth and last handcart company to cross the plains to Utah, was born December 20, 1830, in New York. The company was comprised of 126 converts with six wagons and left Florence, Nebraska July 6, 1860, arriving in Salt Lake Valley on the 24th of September. Mr. Stoddard was appointed by George Q. Cannon Emigration agent for that year. In his diary he states, "there were also with us, traveling with their own team, Stephen Taylor and family, also a brother Paul and family from South Africa followed us and joined us about the third day out, and by the advice of Brother Cannon, Brother Paul was chosen chaplain over the English speaking portion of the company; Brother Christian Christiansen having been chosen chaplain of the Scandinavian and Swiss portion.

Having traveled down the Platte on the north side and found it to be rough, hilly country and bad for the handcarts between Laramie and the upper crossing, I thought I would try and cross the North Platte at Laramie and travel up the south side of it; and, as there were some in the company who were timid about crossing with their handcarts, I was in a quandary what to do about it. We camped four miles below Laramie and during the night I dreamed I saw ourselves camped on the other side of the river, and when I told my dream, it seemed to allay all fears, so we started at sunrise and moved camp up the river till opposite Laramie, then the Sisters did their washing while we overhauled our provisions, issued rations increasing the rations of flour from one pound a head per day, which had been issued up until that time, to one and one-quarter pounds, then hunted up a ford and prepared to cross. We hitched up when ready and drove one wagon over unloaded. It came back and took in the loads of the handcarts, and then went over with them leaving the empty carts to haul by hand, I helping to haul over the first one myself.

We landed on the 8th Ward Square in Salt Lake City on the 24th day of September, 1860, having just dealt our one week's rations.... Provisions were distributed among them as needed or required, so they were well received, and, I must say, according to the best of my understanding and knowledge, this was the last hand-cart company and it came across the plains in as good condition as any one of them. Mr. Stoddard was a native of New York state where he was born December 30, 1821. He passed away in Utah September 9, 1896.

Source: Our Pioneer Heritage © Carter, Kate B., ed. 20 vols. Salt Lake City: International Society, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1958-1977. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. Documents and images are exerpted by permission from the LDS Family History Suite CDROM from Ancestry.