The papers are divided into family papers and several series that reflect the major investments of the family. The bulk of the papers concern extensive land investments in Dodgeville and in Wood County. The collection also includes account ledgers of the Hoskins store, a set of records for a hotel in the Town of Mazomanie, and a small amount of material on early railroad investments. Most of the personal correspondence of Samuel and James J. Hoskins involves business matters, although some family correspondence is extant. A portion of the business records of James J. Hoskins concern his legal career.
The most significant part of the collection is the records of the lead mining and smelting ventures. These records include those of C. Cholvin and Co. and Bennett, George and Co., predecessors of Bennett, Hoskins and Co. These contain some of the earliest mining records for the Wisconsin lead industry, and include purchase orders, ledger sheets, and correspondence.
