Mary Van Cott was born to John and Lucy Sackett Van Cott on February 2, 1844 in Elmira, New York. She was the fourth of seven children. “Her father and family embraced the Gospel and emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois. From there they came to Utah in 1847.” (1) Their journey westward included her parents, siblings, and grandmother.

One man remarked to her father, “John, you surely aren’t going to take your mother out into that wilderness! She will never live to reach her destination!” John and the man made a bet, which would oblige him to pay John $30 for every year that his mother lived after they reached the valley. She did live to reach the Salt Lake Valley, and went on to live another 30 years after that. (2)

The family settled in the Salt Lake Valley and Mary was re-baptized in 1852.

In 1859, Mary married a man who worked in the newspaper industry by the name of James Thornton Cobb. They were divorced shortly before the arrival of their daughter, Luella.

Mary was married to Brigham Young January 8, 1865. “Last of all his wives was Mary Van Cott, in whom no lovelier wife and mother ever entered our crowded family household. She too bore but one child, a daughter, beautiful Fanny J and she had her little home outside the Lion House.” (3)

“She was a tall, fine looking woman of fair complexion very prepossessing in her appearance, kind-hearted and affetionate, a faithful member of the Church, and a loving wife and mother.” (1)

She died January 5, 1884.

Notes:

1 - Pictures and Biographies of Brigham Young and His Wives. James H Cockrell - publisher.

2 - Find A Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183992/mary-young

3 - Susa Young Dunford Gates in her biography of and with her mother, Lucy Bigelow Young