Mary Van Cott Young, daughter of John and Lucy Sackett Van Cott, was born Februar y 2, 1844, at Elmira, New York. Her father and family embraced the Gospel and emigrated to Na uvoo, Illinois. From there they came to Utah in 1847. The family home was built on the corne r of First South and West Temple Streets.

Mary had been the wife of James Kirby. She divorced him before the birth of her da ughter, Luella. Several years later she was married to Brigham Young January 8, 1865. She wa s a tall, fine looking woman of fair complexion, kind hearted and affectionate, a faithful me mber of the Church, and a loving wife and mother. She bore one child to President Young, a da ughter named Fanny, who was born January 14, 1870. Her first home was located opposite the so uth gate of the Temple grounds where she died January 15, 1884.

When the Van Cotts left for the West to join the Saints in Utah, neighbors came t o bid them good-bye. One man said, "John, you surely aren't going to take your mother out int o that wilderness! She will never live to reach her destination." When John answered in the a ffirmative, the man made a wager with him, saying that he would give John $30.00 for every ye ar that his mother lived after reaching the valley. She did live to get there, and not only t hat, she lived thirty years after reaching Utah, passing away at the age of ninety. The neigh bor had never failed to keep a promise, but he was rather skeptical about this one, so whe n a friend came through Salt Lake City en route to California, he asked him to call at the Va n Cott home and see if John's mother was really alive. When he knocked at the door and the la dy in question answered it, he was fully convinced that Mrs. Van Cott was very much alive an d in remarkably good health. This information he promptly forwarded to his friend.

She was a pioneer.
A noble Daughter of a noble sire,
Not a weak clinging vine,
Self-reliant, strong, and fine.
Elizabeth H. Welker

Our Pioneer Heritage, Volume 1, Brigham YoungHis Wives and Family