John Van Cott was descended from a Dutch settler named Claes Cornelissen Van Cott who came from Holland to what is now New York in 1662. His father died of consumption when John was 10 years old. He first heard of The Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from his cousin LDS Apostle Parley P. Pratt who was seven years his senior. Some accounts put this first introduction as early as 1833 but, unlike his cousin, he did not join for some time. In 1835 he married Lucy Sackett and they had four children in Canaan, New York. There is some disagreement regarding whether their family name links to a famous old Van Cats family of Holland. While some claim no official proof of the connection, and assert there has been no acceptance of any claims of the connection between these two different family names made by any Dutch officials, there is ample genealogical work to demonstrate a reasonable connection through Claes Van Cats, who emigrated to America in 1652 as a boy. Claes Van Cats subsequently married Catalyn Jans in 1670. Their line continued through Johannes Van Cats to Nicolaes Van Cats and on to Johannes Van Cott, finally arriving at Losee Van Cott, John Van Cott's father. The Van Cott line can be traced back from Claes to the first Lord Giselbert Van Welle, Lord Van Cats, who was born about the year 1060. In 1843, Lucy joined the Latter Day Saint church. Historical material is somewhat sketchy here as most sources say that Van Cott himself was baptized by Pratt in Nauvoo in 1844 or 45, but others imply that the family moved to Nauvoo after he was baptized. Records are consistent in saying that the family was in Nauvoo in 1846 and stayed for a time at Pratt's home and that Van Cott donated about $400 towards the completion of the Nauvoo Temple.
Pioneer and church servant
The winter of 1846 was spent at Winter Quarters, where Van Cott became well acquainted with Brigham Young. According to historical records, he was chosen to be a bishop at this time to watch after the families of men who had joined the Mormon Battalion. He was ordained a Seventy on February 25, 1847. As a Mormon pioneer, John made the "trip across the plains" multiple times. In 1847 he, his wife, two children, and 59-year-old mother traveled with the Daniel Spencer/Perrigrine Sessions Company, wherein John was appointed to be a "captain of 10" and a marshal. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on September 25. After arriving in the valley, at the behest of Young, Van Cott went back out on the trail to assist other companies who were having difficulties. He assisted in the exploration of the new land. He was chosen to be the first marshal of Salt Lake City. In 1852 Van Cott began a four-year assignment as the president of the Scandinavia Mission, headquartered in Denmark. He was called to the same assignment again in 1859 and served for two-and-a-half years. He became proficient in Danish as a result of his work there. On the journey home to Utah, Van Cott led a group of church members from Scandinavia to the United States aboard the ship Waldemar, and then on the journey across the midwest to Salt Lake. He is listed as being the President of the Madsen and Liljenquist companies, leading a group of Scandinavian Saints to Salt Lake in July–Sept 1862. This may be the same group he led on the Waldemar, but further information is needed. In 1862 Van Cott was sustained as one of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy. He died at his home a short distance south of Salt Lake City, February 18, 1883, after a lingering illness of several months.
Family
Like several church leaders of his time, John Van Cott was instructed to practice plural marriage. He had five wives and 28 children. His first child was born in 1838, his last in 1878. Some did not live to see adulthood, while others did; some became prominent members of their communities. He has thousands of descendants. His wives and children:
