| Show second child They bought and developed land around New York City and prospered Now we drop down several generations to Johnparents Losee and his wife Lovina Pratt Van Cott Lovina wassister of Jared Pratt father of Parley and Orson The Van Cats name was now anglicized to Van Cott Losee and Lovina settled in upstate New York where they boughtfarm Despite Loseepoor health the family prospered but Losee died on June 14 1824 leaving John ten as the only male member of the family with two sisters and his mother Lovina Eventually John met Lucy Sackett of nearby Stephentown New York and on September 15 1835 they were married and Lucy moved into the home of the Van Cotts John and his family had been exposed to the Mormon religion through Parley Pratt nephew of Lovina but it had not gone much further than that With the prosperity the Van Cotts enjoyed life was comparatively easy In later years John often said that it was their prosperity and good life that made it easy not to join the Mormon church They believed but just didnmake an effort Eventually Parley had the pleasure of baptizing his cousin John Johnwife Lucy and his mother Lovina into the Mormon church Shortly John and his family hadgreat desire to move closer to the body of the church now in Nauvoo Before leaving for Nauvoo he finalized the sale of their beautiful farm and settled all claims with his two sisters In July of 1845 Parley returning to Nauvoo fromtrip back east brought with him John his mother Lovina and their two children Martha and Mary |
