| Show - John now wealthy purchased two good wagons with two two-horse teams and hireddriver for the other wagon In one wagon he put extra supplies that would be most useful to the needy in Nauvoo and in the other he and his family traveled In Nauvoo John purchased several parcels of land and when he left for the west he gave these to the church along withgift of 460 toward the completion of the Nauvoo TempleThe Van Cotts along with others suffered the terrible privations of Nauvoo but before they left for the west they had the privilege of renewing their covenants in the temple As they moved west with the main body of the saints their problems continued They crossed the frozen Mississippi River on February 14 1846 and at Winter Quarters builtone-room log cabin where they stayed over the winter preparing for the final exodus in the spring On the first of June 1847 Parley and John loaded their families into wagons and moved out John had again purchased an extra wagon and filled it with extra supplies for future need of the saints For mutual safety they were organized into companies and John was made Marshall of the camp4 On August 23 near Independence Rock Lucy gave birth toson They arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake on September 25 1847 Again John divided his extra supplies Building lots were assigned that fall and Johnwas established on the corner of First South and West Temple where the Marriott Hotel now stands John builtsmall adobe home for his family of five In 1872 he sold this home and lot and boughtlarge farm out in what became Farmers Ward He was an excellent farmer and has been recorded as growing the first peaches in the valley In October 1872 he wonterritorial first prize for five acres of the best tame grass and his homegrown molasses was publicly praised He 17 |
