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Susa Young was born 18 March 1856 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah to Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Lucy Bigelow (1830-1905) and died 27 May 1933 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah of unspecified causes. She married Alma Bailey Dunford (1850-1919) 1872 in Utah. She married Jacob Forsberry Gates (1854-1942) 5 January 1880 in St. George, Washington County, Utah.

  • active in promoting women's rights and women's suffrage.
  • founder of Utah Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution
  • author of nine books
  • founding editor of Relief Society Magazine
  • member, two university board of regents
  • active genealogist

Biography

Susan Amelia "Susa" Young Gates was a writer, periodical editor, and women's rights advocate in Utah.

Susa Young was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory to Lucy Bigelow, LDS Church president Brigham Young's twenty-second wife. She entered the University of Deseret at age 13 and became the editor of the student newspaper.

In 1878, Young entered Brigham Young Academy in Provo, Utah, where she founded the music department. Two years later would be her second marriage to Mr Gates.


Gates and her husband served as church missionaries to the Kingdom of Hawaii in the late 1880s. During this time two of her children died of diphtheria. She would later recount her experiences here in a novel The Little Missionary.[2] In 1889, she founded the Young Woman's Journal, a periodical targeted to adolescent Latter-day Saint females. In 1897, the church's Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association adopted the Young Women's Journal as its official organ. Gates stepped down as editor of the Journal in 1900, but continued to contribute occasionally until it ceased publication in 1929.

Around the turn of the century, Gates was ill for three years after suffering a psychological and physical breakdown. However, she eventually returned to health.

In 1909 a novel by Gates entitled John Stevens' Courtship was published.

In 1915, Gates founded Relief Society Magazine a periodical targeted at adult Latter-day Saint women. The magazine became the official publication of the church's Relief Society and Gates edited it until 1922. Gates also wrote nine books, including a biography of her father, two novels, a history of women in the LDS Church, and a 1911 history of the YLMIA.

Gates was active in promoting women's rights and women's suffrage. She was a founding organizer of the National Household Economics Organization, served as a delegate and speaker to five congresses of the International Council of Women and was a delegate and officer of the National Council of Women. Gates was also the primary organizer of the Utah chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and the National Woman's Press Club. She attended several Republican National Conventions. Gates was also a member of the Board of Regents of Brigham Young University and Utah State Agricultural College.

Sygates02

Gravestone of Susan Gates at Provo City Cemetery

In her later years, Gates was active in genealogy and LDS Church temple work. For a time she was the head of the Research Department and Library of the Genealogical Society of Utah. She managed the genealogy departments in the Deseret News and Inter Mountain Republican and edited and wrote columns for both papers.

Gates died in Salt Lake City at the age of 77.

Lion House

Lionhouse1

The Lion House was the Brigham Young home in Salt Lake City for his wives and 55 children. The 2020 History of the Church - Saints Vol II gives a vivid description of family life there.

In Salt Lake City Brigham built two majestic homes just a block south from the Mormon Tabernacle, the first was called Lion House and the second was Bee Hive. In these two home would reside the vast majority of his family. The house had large social rooms downstairs to host major family communal activities.

Built in 1856 by Brigham Young, Lion House derives its name from the stone lion statue resting over the front entrance. "Lion of the Lord" was also a nickname of Brigham Young, who served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877.

The solid construction of both buildings gives witness to Brigham's vast experience as a carpenter and cabinet-maker.

Today the bottom floor of the Lion House is a functional, cafeteria-style restaurant called "The Lion House Pantry" which is open to the public. It is located adjacent to the LDS church's main headquarters and heavily-visited Temple Square, and therefore serves many of the employees and visitors there each day.


Marriage & Family

1st Marriage: Dunford

In 1872, she married Alma B. Dunford and had two children, but the couple divorced in 1877 while he was serving an LDS Church mission. One of these children was Leah Dunford, who later became the wife of John A. Widtsoe.

  1. Leah Eudora Dunford (1874-1965) - Md John A Widtsoe - LDS Church Apostle and Writer.
  2. Alma Bailey Dunford (1875-) - died young, sometime in the 1880s.

2nd Marriage: Gates

In 1880, she married Jacob F. Gates. She had 13 children with him, seven of which did not survive to adulthood. Her son Bailey Dunford, from her first marriage, also died young. One of her daughters was Emma Lucy Gates Bowen.

  1. Emma Lucy Gates (1880-1951) - Emma Lucy Gates Bowen (1882–1951) was an American opera singer and later the wife of Albert E. Bowen, LDS Church Apostle.
  2. Jacob Young Gates (1882-1887)
  3. Karl Naham Gates (1883-1887)
  4. Simpson Mark Gates (1885-1885)
  5. Joseph Sterling Gates (1886-1891)
  6. Brigham Cecil Gates (1887-1941) - famous LDS composer born during parents mission to Hawaii
  7. Harvey Harris Gates (1889-1948)
  8. Sarah Beulah Gates (1891-1898)
  9. Franklin Young Gates (1893-1979)
  10. Heber Gates (1894-1894)
  11. Brigham Young Gates (1896-1900)



Children


Offspring of Alma Bailey Dunford (1850-1919) and Susa Young
Name Birth Death Joined with
Leah Eudora Dunford (1874-1965) 23 February 1874 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah 7 June 1965 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah John Andreas Widtsoe (1872-1952)
Alma Bailey Dunford (1875-)


Offspring of Jacob Forsberry Gates (1854-1942) and Susa Young
Name Birth Death Joined with
Emma Lucy Gates (1880-1951) 5 November 1880 St. George, Washington County, Utah 30 April 1951 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah Albert Ernest Bowen (1875-1953)
Jacob Young Gates (1882-1887)
Karl Naham Gates (1883-1887)
Simpson Mark Gates (1885-1885)
Joseph Sterling Gates (1886-1891)
Brigham Cecil Gates (1887-1941) 17 August 1887 Laie, Oahu County, Hawaii, United States 31 August 1941 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States Gweneth Gibbs (1897-1967)
Harvey Harris Gates (1889-1948)
Sarah Beulah Gates (1891-1898)
Franklin Young Gates (1893-1979)
Heber Gates (1894-1894)
Brigham Young Gates (1896-1900)



Siblings


Offspring of Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Miriam Angeline Works (1806-1832)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Elizabeth Young (1825-1903) 26 September 1825 Port Byron, Cayuga County, New York, United States 2 February 1903 Lewisville, Jefferson County, Idaho, United States Edmund Lovell Ellsworth (1819-1893)
Vilate Young (1830-1902) 1 June 1830 Mendon, Monroe County, New York, United States 18 November 1902 Lewisville, Jefferson County, Idaho, United States Charles Franklin Decker (1824-1901)


Offspring of Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Mary Ann Angell (1808-1882)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Joseph Angell Young (1834-1875) 14 October 1834 Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio 5 August 1875 Manti, Sanpete County, Utah Margaret Whitehead (1838-1916)
Clara Federata Stenhouse (1850-1893)
Mary Ann Ayers (1831-)
Athalia Elizabeth Grant (1836-1907)
Mary Ann Young (1836-1843) 18 December 1836 Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio 27 August 1843 Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois
Brigham Young (1836-1903) 18 December 1836 Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio 11 April 1903 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah Catherine Curtis Spencer (1836-1922)
Helen E Armstrong (1856-1939)
Abigail Stevens (1870-1954)
Jane Maria Carrington (1840-1905)
Rhoda Elizabeth Perkins (1862-1927)
Alice Young (1839-1874) 4 September 1839 Montrose, Lee County, Iowa 2 November 1874 St. George, Washington County, Utah Hiram Bradley Clawson (1826-1912)
Luna Caroline Young (1842-1922) 20 August 1842 Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois 17 November 1922 Logan, Cache County, Utah George Washington Thatcher (1840-1902)
John Willard Young (1844-1924) 1 October 1844 Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois 11 February 1924 New York City, New York Elizabeth Canfield (1845-1916)
Lucy Maria Canfield (1847-1915)
Adolphine Bertha Christine Damke (1859-1924)
Clara Lucinda Jones (1846-1885)
Luella Van Cott (1861-1920)


Offspring of Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Lucy Ann Decker (1822-1890)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Brigham Heber Young (1845-1928) 19 June 1845 Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, United States 3 June 1928 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States Vilate Ruth Clayton (1844-1918)
Fanny Decker Young (1849-1892) 25 January 1849 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah 21 January 1892 Salt Lake City, Utah George Washington Thatcher (1840-1902)
Ernest Irving Young (1851-1879) 29 April 1851 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 8 October 1879 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States Sybella White Johnson (1854-1926)
Arta D'Christa Young (1855-1916) 16 April 1855 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 7 April 1916 Ogden, Weber County, Utah, United States Susan Snow (1856-1917)
Feramorz Little Young (1858-1881) 16 September 1858 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 27 September 1881 Off coast of Jupiter, Florida
Clarissa Hamilton Young (1860-) 23 July 1860 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah John Daniel Spencer (1858-1947)


Offspring of Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Harriet Elizabeth Cook (1824-1898)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Oscar Brigham Young (1846-1910) 10 February 1846 Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, United States 4 August 1910 Provo, Utah County, Utah, United States Paralee Russell (1845-c1905)
Annie Marie Roseberry (1855-1936)


Offspring of Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Clarissa Clara Decker (1828-)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Jeannette Young (1849-1930)
Nabbie Howe Young (1852-)
Jedediah Grant Young (1855-1856)
Albert Jeddie Young (1858-)
Charlotte Talula Young (1861-)


Offspring of Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Emily Dow Partridge (1824-1899)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Edward Partridge Young (1845-1852) 30 October 1845 Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, United States 26 November 1852 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Emily Augusta Young (1849-1926) 1 March 1849 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 19 March 1926 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States Hiram Bradley Clawson (1826-1912)
Caroline Partridge Young (1851-1903) 1 February 1851 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 2 July 1903 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States Mark Croxall (1844-1889)
George Quayle Cannon (1827-1901)
Joseph Don Carlos Young (1855-1938) 6 May 1855 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 19 October 1938 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States Alice Naomi Dowden (1864-1950)
Marian Penelope Hardy (1861-1919)
Miriam Young (1857-)
Josephine Young (1860-1912) 21 February 1860 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 9 May 1912 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States Albert Carrington Young (1858-1930)
Lura Young (1862-1862) 2 April 1862 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 4 November 1862 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States


Offspring of Brigham Young (1801-1877) and Louisa Beaman (1815-1850)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Moroni Young (1847-1847) 8 January 1847 Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, United States 10 August 1847 Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States
Hyrum Young (1848-1848) 1848 Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States 1848 Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States
Joseph Young (1848-1848) 1848 Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States 1848 Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States
Alma Burtts Young (1848-1850) 1848 Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States 1850 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Alva Beaman Young (1848-1850) 1848 Winter Quarters, Douglas County, Nebraska, United States 1850 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States


References

  • Susa Young Gates - Wikipedia Biography
  • R. Paul Cracroft (1951). Susa Young Gates: Her Life and Literary Work. Master's thesis, University of Utah.
  • Louise Plummer, "Gates, Susa Young", in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, vol. 2, pp. 535–536



Residences

Footnotes (including sources)

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