Susa Young Gates was a strong woman. She was the first child born in the Lion House, the daughter of Lucy Bigelow, Susa rapidly showed herself to be one of the more distinctive of Brigham Young's nearly sixty children. She read and wrote continuously from an early age and was appointed editor, at fourteen, of at the University of Deseret.

She married Dr. Alma Dunford, a dentist, at sixteen but an unfortunate combination of alcohol on his part and extreme youth on hers led to a divorce six years later. Two children, Leah Eudora and Alma Bailey, were born to the couple. In 1879 Susa married Jacob F. Gates, an amiable man who permitted his wife to pursue her own interests, but who was also, as Susa asserted frequently, the master of their home. From this marriage came eleven children. Of her thirteen children, only five grew to maturity. Leah became a noted writer; a specialist in home economics; and the wife of John A. Widtsoe, educator, scientist, and apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brigham Cecil Gates and Emma Lucy Gates Bowen were both trained to excel in music. B. Cecil was a founding father and managing director of the LDS School of Music; served as assistant conductor of the Tabernacle Choir; and made notable contributions as a composer. Lucy was educated in Berlin and sang with opera companies in Europe for several years before returning to the United States where her talent was widely recognized. For a time she and Cecil cooperated to run a touring opera company. Harvey Gates was an active screenwriter in California. Franklin, after teaching chemistry for a time, became one of the outstanding figures in the early days of radio.

The overwhelming impression left by Susa Young Gates is one of exceptional energy. She wrote innumerable articles on a myriad of subjects, most of which were published in Mormon Church sponsored journals such as the , , and the (the latter two of which she founded).

The foundation of Susa's life was the LDS Church, an institution which she loved and supported with uncompromising vigor. Her other guiding interests -- woman's suffrage, genealogy, history, education -- all stemmed from her love of the church. The in October, 1929 reported that,

Mrs. Gates refused the post of secretary of the National Council of Women offered her by Susan B. Anthony if Mrs. Gates would only forsake her militant Mormonism. The price, said the Mormon writer, was too high.

Susa considered herself "one of the most dissatisfied members of my sex," ( , October, 1894) which attitude probably motivated her long-time involvement in the woman's suffrage movement. She prided herself on having been one of the first women in the country to vote (1872) and had a long and happy association with the National and International Councils of Women. But her feminism did not exclude adherence to the patriarchal order contained in the doctrine of her church. At one point she expanded her philosophy:

I was once jokingly referred to by one of the Church authorities as the Thirteenth Apostle. He told me that if he could just breeches [sic] upon me, he would put me in the quorumn [sic] . . . .Apostle Lyman whose keen sense of humour was delightful to me, used to greet me sometimes with--'Jacob still boss, Susa?' 'He certainly is,' I would answer, 'if he were not, I would have left him long ago. No man with wishbones instead of backbones for me.' (SYG Collection)

Furthermore, she felt that woman's liberation was largely a matter of self motivation.

Women have all the liberty and privilege which they greatly wish. . . .They always have had, they always will have. It is quite as easy for women to secure the exercise of her rights and privileges as it is for men. As an individual and as a sex, she has had as many liberties and as many rights as she chooses to exercise. (SYG Collection)

Susa had, obviously, strong and definitely stated opinions rooted in a basically pragmatic soul. An interesting item found among her personal papers is an IOU from her husband which promises to "pay to Susa Young Gates Two Hundred Dollars with interest at one per cent per month from date without defalcation or discount." She took great pride in her family, particularly her father, and saw no reason not to use whatever resources were available to help loved ones.

But I do hope that John [Widtsoe, her son-in-law] will not hesitate to help Lew [Wallace, Widtsoe's son-in-law] get work here. He that will not help his own from some mistaken sentiment is, after all, a poor father. We are willing to give our children money, property, schooling, etc. etc. but we all make a fuss if we or any of our friends help children out in getting established in life. This, I cannot understand and never have. (SYG to Leah D. Widtsoe, 1/17/30)

Susa Young Gates was a remarkable woman who did a variety of things in remarkable ways. Indeed, speaking of her burial in a letter to John Widtsoe, she appears to recognize and take pride in a unique and independent spirit:

Certainly I object to dollars and dollars worth of flowers unless it is Summer time and there are some wild flowers that my grandchildren could pick, unless it is too much trouble. I am kind of a wild flower myself, you know. (SYG Collection)