Susa Young Gates

Born in Salt Lake City in 1856, she was the daughter of Brigham Young and grew up in a world closely tied to the early history of Utah and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She became known as a writer and editor at a young age, and over the course of her life produced an enormous body of work that included articles, poems, stories, novels, and historical writing.

She is especially remembered for her leadership in women’s publishing and civic life. She founded and edited the Young Woman’s Journal, later helped launch and edit the Relief Society Magazine, and was active in causes including women’s rights, genealogy, and the preservation of pioneer history. Her writing often aimed to record Latter-day Saint experience and highlight women’s contributions to it.

In later years, she continued publishing and researching major historical projects, including a biography of her father and extensive work on the history of Latter-day Saint women. She died in 1933, leaving behind a reputation as a tireless author, organizer, and cultural historian of the American West.