Susanna (Susan) Snively was born to Henry and Mary Havener Snively in Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Virginia on October 30, 1815. She was the ninth of eleven children in the Snively family. Her father kept a dry goods store in Washington D.C. (2)
“She received the Gospel in 1836 or 7 and moved to Springfield, IL, lived there with her sister (Hahhahette) for five years, then moved to Nauvoo where she and her sister built them a house, or had one built, which they paid for from their oen earnings. She was married to Brigham Young, November 2nd, 1844, Parley P Pratt officiating.” (1) Her sister, Hannahette, married Parley P Pratt the same day. (2)
Brigham “owned a large farm on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, on which he erected a farmhouse. It was here that Susan Snively Young lived for many years, cooking for the men who worked on the farm, caring for the poultry and overseeing the making of the butter and cheese which supplied his large family with part of their living.” (4)
Although together Brigham and Susan never had a child of their own, they did adopt a child, Julia. Susa Young Gates remembered Susan and Julia as follows:
“Aunt Susan was just as good a woman as any woman who could be; but she was childless, until she adopted the charming baby Julia and her motherly solicitude over her fledgling sometimes gave a touch of sharpness to her speech and certainly made her watchful that Julia should share equally with all the other girls; But who cared? Everybody loved and petted Julia and mother (Lucy Bigelow) was very tender over dear Aunt Susan.” (5)
Eventually, Julia grew and married Charles Samuel Burton (a banker) in Salt Lake City. She became quite ill and her husband took her to England for a surgery. She died there at the age of 36, never having had children. (3)
“Sister Susan was a little above medium height and of dark complexion, bright and intelligent, energetic and industrious, and ever ready to render aid in every way possible to the needy, or those in distress. Aunt Susan, as she was fondly termed, was faithful unto her death which occurred in Salt Lake City, November 20, 1892. She was a woman of strong will power, positive and determined in her general bearing, yet kind and accommodating.” (1)
Notes:
1 - Pictures and Biographies of Brigham Young and His Wives. James H Cockrell - publisher
2 - https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJR-T8T
3 - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39589977/julia-burton
4 - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24630269/susannah-young
5 - Susa Young Dunford Gates in her biography of and with her mother, Lucy Bigelow Young