Anna Gates - Suffragist and Moorhead's First Female Police Officer

Anna Gates in 1922

Anna Gates, nee Liedahl, was born in Norway in 1869. Like so many in this region, she immigrated with her family to the United States and by 1881 had settled in Leonard, North Dakota. She would later move to Fargo and work in homes. In 1896, Anna married Elbert Gates, a mail carrier from Moorhead and moved across the river.

Anna was unlike many suffrage supporters, she was working class and an immigrant. At the time, many of the suffrage supporters in the country came from wealthier backgrounds and had more established American families. Still, Anna didn't let this stop her and she would eventually become Chairmen of District 49's Minnesota Woman's Suffrage Association. 

Although living in Moorhead, she often worked across the river in both Fargo and the rural parts of Cass County. She helped bring Jane Addams, the founder of Hull House which served the immigrant communities of Chicago, to Fargo in 1912. Two years later, she was described in the Wahpeton Times as, "...doing quite a little quiet work for suffrage among the farm women near Leonard reports a very encouraging prospect for suffrage in that region.” Along with her suffrage work, Anna was part of several veteran auxiliary organizations, Order of Eastern Star, WCTU, and the Fine Arts Club of Moorhead.

After suffrage was achieved, Anna continued to work in her community. She was made a police officer, sometimes referred to as a Police Matron, in 1920 by the city of Moorhead. Her position had her in lots of roles. She was part cop, social worker, and city food inspector. She was often tasked with handling cases involving women and children. During the early years of the Great Depression, she was tasked with distributing food aid to the poor and needed of the community. 

Anna would remain a part of the Moorhead Police department until she retired in 1933. Upon her retirement however, she told one journalist that, "I have a great deal of work planned ahead, and I know I will not be sitting a minute." She later added that while she was planning on remaining active, she also was "...going to 'get acquainted' with my home. I haven't seen much of it these years, for a policewoman's job is a 24 hour position."

Elbert passed away in 1936, however Anna managed to live until 1950. She had three sons with him: Ernie, Dewey, and Donald. 

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