Laura Ingalls WilderLaura Ingalls Wilder & Her FamilyBirth: February 7, 1867 Death: February 10, 1957 (90 years old) Laura was a simply artistic writer. She also taught in school for some time. The book series for which she became most well-known was Little House on the Prairie. In the early 1970s, Michael Landon created a now-famous television show based on and entitled Little House on the Prairie. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born near Pepin, a village in Wisconsin. This area was referred to as "The Big Woods". Her father was Charles Phillip Ingalls and her mother, Caroline Lake (Quiner) Ingalls. Laura's four siblings were Mary Amelia, Caroline Celestia (Carrie), Charles Frederick, who died at nine months old, and Grace Pearl. Childhood Home-sites of Laura Ingalls Wilder The Ingalls family moved to Independence, Kansas when Laura was young. They ended up having to leave because the government had not opened this land up for homesteading. They moved back to Wisconsin for a few years until settling in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. They moved around a few more times before ending up in DeSmet, South Dakota in the winter of 1879-1880. They endured one of the worst Dakota winters the following winter. Laura described that winter in her book called "The Long Winter". This is also where she met Almanzo Wilder. Laura Ingalls Wilder, A Young Woman When Laura was fifteen years old, she became a teacher. The Little House TV series depicts a Laura passionate about teaching, but apparently she was more interested in supporting her family financially than doing it for the pure joy of teaching. Laura and Almanzo married on August 25, 1885. Almanzo's homestead claim, north of DeSmet, was becoming prosperous at that point. Laura gave birth to Rose wilder on December 5, 1886. In 1889, they had a son. One Season 9 Little House episode called "A Child With No Name" is based on this time in Laura's life. Their son died soon after he was born so he was never given a name. Laura published a book called The First Four Years during the first years of their marriage when, in addition to the death of their son, they endured many trials such as fire and debt. In 1892, they went back to DeSmet and bought a small house. They both worked hard to save money and start life anew. Rocky Ridge Farm It took them two years but they were able to move to Mansfield, Missouri, and used their savings as a down payment on land with a house just outside of town. They started small but eventually turned their land into a producing farm. They had to move into town for a while, but after a while were then able to come back to the farm and build it up again. Their daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, had developed a writing career. This inspired Laura to write. Later, Laura was driven to pursue a manuscript she had written about her childhood. Her biography was called "Pioneer Girl". Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Book Series Laura wrote Little House in the Big Woods (originally going to be called When Grandma was a Little Girl) as the first of her book series. Little House was published in the early 1930's. After Little House in the Big Woods was published, Laura's books have been and still are in print today, all over the world. Five additional books were published including On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937), By the Shores of Silver Lake (1939), The Long Winter (1940), Little Town on the Prairie (1941), and These Happy Golden Years (1943). Laura Ingalls Wilder, Beloved Author Laura had many fans who fell in love with her through her writing and visited her often. After Almanzo died Laura stayed on the farm and lived alone for eight years. Laura Ingalls Wilder died at the age of 90. In 1974, 17 years after her death, the television series Little House on the Prairie debuted and ran a triumphant nine seasons. Wilder said once that the original reason why she wrote her books was to preserve the stories of her childhood for today's children, to help them to understand how much America had changed during her lifetime. In 1993, Laura Ingalls Wilder was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians, and a bronze bust depicting her is on permanent display in the rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol. Wilder was honored with a star on the Walk of Fame in Marshfield, Missouri in 2006. Return to Old Fashioned Living from Laura Ingalls Wilder |
