Friday 19 July 2013

The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Name: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Born: 7 February 1867
Died: 10 February 1957
Occupation: Writer

Laura Ingalls Wilder.jpg
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born on the 7th of February 1867. She had 5 siblings, the oldest Mary Amelia  (1865 - 1925), who went blind when she was 14. Her younger sister was Caroline Celestia (1870 -  1946), called in Laura's books 'Carrie', as a nickname. Laura's younger brother, Charles Fredrick, died as an infant. Grace Pearl (1877 - 1941) was the youngest of the Ingalls. 
In 1868 the Ingalls moved near Independence, Kansas. A few weeks after Carrie was born, the Ingalls moved back to Wisconsin. and they lived there for the next 4 years. This is where she based Little House on the Prairie and Little House in the Big Woods. On the Banks of Plumb Creek was written for the time period of 1871 - 1874. The Ingalls moved to Walnut Grove in 1874. In this time Charles Ingalls Jr. was born and died at the age of 9 months
During the next few years Laura's family moved around a bit. First to Burr Oak, Iowa where they helped run a hotel and where Grace was born. Laura skipped over the years when they were living in Burr Oak. then they moved to Dakota Territory where By the Shores of Silver Lake was based. 
In 1879-1880 Charles put in an offer on a homestead where Caroline, Mary and himself spent the rest of their lives. During the winter of 1880-1881 Laura described in her book, The long Winter. This winter was the severest in the record if the Dakotas. When the Ingalls settled in De Smet Laura attended school, worked a few part-time jobs, and met Almanzo Wilder who she later married. These years are written in the book Little Town on the Prairie. 
Two months before her 16th birthday, Laura went to her first teaching job. When she was not in school in De Smet she taught 3 terms in a one roomed schools. She received a Teaching Certificate on December 24, 1882. 
She married Almanzo James Wilder on the August 25th 1885. Laura was 18 and Almanzo was 28. she and Almanzo moved to a new home north of De Smet.  On December 5th 1886 Rose Wilder (1886 - 1968) was born.  Rose had a little brother who died as an infant, unnamed.
The first few years of Almanzo and Laura's marriage was full of trials. Almanzo had diphtheria which left him partly paralyzed. After the death of their unnamed son, a fire destroyed there house and barn, many years of drought, which left them in debt and physically sick. All these trials Laura wrote about in The First Four Years. This book was found after Rose's death.
In 1894 the Wilders moved to Mansfield, Missouri, buying a farm, called Rocky Ridge Farm, just outside Mansfield. Almanzo sold wagon loads of firewood, the only income the farm gave them. The Wilders, after working the farm with no success moved to a rented house in Mansfield.  To have an income, Laura took in boarders, and gave the railroad men food. Almanzo worked as a oil salesman and a general delivery man. Almanzo's parents visited and gave Almanzo and Laura, as a gift, the property deed to the house they were renting. Now they could buy acreage to the house,  In 1910, they sold the house in Mansfield and lived at Rocky Ridge Farm permanently.  In 20 years, the 40 acres that came with the farm soon increased to 200 acres, with a 10 roomed farmhouse to replace the old log cabin that was there before.
Rocky Ridge Farm soon became a dairy and poultry farm with an apple orchard,
The Wilders were never really rich, until the Little House books became to sell. The Wilders soon got money from the Farm Loan Association for the Wilders to live in a middle class society in Mansfield.
In 1949 at the age of 92, Almanzo died. Laura lived for 6 years after Almanzo died. On the 10th of February 1957 Laura died. She was 90. They both died at Rocky Ridge Farm.
               
                
 I plan to do one famous person a week.
Laura 

29 comments:

  1. Great post!!! Have you read all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books? I used to love them when I was younger! (and I still do =D )
    See you on Sunday!!

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  2. Thankyou! I think I have read all of the books. probably out of order, though. Mainie has 1 of the Caroline Quiner books (Laura's mom) and some of the Rocky Ridge Farm series (about Rose, Laura's daughter) I like them too. :D
    See you Sunday too!
    Laura

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  3. Wow, I didn't know there was a series about Laura's mum!! I've read some of the Rocky Ridge books, but I think I prefer the ones about Laura.
    Looking forward to Sunday!!!

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    1. Neither, until Mainie got them :P
      Yes, the Laura ones are better. Not so romantic. (Don't you dislike romantic stuff? Josh and Mainie are... unspeakably sick! xP I feel sorry for their kids!)
      Are you looking forward to being poked? I'll give Abi a poke for you this afternoon, OK?
      ~Laura

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    2. Yes, that's the main reason I prefer the Laura ones!
      You know, you should be thankful that your nieces and nephews will grow up seeing their parents kiss... a lot of children now days don't know what it's like to have parents that really love each other. (And I think your view on kissing will change drastically if you get married!) I know a girl who grew up with parents who didn't love each other like Josh and Mainie do, and believe me, her life was not a happy one. And it speaks volumes about the importance of waiting for the right one, like Josh and Mainie did, they have a pure and beautiful love for each other which makes them stand out from other couples I know.
      To be honest, I'm really looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, but I'm not so keen on being poked. Tell you what... if you don't poke me, I won't poke you, but I'll help you poke others. Deal?

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    3. Yeah, I feel sorry for the kids who have to live lives like that.
      Ok. I'll not poke you but yes, a deal!
      see you tomorrow! (Poke Abi!)
      ~Laura

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  4. I really like the 'L.I.W. Books' too! Can't wait until Sunday! Not looking forward to saying goodbye to you though. :( :( :( :(

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  5. :( :( :( I'm going to die!
    Sunday's tomorrow. Mainie said maybe to thequestion you asked me.
    Love,
    ~Laura

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    1. Plllleeeeaaaassseeee!!! DON'T DIE!!!!!!

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    2. I won't die of you 3 (You, Abi and Han). But I'll die when we leave! And I'll try not to. As Abi told me, she'll probably cry, which will probably... I'm no going ot say that! Also, when we leave, can I email you pokes that you can deliver out to people(ie. Abi, Han, yourself, Josh Sam.)?
      I'll only see you and Abi 1 more time, if Abi isn't coming on Friday. Are you Abi?
      Love,
      Laura

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    3. You can't die, 'coz that would mean that you wouldn't be able to come to Tassie again, which would be unspeakably sad =D There's a photo I took that Abi wants me to send to you, so you should get it soon ;D and I'd be more than delighted to 'hand out' pokes from you to my family members, but don't you think Josh and Sam deserve a rest from being poked?
      See you on Sunday!!

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    4. uh.... Maybe Josh and Sam, but not you, Abi and Han! :D I won't send you pokes for Josh and Sam for maybe 2-3 months if I can help it (?).
      Ok, i'll try not to die!
      We may see you today, when we pick up Abi and Han to be awesome here. If not see you Sunday!
      ~Laura

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    5. OK, hold off on Josh and Sam for a couple of months (if you can!) I'm more than happy to poke my family though! *wicked laugh*
      See you on Sunday!

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    6. Sure thing, Mimah. (Do you mind being called that?) Your family = Sarah, Abi, yourself, Han, Joe, Esther and Rachie? Or just you, Abi, Sarah and Han?
      See you tomorrow! We leave in less than a week! But we'll be back!
      ~Laura

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    7. P.S. How long is a couple of months? 2? 3? or should I ask them?
      ~Laura

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    8. No, I don't mind being called Mimah, I actually prefer it to Jemimah! (And I'm happy to poke all my siblings for you =D )
      Less than a week? NO!!! Yes, you MUST come back. We won't have it any other way!
      Yes, ask Josh and Sam how long a couple of months is, then let me know.
      See you tomorrow!

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    9. Josh says 60,000 years. He says "The Bible says a day is as 1,000 years there are 60 days in 2 months, which makes 60,000 years. That should make her job nice and easy." Strange. I'll ask Sam when I see him. Probably at Church. Then you will know the answer then and there. Is that OK?
      Ok, Ok, I will come back. 5 years? no..... from the 30th of January 2014- 30th of January 2015? I'll have to ok that with Josh and Mainie (And Sam, to see if he wants to be poked for that long!) and you!
      see you tonight!
      ~Laura

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  6. Hmmm... 60,000 years might be overdoing it slightly. And I doubt we'd be able to restrain ourselves that long! Yes, ask Sam when you see him, then you and I can plot together and decide how long we'll give them off.
    Somehow, I don't think Josh and Sam would be too keen on you staying with them for a year, unless you promised not to poke them, but then that wouldn't make it very fun for you... on the other hand, we'd love it if you stayed for a whole year!!
    See you tonight!!

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    1. 60,000 years is far to long! It would be fun if I could poke them at least once a month and then poke you 4. :D
      AAARRRGGG!!! I forgot to ask Sam! I'll ask him either tonight or tomorrow.
      Did you ever think of the other people who are reading this blog, who read these comments and it makes no sense to them?
      See you... uh... when we next see you!
      ~Laura

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    2. Haha, yes, I think the other people who read your blog probably look at our comments and think 'what on earth are they going on about?!?'
      Yes, see you when we next see you. Unfortunately, that will probably be a while. *sob*

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    3. *SOB* But... everyone who reads this blog (I think, unless there are some people who I don't know who read this blog) knows that me and all my friends are usually downright crazy! :D
      Actully, Mum said that she would like to come to Tassie/Aussie every year (I hope over 2 weeks in Tassie :D) and every 4 years to the US of A. So... If my other brother doesn't get married in the next 4 years, next time, Mum might leave us here again, and then she'll go to US of A for at least 6 weeks she says! But... in 4 years I'll be almost 17. EKKK!!! We will of lost all our pokynesses? I hope not! ARG!
      Love you, and rest assured I will still be poking you, Abi, Sarah, Sam and Josh when i'm 17, I hope. Or is poking immature? What do you think?
      ~Laura

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    4. That would be wonderful if you came with your mum every year to Tassie!!! If you'll be almost 17 in 4 years, then... yikes!!! I'll be nearly 20!!! Scary. =) I doubt we'll have lost our pokiness in 4 years. I daresay we'll be more mature, but I don't think we'll be any less inclined to poke those we think are deserving.
      And no, poking isn't immature. I know Sam said not poking your elders shows great maturity, but seriously, I don't believe everything Sam says should be taken very seriously =D =D If you think about it, Josh is mature, isn't he? and he pokes people, so therefore, poking is NOT immature. The voice of authority has spoken. =D (Yeah, I am weird)

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    5. Mimah, join the club. Everyone I know (really well) are either weird or crazy! Um... we will all probably go to USA next year! Jerry is probably getting married. so, we may have a short stop over to the 'Land of Pokes' (Tassie). I hope.
      No, I don't think everything he says should be either. Ok... there you've gone slightly wrong. Whenever you see Josh he appears mature, but when you and your sister steal his socks, he's not very mature (and when you know him as i do, you'll think differently of him, ok?)
      Ok,Ok, poking is not immature, but is it mature? or is it one of those things that mature and immature people do?
      Yes, your highness, the voice as spoken.
      Miss you Davises (And Josh and Mainie!)!!!!
      Love, Laura

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    6. P.S. Poke and hug yourself, Abi, Han and Sarah for me please? I know it may be hard to hug yourself, but try it if you fail, get Abit to.
      Love Laura!

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    7. Hello again!!!!! How are you? We all miss you so much!
      Please stop over in the 'land of pokes' next year!!! We'd love to see you again!! How exciting your brother is getting married!! You must be so excited! =D
      We most certainly won't be stealing Josh's socks... but I know him to be incredibly mature, whatever you say, and Mainie married him, so there's proof =D
      I don't think poking is immature or mature, just fun. Right?
      Abi says miss you, love you, hug and poke yourself
      Love Mimah

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    8. Hi Mimah! I'm fine. How are you doing? Surviving the pokes your sister should be raining upon you? Yes, I will persuade Mum to come the "The Land of Pokes!" In my hurry to get there, you might see me sailing 'gracefully' to the ground, without the plane.
      Still, sometimes mature. sometimes you can a LOT of fun without being mature, right? That's Josh, ok? End of Story. :D :P
      Just Fun, correct.
      Tell AbKebabs and Han that I poke them and Poke Sarah will you and yourself? Also tell them that I await their letter! and that I poked myself. Also poke ... no I'll wait a little longer. See that Josh? I stopped poking you. :D
      Miss you occupants from the "Land of Pokes"!!!
      Love Laura
      P.S. I'll send you a letter too, next time Mimah and Sarah! <3 L

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  7. I'm well, thank you! Actually, I'm not being poked at all, so I'm not sure what's wrong with my sisters =D Oh yes, it is highly possible to have a lot of fun without being immature. End of story.
    Miss you too!!
    I'll send you a letter soon too! Look forward to it!! Actually, don't get your hopes up, as I am a terribly procrastinator, so let's say… look forward to a letter from me in a month, OK? (joking!)
    Mimah

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I would thank you if you would not use swear words.