What Happened to Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family?

This morning I was thinking about what to write about. Yes I was having one of those days again. Then I was thinking what about writing about what happened to Laura and her family after the books. Some of this is about the books and some if this will not be about the books. I hope you enjoy this. The picture to the right is Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder was born in the big woods of Wisconsin February 7,1867. She passed away February 10,1957 she was 90 years old. She is buried with her husband and her daughter.

She started to write the Little house books when she was sixty years old. She remembered so many wonderful memories of living on the pioneer frontier. Laura didn't keep any kind of a diary. What she did was write herself little notes from her traveling, family, friends, people she had met and places she has been. The way Laura became so descriptive in her writing is she had to tell her sister Mary everything she would see. Mary became blind at the age of 14.

Laura's daughter Rose encouraged her to write her books. The first book was published in 1932 it is called "Little house in the Big Woods". She got such a great response with this book she went on to write the "Farmer Boy" that was published in 1933. Then she had got some letters from girls and boys asking what happened to the girl in the big woods. So Laura continued to write the series of books. The last book she published was 1943. She was writing when Almanzo passed away and her heart was not into it anymore. The "First Four Years" was published in 1971 this was many years after her death. Also her diary of her trip from South Dakota to Missouri was published in 1962 it was called "West to home". This was from the letters that Laura had sent to Almanzo. So she use the letters to write this book.

Almanzo James Wilder was born on February 13,1857 passed away on October 23,1949 he was 92. He was born in Malone N.Y.. His family moved to Spring Valley Minnesota in 1875. Almanzo and his brother Royal decided to get a homestead to try farming in the Dakota Territory. This is when he met Laura and they were married on August 25,1885. They moved to Mansfield Missouri in 1894. This would be the last home that Almanzo would ever live in. When Almanzo was a young boy he had gotten real sick with diphtheria. Later in life Almanzo was having heart problems and he passed away. The way Laura and Almanzo met was at church and socials. Pa knew Almanzo and Royal from the feed store. Laura had a teaching job and on the first friday Almanzo would go and pick her up after school and on Sunday afternoon he would take Laura back. This was his was of courting her and a way for them to get to know one another.

Christmas of 1887 Ma and Pa moved to De Smet and this would be permanently. This was shortly after Laura had married. Pa built the house for Ma, Pa and the girls. This house was close to the school for the two younger girls. Pa was busy as the Town Justice of the Peace, Deputy Sheriff, Town Clerk, and Street Commissioner. Pa was also a carpenter in town. Pa Died in 1902  of hear failure. Ma stayed in the house with Mary after Pa passed away. In 1918 Ma became ill and Grace and her husband Nathan Dow came to live with Ma and Mary. Ma died in 1924.

Mary did go to a blind school in Iowa. Then after she graduated she moved back home with Ma and Pa. After Ma and Pa passed away Mary went to live with Carrie in Keystone South Dakota. Mary never got married and never had children of her own.  While she was there she became very ill and died of a stroke in 1928 Mary was 63.

Carrie graduated high school and she worked for the local news paper. She learned how to do the printing and publishing trades. This eventually extended in many papers in Western South Dakota. This is were she met and married David Swanzey in 1912. David was a widower and he had two small children that Carrie helped him raise. They never had any children of there own. Carrie died 1946 at 76.

Grace became a teacher like Laura. She taught near De Smet. That is were Grace met and married Nathan Dow. Nathan was a farmer. Grace and Nathan took care of Ma and Pa when they became ill. They had there own place in Manchester which was seven miles away from Ma and Pa's place. After Ma and Pa passed away Grace and Nathan went back to there home. They never had any children. Grace died 1941 at 64.

Rose was the surviving child of Laura and Almanzo. She was born December 5,1886. Laura named her after the wild prairie rose. Rose learned how to knit, sew, bake but what fascinated her to most was books.  She was and excellent student. Rose began to write for various publications. This opened up a whole new world to people. She met and married Gillette Lane 1909. In 1918 the marriage ended. Rose continued to write books and publish them. She also wrote articles for National Magizines. Rose traveled the world then when she came home she urged Laura to write her books. Rose was the only grandchild to Charles and Caroline Ingalls. Rose died October 30,1968.

Eliza Jane is Almanzo's sister. She married and moved to Louisiana and he had a son.
Charles Fredrick Ingalls only lived for nine months. They never found out what caused his death.

Nellie Oleson first met Laura in Walnut Grove. Nellie's parents owned the general store in town. They didn't stay there for very long and they kept moving around. Then they did settle in Tillamook Oregon. This is were Nellie met and married Henry Frank Kirry. They had three children. Nellie died 1949.

The Ingalls never adopted and children. In the t.v. show were they adopted Albert, James and Cassandra is just for the show.

I just thought if there are people that like Little House on the Prairie like I do would really like to know what happened to Laura and her family. When I started to read this I was so fascinated by it. So I thought that I would share it everyone. The pictures on here I found along with what I was reading. This is how Laura and Almanzo did look back then.