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Governor of Orleans / The American Remount Association

Registered stallion leased to Almanzo Wilder 1923-1925.

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F

Fair Grounds – furrow

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Supposed Speech of Regulus

From Independent Fifth Reader.

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fever ‘n’ ague / malaria

malaria

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cradle scythe

Blade and handle used to cut oats.

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post office / post-office

Where you send and receive mail.

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willow

Tree of the genus Salix.

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“Don’t Leave the Farm, Boys”

Song from The Conqueror.

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spring tonic

Bitter purifying medicine.

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cant-hook / cant-pole

Instrument used by lumbermen to move logs.

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spider

Legged cooking vessel.

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telegraph

Don’t let Jimmie shock you with it!

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Jesse French

Butchered oxen during the Hard Winter.

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The Athenians

Hartville, Mo. study club.

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oyster

A mollusk of the genus Ostrea, having a bivalve shell.

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Little House in the Big Woods – the fictional story

Once upon a time, 60 years ago…

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zenith

The point of the heavens directly overhead.

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“Keep the Horse Shoe Over the Door”

1880 Joseph Skelley song.

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cupola

Dome-like vault on a public building.

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Will Knight

Walnut Grove revival singer.

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Mr. Clancy / Chauncey Clayson

Drygoods store owner, Chauncey Clayson

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Lizzie

the child bride

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isinglass

mica for stove windows

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cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

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“Merry, Merry Christmas”

Hymn Number 150 in Pure Gold for Sunday Schools.

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Edward H. Couse

Early hardware store owner in De Smet.

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hardtack

Unleavened hard bread made from flour and water.

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“Highland Mary”

1799 Robert Burns songs, favorite of Mary Ingalls.

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Florence Bell

Milliner and dressmaker in De Smet.

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A Modern Musketeer

In which Rose becomes a great actress.

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“Down in Alabam'” / “The Old Gray Mare”

1858 J. Warner song.

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windrow

Line of hay raked together.

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surveyor

One who measures land and delineates the same on paper.

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George C. Bradley

Early De Smet druggist.

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starch

cloth stiffener

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Old English letters

Variety of printing type.

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Burr Oak during the Little House years

Town in Winneshiek County, Iowa.

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“There is a Happy Land”

Whoop! How those eggs do smell!

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Farmer Boy – historical perspective

1860s Burke / Malone NY.

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Quiner graves

Abandoned cemetery off Playhouse Road.

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“For the Sake o’ Somebody”

1794 Robert Burns poem.

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acre

4840 square yards of land.

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“I Wish I Was in Dixie’s Land”

1860 Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

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garnet

Deep orange-red gemstone.

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The New York Ledger

Weekly story paper, published 1855-1898.

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“The High Tide”

Jean Ingelow poem.

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New England States

ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, & CT.

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Chariton County, Missouri

Location of land purchased in 1868 by Charles Ingalls, Henry Quiner, and Tom Quiner.

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The Youth’s Companion

Weekly instructional magazine for children, first published in 1827.

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Sam Owen

De Smet boot & shoe maker… and horseman!

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Silver Lake

Kingsbury County prairie pothole lake.

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World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition

Destination of the Wilder brothers in the fall of 1884.

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apron

Garment protector.

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handkerchief

Face and hand wiping cloth.

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buffalo / bison

bison

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“The New Year’s Come”

1842 “Why chime the bells so merrily?”

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Y

“Yankee Doodle” – Youth’s Companion

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Laura’s Bible references

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s hand-written list of Bible verses to be read in times of trouble or stress.

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cranberry

Good ones bounce!

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batten / lath

Thin, narrow board for fastening or joining.

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Albert Quiner

Laura’s cousin.

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swan

Cygnus Americanus

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Wilder feed store

Shhh. There’s wheat in the wall!

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harvest moon

Full moon nearest autumnal equinox

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Protected: Alfred Ely

One of the younger boys in school.

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“Tubal Cain”

Charles McKay poem.

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chestnut / horse chestnut

A large nut, the fruit of a species of Æsculus.

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“Come In and Shut the Door”

Circa 1862 song by J.P.H.

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E

ear flap – expelled

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poke bonnet / poke-bonnet

the lining matched Laura’s eyes

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breast-pin / brooch / bar pin

Ornament worn on clothing.

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catechism

Question & answer book of religious doctrine.

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“Am I a Soldier of the Cross”

Isaac Watts hymn.

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pen / pen-wiper

An instrument used for writing. / Material used to clean it after writing.

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milking-stool

Three legs (the cow has the udder).

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windlass

Device to move water or dirt from the bottom of a well to ground level.

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Martha Perry / Mrs. White

Laura helped her sew shirts.

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Turkey red

Durable red color, dyed with madder upon calico or woolen cloth.

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hair receiver / hair-receiver

Container to save strands of hair in.

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“The Gypsy King”

Young Laura and Mary’s favorite song!

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Horace Woodworth family

Family of first depot agent in De Smet.

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Fred Fields / Big Jerry

Railroad boss and his brother-in-law.

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Quaker meeting

Parlor game in which players try to remain silent.

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“Here’s to the Maiden”

1780 R.B. Sheridan drinking song.

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Samuel O. Masters / William J. Masters families

Walnut Grove, Burr Oak, and De Smet family known by the Ingallses.

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buffalo beans

Prairie ground plum.

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De Smet during the Little House years

The Ingalls family moved here in 1879.

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“Jesus Holds My Hand”

Hymn #85, Pure Gold for the Sunday Schools

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dove-in-the-window / bear’s tracks

Patchwork pattern variations.

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“Hail Columbia”

1789 Philip Phile march.

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“The Star of Bethlehem”

When Marshalled on the Nightly Plane

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emigrant car

Railroad car used to move a settler and/or a settler’s goods.

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Charles Lamson

Almanzo’s cousin.

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B

bachelor – “by the pale, silver light…”

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calendar

What’s today’s date?

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velvet

Silk or blend fabric with short shag surface.

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President George Washington

First President of the U.S.A.

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August Hanson

The Ingallses’ next door neighbor in De Smet.

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muskrat

Their houses predict winter weather.

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barber

Shave and a haircut, two bits!

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Have you seen the comet?

Tebbutt’s Great Comet of 1881.

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Thomas P. Power family

De Smet tailor.

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“The Pied Piper”

Robert Browning poem.

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Charles Mead

Proprietor of the Exchange Hotel in De Smet, 1880-1882.

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Eleck Nelson family

Neighbors of the Ingalls family when living on their preemption claim north of Walnut Grove.

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Gather ye rosebuds while ye may…

From Robert Herrick poem.

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“The Sculptor Boy”

Carrie recited it.

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“yell like a Comanche”

Imitated Indian battle cry.

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checkers

Game played on a board of 64 squares.

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cat hole / cat-hole

Jack will keep other animals from using it.

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Charles Philip Ingalls

Father of Laura Ingalls. He lived 1836-1902.

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Lansford James Ingalls family

Pa’s brother and Laura’s uncle.

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On the Banks of Plum Creek – historical perspective

Walnut Grove in the 1870s.

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locust

Buy this book.

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huckleberry

Let’s have some pie!

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forfeits

Game in which items are deposited and redeemable by a sportive fine.

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hatchet

A small ax with a short handle, to be used with one hand.

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Perry School

April 28 – June 27, 1884

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birds in their little nests agree

Miss Wilder knew nothing about birds.

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Army bugle

Brass military horn.

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X

xanthophyll

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wall-paper

Wall covering.

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Doxology

Old Hundred.

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jumping jack / jumping-jack

Jointed acrobat toy.

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Hamlin Garland

…and his first Christmas tree!

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Joseph Bouchie family

Fictional Brewster family in THGY.

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writ of attachment

Legal document requiring action.

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“The Heavens Declare the Glory”

From The Conqueror, page 144.

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milk pan / milk-pan / milkpan

Where cream rises.

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Come Into the Garden, Maud

1855 poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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P A T

one seven seven ought

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certificate

Written testimony of fact.

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tomahawk

War hatchet used by American Indians.

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mummy

Put. that. back.

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Thomas H. Ruth

President of Kingsbury County Bank in De Smet.

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“Arkansas Traveler”

Traditional American folk song.

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dried-raspberry sauce

Dried sauce good on biscuits.

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ice-house

Stores ice blocks in warm weather.

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Kingsbury County, D.T.

County in eastern South Dakota, organized in 1879.

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photographs

There’s a little birdie in the camera, Rose.

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biscuits

A kind of un-fermented bread, formed into flat cakes, and baked.

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The Floweret

1842 book of verse by Anna Maria Wells.

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“Beware!”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem.

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powder horn / powder-horn

Animal horn in which gunpowder is carried.

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yoke

Frame worn on the neck for lifting or drawing.

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riot / Tracy railroad strike

Tracy in June, not De Smet in September

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auk

Extinct sea bird used to describe dovekie found by Charles Ingalls.

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fichu

Light pointed cape worn by ladies, usually made of lace.

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Margaret Garland family / Cap Garland

Family living behind the Ingallses in De Smet.

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Amos Whiting family

Superintendent of Schools, De Smet.

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“Sweet By and By”

Pa’s favorite hymn.

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“Daisy Deane”

1863 song by Union soldiers.

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Hotel keeper’s family struck by lightning

E.P. LeSuer of Canby, Minnesota.

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Mr. and Mrs. Scott

Indian Territory neighbors of the Ingallses.

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James McKee family

Homesteader north of Manchester D.T.

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“Irish Washerwoman”

Traditional Scottish and Irish song/dance song.

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alley / alleyway

Narrow passageway, distinct from public street.

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mud hen / mudhen

American coot.

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“Three Blind Mice”

Popular nursery song, sung in rounds.

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copyright / permissions

Please do not plagiarize.

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Timber Culture Act / tree claim

Passed by Congress, March 3, 1873.

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“Uncle Ned”

One of the earliest Stephen Foster songs.

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oranges

Citrus fruit.

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reindeer

Why didn’t they fly over the creek?

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Henry Ford’s Own Story

Industrialist and founder of Ford Motor Company.

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Laura & Lansford Ingalls

Grandpa & Grandma Ingalls

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“The Gum-Tree Canoe”

1847 Steele & Winnemore song.

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William H. Reed

Teacher in Burr Oak school, 1876-1877.

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“Dakota Land”

1876 hymn, Beulah Land.

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“Old Folks at Home”

Way down upon the Swanee River!

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china shepherdess / little china woman

Ingalls family figurine.

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Old Settler’s Day

De Smet annual reunion.

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mustache

Hair above the lip.

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John James Ingalls

Senator from Kansas.

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butter tester

Instrument used to remove core sample from a vat of butter, for the sake of testing.

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Daniel Loftus

Early drygoods store owner in De Smet.

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bank

financial institution

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beet

Succulent root vegetable.

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Congress

Legislative body of a country.

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quarter section / quarter-section

One-fourth of a square mile, consisting of 160 acres.

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George A. Williams

Superintendent of Schools, 1883.

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stone fences

Rock wall enclosure.

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“Golden Years are Passing By”

1879 Will Thompson song.

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Introspections of an Individualist

Norma Lee Browning article about Rose Wilder Lane.

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“Buffalo Gals”

1844 Virginia Minstrels song.

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“Jerusalem the Golden”

Hymn from Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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W

wage – writ of attachment

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Burke / Malone during the Little House years

Almanzo Wilder birthplace.

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“All the Blue Bonnets are Over the Border”

1829 Sir Walter Scott air.

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Lewis Sasse

De Smet druggist

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Santa Claus / Santa Clause

Ho. Ho. Ho.

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patent / title

official property ownership document

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roller towel

Long towel with ends sewn together, hung on a rod.

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Delos Perry family

The Perry School was on his homestead.

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“The Polish Boy”

Poem by Ann S. Stephens

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scones

“Mamabess is growing fat.”

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handcar

Don’t be left behind!

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crocheted rag rug

Crocheted floor covering made of strips of cloth.

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morning-glory

Climbing plant of the genus Ipomœa.

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bear grease

Bear fat hair dressing.

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