Read more

“Uncle John”

Play song to the tune of Yankee Doodle.

Read more

Read more

“Rock Me to Sleep”

Elizabeth Allen poem.

Read more

Read more

D

daisy – dye

Read more

Read more

batten / lath

Thin, narrow board for fastening or joining.

Read more

Read more

Freddy Ingalls

Laura’s brother (1875-1876)

Read more

Read more

James McKee family

Homesteader north of Manchester D.T.

Read more

Read more

carpet-bag / carpetbag

Traveling-bag

Read more

Read more

Charlotte Quiner Holbrook

Caroline Ingalls’ mother

Read more

Read more

badger

Don’t poke it with a stick!

Read more

Read more

James Glover family

Students in the Wilkin School.

Read more

Read more

Mr. Clancy / Chauncey Clayson

Drygoods store owner, Chauncey Clayson

Read more

Read more

“Song of the Grass”

Song from Leslie and Randall’s The Conqueror, page 16.

Read more

Read more

“Haste to the Wedding”

Traditional Irish fiddle tune.

Read more

Read more

John H. Carroll

Early De Smet banker.

Read more

Read more

fever ‘n’ ague / malaria

malaria

Read more

Read more

“A Life on the Ocean Wave”

1847 Epes Sargent poem put to music.

Read more

Read more

claim jumper / Mr. Hunter / Jack Hunt

One who ousts another from their land.

Read more

Read more

Frank Schaub

Early harness maker in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

Manchester, Dakota Territory

Railroad town west of De Smet

Read more

Read more

poultice

Applied to sores to help them heal.

Read more

Read more

prairie danglers

seventhwinter whimsey’s glass slide pendants!

Read more

Read more

surveyors’ house

railroad section house occupied by the Ingallses in 1879-1880

Read more

Read more

Henry Ford’s Own Story

Industrialist and founder of Ford Motor Company.

Read more

Read more

winnow

Drive off chaff by wind.

Read more

Read more

“My Sabbath Home”

Hymn #7, Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

Read more

Read more

bangs / lunatic fringe

hair across the forehead

Read more

Read more

Missouri Pool

Smoked a pipe & grew pretty flowers.

Read more

Read more

gaiters

Cloth ankle covering.

Read more

Read more

A Modern Musketeer

In which Rose becomes a great actress.

Read more

Read more

“Ben Bolt”

1842 Thomas Dunn English song.

Read more

Read more

Laura’s Bible references

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

Read more

Read more

Godey’s Lady’s Book

Women’s magazine, 1830-1898.

Read more

Read more

water alcove

Railroad car water for drinking.

Read more

Read more

mantel-shelf

Shelf above a fireplace.

Read more

Read more

C

cabbage – cyclone

Read more

Read more

watermelon-rind preserves

sugary jelly

Read more

Read more

fascinator

Pretty, light head covering.

Read more

Read more

railroad camp / Silver Lake camp

Temporary dwellings for workers during surveying or construction.

Read more

Read more

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may…

From Robert Herrick poem.

Read more

Read more

latch / latch-string

It’s always out!

Read more

Read more

Have you seen the comet?

Tebbutt’s Great Comet of 1881.

Read more

Read more

Braille / New York Point

Used by Mary Ingalls.

Read more

Read more

“Rock of Ages”

1760s Augustus Toplady hymn.

Read more

Read more

“Coming Through the Rye”

Robert Burns tune.

Read more

Read more

“Marching Through Georgia”

Union song from American Civil War.

Read more

Read more

whalebone

Baleen used in corsets.

Read more

Read more

oyster

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

Read more

Read more

basket

Woven container.

Read more

Read more

Robbins children

“froze stark stiff”

Read more

Read more

Protected: James H. Clewett

De Smet teacher, January-March 1883

Read more

Read more

the children’s blizzard

January 12, 1888, blizzard.

Read more

Read more

“The Whip-Poor-Will’s Song”

1865 Harrison Millard song.

Read more

Read more

Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad

1793 Robert Burns poem.

Read more

Read more

“The Blue Juniata”

1841 Marion Dix Sullivan song.

Read more

Read more

“Uncle Sam’s Farm”

1848 Jesse Hutchinson, Jr. song.

Read more

Read more

Laura Remington

Mrs. Phillip Aubrey Lawrence

Read more

Read more

fichu

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

Read more

Read more

dovekie

Arctic aquatic bird, Alle alle.

Read more

Read more

“Home of the Soul”

1865 E.M.H. Gates hymn.

Read more

Read more

gingerbread

Chocolate frosting adds to the goodness!

Read more

Read more

P

Pa – pussy-in-the-corner

Read more

Read more

beet

Succulent root vegetable.

Read more

Read more

“Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess”

Nursery rhyme wordplay on the name Elizabeth.

Read more

Read more

windlass

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

Read more

Read more

xanthophyll

I bet you can spell this word.

Read more

Read more

“Bonny Doon”

1792 Robert Burns song.

Read more

Read more

Kingsbury County, D.T.

County in eastern South Dakota, organized in 1879.

Read more

Read more

How well do you know the Little House books?

a quiz for you!

Read more

Read more

Nellie Oleson Meets Laura Ingalls

Heather Williams book.

Read more

Read more

Good Templars Lodge

International temperance fraternal organization.

Read more

Read more

homestead

Free land! [sic]

Read more

Read more

Dolly Varden

NIckname of Edith Ingalls, Laura’s cousin.

Read more

Read more

chewing gum

Long white sticks of chewiness.

Read more

Read more

John Anderson

Walnut Grove store clerk & more

Read more

Read more

Willard Seelye

De Smet teacher, 1881-1882.

Read more

Read more

“The Burial of Sir John Moore”

1817 poem by Charles Wolfe.

Read more

Read more

“Bean Porridge Hot”

Bean porridge cold…

Read more

Read more

door knob

Grab to open a door.

Read more

Read more

spring tonic

Bitter purifying medicine.

Read more

Read more

black-berry / blackberry

The berry of the bramble, Rubus fruticosous.

Read more

Read more

Kitty

the Ingallses’ cat in Dakota Territory

Read more

Read more

starry papers

Hand-made shelf edging.

Read more

Read more

Charles Ely

Early lumber man in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

Henry O. Quiner family

Ma’s brother, married to Pa’s sister Polly.

Read more

Read more

Charles Ingalls: The Civil War Years

Charles Ingalls: the Civil War Years

Read more

Read more

Mother Goose

Fictionalized compiler of ancient nursery rhymes.

Read more

Read more

poor man’s fertilizer

Snow plowed into a field.

Read more

Read more

ice cream / ice-cream

Sweetened cream, congealed by freezing.

Read more

Read more

geranium

Winter windowsill flowers.

Read more

Read more

“Kitty Wells”

1858 Sloan & Atherton song.

Read more

Read more

writ of attachment

Legal document requiring action.

Read more

Read more

ash withe / ash-withe

A flexible, slender twig or branch used as a band for tying.

Read more

Read more

equinoctial storm

Severe wind and heavy rain that occurs at or near the time of an equinox.

Read more

Read more

mother-of-pearl

Hard, silvery, brilliant, internal layer of several kinds of shells, particularly oysters.

Read more

Read more

“America”

1832 Reverend Samuel F. Smith song.

Read more

Read more

Jerome Beardsley family

De Smet hotel keeper.

Read more

Read more

wall-paper

Wall covering.

Read more

Read more

cornice

Molded roof or window projection.

Read more

Read more

tea

A man’s drink in cold weather.

Read more

Read more

slate

Stone used as tablet for writing upon.

Read more

Read more

land office

Where sales of public lands are registered.

Read more

Read more

thunder-pumps

American bittern, a member of the heron family.

Read more

Read more

morning-glory

Climbing plant of the genus Ipomœa.

Read more

Read more

Eleck Nelson family

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

Read more

Read more

copyright / permissions

Please do not plagiarize.

Read more

Read more

Protected: private post

Go away AI; you are not welcome here.

Read more

Read more

Verdigris River

River that runs through Montgomery County, Kansas.

Read more

Read more

Walnut Grove during the Little House years

Village in Redwood County, Minnesota

Read more

Read more

August Hanson

The Ingallses’ next door neighbor in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

scones

“Mamabess is growing fat.”

Read more

Read more

flag, the flower

An aquatic flower, Iris versicolor.

Read more

Read more

The Floweret

1842 book of verse by Anna Maria Wells.

Read more

Read more

squirrel

Rodent mammal of the genus Sciurus.

Read more

Read more

“It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”

1912 Judge & Williams song.

Read more

Read more

P A T

one seven seven ought

Read more

Read more

hoity-toity snip

Thoughtless, giddy, haughty, flighty, gay, and noisy.

Read more

Read more

gloves / mittens / mitts

fingerless hand and wrist cover

Read more

Read more

“The Polish Boy”

Poem by Ann S. Stephens

Read more

Read more

Doxology

Old Hundred.

Read more

Read more

Jacob Hopp

Printer and De Smet newspaper owner.

Read more

Read more

G

gable – “Gypsy’s Warning”

Read more

Read more

“Yankee Doodle”

Early song brought to America from Britain.

Read more

Read more

Orion E. Stearns

Caught by blizzard of ’88.

Read more

Read more

I

“I am Mrs. Jinks…” – “I wouldn’t marry a farmer”

Read more

Read more

Mrs. Jarley’s Wax Works

Rise! Come forward!

Read more

Read more

“Here’s to the Maiden”

1780 R.B. Sheridan drinking song.

Read more

Read more

satchel

Small, soft-sided handled luggage.

Read more

Read more

windrow

Line of hay raked together.

Read more

Read more

Charles Mead

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

Read more

Read more

black bird / blackbird

Name given to various American birds.

Read more

Read more

“On Jordan’s Stormy Banks”

Long Winter song

Read more

Read more

Becky Newhall / Rebecca Stewart

Classmate of Laura Ingalls in De Smet.

Read more

Read more

Big Sioux River / Sioux River

SD-IA tributary of Missouri River.

Read more

Read more

Thomas Huleatt family

Neighbors of Ingalls family in Pepin Co.

Read more

Read more

Grace Pearl Ingalls

Youngest sister of Laura Ingalls; she lived 1877-1941.

Read more

Read more

Laura & Lansford Ingalls

Grandpa & Grandma Ingalls

Read more

Read more

Burr Oak during the Little House years

Town in Winneshiek County, Iowa.

Read more

Read more

beard / whiskers

Facial hair.

Read more

Read more

cat hole / cat-hole

Jack will keep other animals from using it.

Read more

Read more

John Armstrong

Kingsbury Co. courthouse caretaker

Read more

Read more

“Jerusalem the Golden”

Hymn from Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

Read more

Read more

literary society

Instructional and entertaining gathering.

Read more

Read more

twine

A strong twisted thread.

Read more

Read more

cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

Read more

Read more

tableland

Elevated flat land; a plateau.

Read more

Read more

tomahawk

War hatchet used by American Indians.

Read more

Read more

button

who’s got one?

Read more

Read more

blacking / stove-blacking / boot blacking

Preparation used to make things black.

Read more

Read more

trough

Stock-watering vessel.

Read more

Read more

Uncle Sam

Figure symbolizing the United States.

Read more

Read more

Jim River / James River

A tributary of the Missouri River.

Read more

Read more

S

Sabbath – sycamore

Read more

Read more

pork-pickle

Salt and sugar pork brine.

Read more

Read more

James Kennedy family

Walnut Grove farming family, originally from Canada.

Read more

Read more

America / American

Pertaining to the United States of America.

Read more

Read more

Burr Oak today

Only Ingalls home in original location.

Read more

Read more

braid / plait

Entwined strands.

Read more

Read more

tiger

Noah’s ark toy piece.

Read more

Read more

Poverty Flat

Early De Smet residential area.

Read more

Read more

“The Silver Moon”

Sail on, silver moon…

Read more

Read more

The Square in Malone

Where the band played.

Read more

Read more

“Arkansas Traveler”

Traditional American folk song.

Read more

Read more

Hattie Dorchester

Jake Zickrick’s skating partner.

Read more

Read more

Charles Barker

Early De Smet grocer.

Read more

Read more

barber

Shave and a haircut, two bits!

Read more

Read more

cannon

Military engine used for throwing balls and other instruments of death by the force of gunpowder.

Read more

Read more

bastion

A part of a main enclosure which projects toward the exterior.

Read more

Read more

Timothy Johnson family

De Smet Wagon Shop.

Read more

Read more

Waverly Novels

Sir Walter Scott books.

Read more

Read more

Eliza Jane Wilder

Almanzo’s sister.

Read more

Read more

Ida Belle Wright

Laura’s best friend in De Smet

Read more

Read more

sheep sorrel

Tastes like lemon… or springtime?

Read more

Read more

grippe

influenza

Read more

Read more

“The Campbells are Coming”

Traditional Scottish jig.

Read more

Read more

“Gaily Now Our Boat is Sailing”

Singing school exercise

Read more

Read more

Alice Maria Wilder

Older sister and playmate of Almanzo Wilder. She lived 1853-1892.

Read more

Read more

“Great is the Lord”

Singing school song from The Conqueror.

Read more

Read more

A

aboveboard – axle

Read more

Read more

isinglass

mica for stove windows

Read more

Read more

“Ta-ra-ra-Boom-de-Ay”

1891 Henry J. Sayers song.

Read more

Read more

Farmer Boy – historical perspective

1860s Burke / Malone NY.

Read more

Read more

lief

Gladly; willingly; freely.

Read more

Read more

huckleberry

Let’s have some pie!

Read more

Read more

willow-ware

Blue-and-white tableware with Chinese story paintings.

Read more

Read more

“The Gum-Tree Canoe”

1847 Steele & Winnemore song.

Read more

Read more

“Mountain of the Lord”

Hymn #52, Pure Gold for the Sunday School

Read more

Read more

hogshead

100-140 gallon cask.

Read more

Read more

shoe pegs

A small, pointed piece of wood, used in fastening.

Read more

Read more

composition

The act of forming a written piece.

Read more

Read more

by jingo!

A corruption of St. Gengoulph.

Read more

Read more

bobolink

On Mary Power’s name card.

Read more

Read more

claim

The land to which one has a right.

Read more

Read more

candle / tallow

Used to furnish light.

Read more

Read more

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Birthday

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Read more

Read more

Z

zebra – Zion City

Read more

Read more

pokeberry

For rosy doll cheeks.

Read more

Read more

“Money Musk”

Traditional American dance tune.

Read more

Read more

U

udder – upland

Read more

Read more

buck / buckskin

Male of the fallow deer, and leather made from its skin.

Read more

Read more

fanning-mill

Machine for winnowing.

Read more