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Laura Remington

Mrs. Phillip Aubrey Lawrence

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cabin / log house

A small cottage; a hut or small house.

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Charles & Martha Harrison / Patterson

Charles and Elizabeth May Rundle.

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“My Sabbath Home”

Hymn #7, Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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bake oven / bake-oven

Coals on top and below.

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Amos Whiting family

Superintendent of Schools, De Smet.

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bale

Specific bundle of goods packaged for transport.

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turntable

Revolving railroad platform.

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Come Into the Garden, Maud

1855 poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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Nellie Oleson Meets Laura Ingalls

Heather Williams book.

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“Gaily Now Our Boat is Sailing”

Singing school exercise

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“Sweet By and By”

Pa’s favorite hymn.

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Bibliography

LIW / RWL books & articles

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velvet

Silk or blend fabric with short shag surface.

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Ven Owen

Teacher and principal of the first graded school in De Smet

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elevator

Warehouse for seed and grain.

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Henry J. Stebbins

Railroad contractor who inspired a song.

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Dolly Varden

NIckname of Edith Ingalls, Laura’s cousin.

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These Happy Golden Years – historical perspective

De Smet, D.T., 1883-1885.

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mother-of-pearl

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

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fever ‘n’ ague / malaria

malaria

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literary society

Instructional and entertaining gathering.

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braid / plait

Entwined strands.

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“A Shelter in the Time of Storm”

Ira Sankey hymn.

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checkers

Game played on a board of 64 squares.

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pumpkin

The plant and fruit of Curcubita pepo

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“I Wish I Was in Dixie’s Land”

1860 Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

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tax

A certainty, as is death.

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Laura’s Sorosis Club speech

“My Work”

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cradle scythe

Blade and handle used to cut oats.

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osage orange

no good to eat or for anything else

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gosh!

that wicked word

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quarter section / quarter-section

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

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Visscher Barnes

Probate Judge, VP of Temperance Society, and first director of De Smet school board.

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barber

Shave and a haircut, two bits!

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“The Gypsy’s Warning”

1864 Henry Coard song.

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watermelon-rind preserves

sugary jelly

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Big Sioux River / Sioux River

SD-IA tributary of Missouri River.

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flag, the flower

An aquatic flower, Iris versicolor.

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tiger lily

Native spotted flower of tallgrass prairie.

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bangs / lunatic fringe

hair across the forehead

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Rocky Ridge Farm

The Wilders’ Missouri farm east of Mansfield

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dug out / dugout

Dwelling built into the earth.

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Braille / New York Point

Used by Mary Ingalls.

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“Tubal Cain”

Charles McKay poem.

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cottage cheese

Curdled skim milk.

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apprentice

One who is legally bound to another to learn a trade or art.

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Willard Seelye

De Smet teacher, 1881-1882.

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Arthur Sherwood

Brother of Carter Sherwood.

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whiffle-tree / whiffletree

Bar to attach traces to.

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George Wilmarth family

Owner of early grocery store in De Smet.

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“Old Grimes”

1822 Albert Gorton Greene poem.

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“Song of the Grass”

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

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blueing bag

Whiter whites.

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“The Evergreen Shore”

1861 William Hunter song.

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Volga, Dakota Territory

Town on the Dakota Central R.R. between Brookings and Arlington, platted in 1879.

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Uncle Sam

Figure symbolizing the United States.

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candle / tallow

Used to furnish light.

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Bloody Benders

Serial killers in 1870s Kansas.

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cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

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Little House on the Prairie – the fictional story

The Ingallses in Indian Territory.

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poor man’s fertilizer

Snow plowed into a field.

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Ingalls office / store in De Smet

NW and SE corners of Calumet and Second.

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spelling / speller

The order of letters in a word. / A book of exercises on the order of letters.

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“Captain Jinks”

1868 comedic opera song.

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New England States

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

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Mansfield history

Town in Wright County, Missouri.

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catechism

Question & answer book of religious doctrine.

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“Give us this day our daily bread”

“The City, a Mc Kee plain glassware pattern.

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Mary Power & Edwin Sanford

Laura’s friend and the new clerk at Ruth’s bank.

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ice-house

Stores ice blocks in warm weather.

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needle grass

Ouch! Something bit me!

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yoke

Frame worn on the neck for lifting or drawing.

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vanity cakes

Egg and flour batter fried in oil into golden brown puffs.

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“Coming Through the Rye”

Robert Burns tune.

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“Oh Boys, Carry Me Along”

Stephen Foster song.

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morning-glory

Climbing plant of the genus Ipomœa.

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Alfred N. Waters

Attorney and land agent in De Smet.

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George A. Williams

Superintendent of Schools, 1883.

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composition

The act of forming a written piece.

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birds in their little nests agree

Miss Wilder knew nothing about birds.

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batten / lath

Thin, narrow board for fastening or joining.

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Thomas P. Power family

De Smet tailor.

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Supposed Speech of Regulus

From Independent Fifth Reader.

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Old English letters

Variety of printing type.

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William H. Steadman family

Proprietor of hotel in Burr Oak.

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Santa Claus / Santa Clause

Ho. Ho. Ho.

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St. Lawrence River

A streak of silver on the horizon.

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“The Whip-Poor-Will’s Song”

1865 Harrison Millard song.

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Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Birthday

Happy Birthday, Laura!

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Brownsville, Texas 1906

Did Eliza Jane sell fruit to these soldiers?

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By the Shores of Silver Lake – the fictional story

The railroad comes to Dakota.

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antelope

Antilocapra cervicapra of North America.

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flag

the banner

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engine / locomotive / iron horse

Vehicle powered by steam and run on tracks.

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primer

Used to teach someone to read.

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bandana

Large handkerchief with white pattern on red or blue background.

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“Oft in the Stilly Night”

Song from Lalla Rookh.

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sewing machine

“Such beautiful stitching!”

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stockade

Enclosure of posts or sticks.

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mercury / thermometer

Used to measure air temperature.

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“Three Blind Mice”

Popular nursery song, sung in rounds.

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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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bracket lamp

Affixed lighting fixture.

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auger

A carpenter’s instrument for boring holes, chiefly in...

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Frogs at School

“Twenty froggies went to school…”

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lantern

A light meant to be carried.

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Eliza Jane Wilder

Almanzo’s sister.

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accordion

musical instrument

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New Ulm, Minnesota

Town in Brown Co., MN.

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by jingo!

A corruption of St. Gengoulph.

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The Floweret

1842 book of verse by Anna Maria Wells.

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Freddy Ingalls

Laura’s brother (1875-1876)

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“Merry, Merry Christmas”

Hymn Number 150 in Pure Gold for Sunday Schools.

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South Troy / Zumbro Falls during the Little House years

Ingallses lived here with Uncle Peter.

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Charleton Fuller / Gerald Fuller

Hardware store owner, partnered with his brother Gerald.

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depot / station

Railway station.

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P A T

one seven seven ought

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“Arkansas Traveler”

Traditional American folk song.

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name card / name-card

Pasteboard identification.

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Caroline Ingalls

Mother of Laura Ingalls. She lived 1839-1924.

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copperplate

Variable-width handwriting script made with a flexible, pointed nib.

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“Polly Wolly Doodle”

Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

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The Advance

Weekly family newspaper of the Congregational church.

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Burr Oak during the Little House years

Town in Winneshiek County, Iowa.

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thunder-pumps

American bittern, a member of the heron family.

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Lost, between sunrise and sunset…

Horace Mann quotation from his Writings, published in 1872.

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spider

Legged cooking vessel.

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legal cap

legal document paper

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building paper / tar paper

Crude building paper used for covering.

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Doxology

Old Hundred.

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xanthophyll

I bet you can spell this word.

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Roman candle

Flaming stars and balls firework.

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James McKee family

Homesteader north of Manchester D.T.

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Carrie Ingalls

Younger sister of Laura Ingalls; she lived 1870-1946.

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pen / pen-wiper

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

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Missouri Pool

Smoked a pipe & grew pretty flowers.

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Thomas Quiner

Ma’s brother and Laura’s uncle

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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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Kingsbury County, D.T.

County in eastern South Dakota, organized in 1879.

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rags for paper

rag. A piece of cloth torn off; a tattered fragment; a shred; a...

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hogshead

100-140 gallon cask.

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isinglass

mica for stove windows

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tiger

Noah’s ark toy piece.

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Chicago Inter-Ocean / Inter-Ocean

Republican political newspaper.

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geranium

Winter windowsill flowers.

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cornice

Roof overhang.

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quinine

Medicine used to treat malaria, made from cinchona bark.

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post office / post-office

Where you send and receive mail.

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carding-machine

Straightens fibers by combing.

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“Love’s Old Sweet Song”

1884 song by Bingham & Malloy.

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Alice Maria Wilder

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

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Timber Culture Act / tree claim

Passed by Congress, March 3, 1873.

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beet

Succulent root vegetable.

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lime / whitewash

Oxide of calcium mixed with water and used for whitening.

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Charles H. Tinkham

Early undertaker and owner of the first furniture store in De Smet.

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Laura’s wedding silver

Wm. Rogers’ “Crown” silverplate.

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Mary & Samuel Ray / Ellen & Amos Leonard

Sisters feuding over a lovely homeplace…and a man.

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Carrie Ingalls, Homesteader

W-NW & W-SW 9-4N-20E of Black Hills Meridian

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literature

Knowledge and fancy preserved in writing.

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George C. Bradley

Early De Smet druggist.

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Little House in the Big Woods – historical perspective

Pepin Twp., Pepin Co. Wisconsin

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“Mountain of the Lord”

Hymn #52, Pure Gold for the Sunday School

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custard / ice-cream

Sweetened milk and eggs, cooked.

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“The Heavens Declare the Glory”

From The Conqueror, page 144.

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“Lilly Dale” / “Lily Dale”

1852 song by H.S. Thomson.

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dipper / ladle / skimmer

Used to remove foam when boiling maple sap.

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cannon

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

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icicle

Conical mass of ice, formed by water freezing as it flows downward.

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Lansford James Ingalls family

Pa’s brother and Laura’s uncle.

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Baby Boy Wilder

Son of Laura and Almanzo Wilder

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“Daisy Deane”

1863 song by Union soldiers.

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Fred Fields / Big Jerry

Railroad boss and his brother-in-law.

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David Thorp

Walnut Grove teacher 1877-78.

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“The Old Time”

Mr. Boast’s favorite song.

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roller skates / rink

Wheeled frame for the shoe.

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“The Battle-Cry of Freedom”

We’ll Rally Round the Flag, Boys!

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On the Banks of Plum Creek – the fictional story

Farming struggles in Minnesota.

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velocipede

Carriage propelled by pedals or feet.

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links

Helps you find what you’re looking for.

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acre

4840 square yards of land.

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mummy

Put. that. back.

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fichu

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

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buffalo beans

Prairie ground plum.

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freeze drying

sublimation!

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chilblain

Cold sores on hands and feet.

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jewel box / jewel-box

Nice place to keep a breast-pin.

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blacking / stove-blacking / boot blacking

Preparation used to make things black.

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“Life Let Us Cherish”

1796 Swiss song translated to English.

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James Kennedy family

Walnut Grove farming family, originally from Canada.

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leap frog / leap-frog

Run and jump game.

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land office

Where sales of public lands are registered.

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Little House in the Big Woods – the fictional story

Once upon a time, 60 years ago…

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“The Gypsy King”

Young Laura and Mary’s favorite song!

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copper

Cu

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William O’Connell

Fictional Bill O’Dowd.

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consumption

A wasting disease, pulmonary tuberculosis.

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“The May Queen”

Poem in three parts by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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Martha Perry / Mrs. White

Laura helped her sew shirts.

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zebra

Part of Willie Oleson’s Noah’s Ark toy.

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