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tea

A man’s drink in cold weather.

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blizzard

In 1880-1881, a long, severe, blinding, and bitterly cold snowstorm.

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killdeer

Small aquatic bird.

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Jesse French

Butchered oxen during the Hard Winter.

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Santa Claus / Santa Clause

Ho. Ho. Ho.

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“Jingle Bells”

1857 James Pierpont song.

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Silas Rood

Rude by name & nature?

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buck / buckskin

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

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Big Sioux River / Sioux River

SD-IA tributary of Missouri River.

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“My Old Kentucky Home”

1853 Stephen Foster song.

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gable

Triangular end of a building under the roof.

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Joseph Bouchie family

Fictional Brewster family in THGY.

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Little House on the Prairie – the fictional story

The Ingallses in Indian Territory.

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James Kennedy family

Walnut Grove farming family, originally from Canada.

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auger

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

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bison / “The Bison Track”

Bayard Taylor poem about Bos Americanus, found in Independent Fifth Reader.

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“Barbary Allen”

Old Scotch tune.

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Christopher Columbus

A native of Genoa, in Italy.

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wild prairie rose

RWL was their namesake, my dear.

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“Mountain of the Lord”

Hymn #52, Pure Gold for the Sunday School

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“The Campbells are Coming”

Traditional Scottish jig.

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muskrat

Their houses predict winter weather.

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Wilkin School

April 20 – July 10, 1885.

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census taker

Statistical registration of members of a country.

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cream of tartar / baking powder

Byproduct of wine-making process, used in baking as leavening agent.

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“Buffalo Gals”

1844 Virginia Minstrels song.

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claim jumper / Mr. Hunter / Jack Hunt

One who ousts another from their land.

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osage orange

no good to eat or for anything else

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swimming hole

Watch out for ankle grabbers!

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udder

Where the milk is before milking.

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George Whiting Ingalls

Bugle-blowing, jigging uncle.

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Grace Pearl Ingalls

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

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James Glover family

Students in the Wilkin School.

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Caroline Ingalls

Mother of Laura Ingalls. She lived 1839-1924.

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Mary & Samuel Ray / Ellen & Amos Leonard

Sisters feuding over a lovely homeplace…and a man.

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willow

Tree of the genus Salix.

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whiskey

Spirits distilled from grain.

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America / American

Pertaining to the United States of America.

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cabin / log house

A small cottage; a hut or small house.

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spring tonic

Bitter purifying medicine.

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Margaret Garland family / Cap Garland

Family living behind the Ingallses in De Smet.

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A Tribute to the Early Day Teachers

Neva Whaley Harding tribute.

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xanthophyll

I bet you can spell this word.

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snow-fort

“Holler ’nuff!”

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ice-house

Stores ice blocks in warm weather.

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

1793 Robert Burns poem.

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“A Life on the Ocean Wave”

1847 Epes Sargent poem put to music.

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Thomas Huleatt family

Neighbors of Ingalls family in Pepin Co.

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Farmer Boy – historical perspective

1860s Burke / Malone NY.

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“The Polish Boy”

Poem by Ann S. Stephens

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Will Bennett

One of the younger De Smet schoolboys.

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“The Swan’s Nest”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem.

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cornice

Roof overhang.

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Little Town on the Prairie – the fictional story

Homesteading and town life.

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Visscher Barnes

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

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Horace Woodworth family

Family of first depot agent in De Smet.

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Charles Mead

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

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Fred Fields / Big Jerry

Railroad boss and his brother-in-law.

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Turkey red

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

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dumpling

Dough cooked in liquid.

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De Smet Cemetery

Ma & Pa’s final resting place.

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Frank M. Cooley family

On the Way home travelers.

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“De Boatmen’s Dance”

Away Down the RIver on the O-hi-o.

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cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

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“Life Let Us Cherish”

1796 Swiss song translated to English.

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John H. Carroll

Early De Smet banker.

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“The Silver Moon”

Sail on, silver moon…

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ice cream social

Laura and Almanzo didn’t enjoy it.

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prairie danglers

seventhwinter whimsey’s glass slide pendants!

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Peter Pfeiffer family

John May’s son-in-law.

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drop the handkerchief / drop-the-handkerchief

Circle game.

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Becky Newhall / Rebecca Stewart

Classmate of Laura Ingalls in De Smet.

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George C. Bradley

Early De Smet druggist.

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Will Knight

Walnut Grove revival singer.

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Missouri Pool

Smoked a pipe & grew pretty flowers.

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tiger

Noah’s ark toy piece.

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mantel-shelf

Shelf above a fireplace.

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“Nellie was a Lady”

Pa would play some of the old songs, ‘to go to sleep...

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William H. Steadman family

Proprietor of hotel in Burr Oak.

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Charles Philip Ingalls

Father of Laura Ingalls. He lived 1836-1902.

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Big Tracy Cut

“100 feet deep & tapering off for 1/4 mile”

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black-berry / blackberry

The berry of the bramble, Rubus fruticosous.

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zebra

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

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New England Supper

Fund-raising communal pot-luck meal.

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coal / coal hod

Carbonized plant matter mined and used as fuel.

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John James Ingalls

Senator from Kansas.

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Timber Culture Act / tree claim

Passed by Congress, March 3, 1873.

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Burr Oak today

Only Ingalls home in original location.

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Little Georgie Dwight

He could not learn his letters!

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watermelon-rind preserves

sugary jelly

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hogshead

100-140 gallon cask.

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Amos Whiting family

Superintendent of Schools, De Smet.

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pork-pickle

Salt and sugar pork brine.

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The Long Winter – historical perspective

The Hard Winter of 1880-1881.

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Thomas H. Ruth

President of Kingsbury County Bank in De Smet.

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Ernest & Minnie Green

This is not Mary & Edwin Sanford!

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thunder-pumps

American bittern, a member of the heron family.

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Alfred N. Waters

Attorney and land agent in De Smet.

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The Athenians

Hartville, Mo. study club.

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Willard Seelye

De Smet teacher, 1881-1882.

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Thomas C. Wilkin family

Florence Wilkin’s father.

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alley / alleyway

Narrow passageway, distinct from public street.

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Edward H. Couse

Early hardware store owner in De Smet.

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Lewis Sasse

De Smet druggist

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copyright / permissions

Please do not plagiarize.

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Charles Ely

Early lumber man in De Smet.

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quinine

Medicine used to treat malaria, made from cinchona bark.

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Syndicate Hotel

Laura & Almanzo stayed there!

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dipper / ladle / skimmer

Used to remove foam when boiling maple sap.

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Charles Trousdale

De Smet drayman and his performing sons.

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“Arkansas Traveler”

Traditional American folk song.

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Little House in the Big Woods – the fictional story

Once upon a time, 60 years ago…

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cat hole / cat-hole

Jack will keep other animals from using it.

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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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“Money Musk”

Traditional American dance tune.

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Bad Lands

Area eroded by wind & water.

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stanchion

Support frame.

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anvil

Iron block to hammer upon.

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Kingsbury County, D.T.

County in eastern South Dakota, organized in 1879.

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Farmer Boy – the fictional story

Almanzo Wilder’s childhood in Burke NY.

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Carrie Ingalls, Homesteader

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

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tiger lily

Native spotted flower of tallgrass prairie.

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Delos Perry family

The Perry School was on his homestead.

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tattoo

Sounds like beating drums!

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Introspections of an Individualist

Norma Lee Browning article about Rose Wilder Lane.

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“Old Folks at Home”

Way down upon the Swanee River!

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“To a Girl”

Poem used to describe Beatrice Sorchan.

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spinning wheel / spinning-wheel

Turns wool into yarn.

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dragon-fly / dragonfly

Mosquito hunter.

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beet

Succulent root vegetable.

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whalebone

Baleen used in corsets.

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post office / post-office

Where you send and receive mail.

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“The Whip-Poor-Will’s Song”

1865 Harrison Millard song.

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tax

A certainty, as is death.

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“The Big Sunflower”

Pa’s trouble song.

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nine-patch / Laura’s double nine-patch Irish chain quilt

Quilt block pattern.

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Freddy Ingalls

Laura’s brother (1875-1876)

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garnet

Deep orange-red gemstone.

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“Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess”

Nursery rhyme wordplay on the name Elizabeth.

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The Missouri Ruralist

Twice monthly Missouri farm periodical.

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“The Star-Spangled Banner”

Our National Anthem; words by Francis Scott Key.

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mosquito bar / netting

Woven cloth bug barrier.

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Jim River / James River

A tributary of the Missouri River.

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“The New Year’s Come”

1842 “Why chime the bells so merrily?”

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Old Military Tract

Franklin Co. NY map reference

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“Rock Me to Sleep”

Elizabeth Allen poem.

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Yankton, Dakota Territory

1879 land office town.

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“Jesus Holds My Hand”

Hymn #85, Pure Gold for the Sunday Schools

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“nervous as a witch”

restless

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wheelwright

One who makes wheels and carriages.

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Jerome Bisby

Resident of Burr Oak, Iowa, during the Ingallses’ stay...

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gingerbread

Chocolate frosting adds to the goodness!

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Jacob Hopp

Printer and De Smet newspaper owner.

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“The Lotos Eaters”

Tennyson poem.

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Thomas Quiner

Ma’s brother and Laura’s uncle

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Charles Lamson

Almanzo’s cousin.

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slate

Stone used as tablet for writing upon.

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The House that Jack Built

…for two pieces of money.

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“I Wish I Was Single Again”

1871 J.C. Beckel song.

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“The Mulligan Guard” / “The Skidmore Guard”

Harrigan & Hart minstrel show.

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“The Heavens Declare the Glory”

From The Conqueror, page 144.

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Perry School

April 28 – June 27, 1884

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bacon

Hog’s flesh salted or pickled and dried, usually in smoke.

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bushel / peck

Dry quart measurements.

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scones

“Mamabess is growing fat.”

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

1858 J. Warner song.

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“Sweet By and By”

Pa’s favorite hymn.

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jumping jack / jumping-jack

Jointed acrobat toy.

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“Love’s Old Sweet Song”

1884 song by Bingham & Malloy.

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“It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”

1912 Judge & Williams song.

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the children’s blizzard

January 12, 1888, blizzard.

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cradle scythe

Blade and handle used to cut oats.

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lantern

A light meant to be carried.

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dickcissel / dickie-bird

A semi-nomadic finch, Spiza americana.

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sulky / sulky plow

One-seated conveyance.

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herd

A number of large beasts assembled together.

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“Bean Porridge Hot”

Bean porridge cold…

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“The May Queen”

Poem in three parts by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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“By Lo, Baby Bunting”

Mother Goose rhyme.

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lime / whitewash

Oxide of calcium mixed with water and used for whitening.

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Frank Schaub

Early harness maker in De Smet.

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“Bonny Doon”

1792 Robert Burns song.

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Charleton Fuller / Gerald Fuller

Hardware store owner, partnered with his brother Gerald.

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“The Ninety and Nine”

Elizabeth Clephane poem.

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Morocco leather

Fine goat leather.

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copper-toed shoes

Metal shoe protector.

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“Mary of the Wild Moor”

1845 song by Joseph W. Turner.

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Spat them Out

Clapping (and kissing) game.

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Uncle Sam

Figure symbolizing the United States.

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“Haste to the Wedding”

Traditional Irish fiddle tune.

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spoon holder / spoon-holder / spoonholder

Any vessel used to hold and display spoons.

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clove apple / clove-apple

Spice-preserved fruit decoration.

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George A. Williams

Superintendent of Schools, 1883.

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“A Shelter in the Time of Storm”

Ira Sankey hymn.

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Frogs at School

“Twenty froggies went to school…”

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crocheted rag rug

Crocheted floor covering made of strips of cloth.

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willow-ware

Blue-and-white tableware with Chinese story paintings.

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emigrant car

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

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Braille / New York Point

Used by Mary Ingalls.

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Martha Perry / Mrs. White

Laura helped her sew shirts.

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