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Frogs at School

“Twenty froggies went to school…”

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Spin-offs and Adaptations of the Little House Books

Not by LIW, but kindred publications.

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“Polly Wolly Doodle”

Daniel Decatur Emmett song.

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dug out / dugout

Dwelling built into the earth.

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James Kennedy family

Walnut Grove farming family, originally from Canada.

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watermelon-rind preserves

sugary jelly

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poor man’s fertilizer

Snow plowed into a field.

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Will Bennett

One of the younger De Smet schoolboys.

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telegraph

Don’t let Jimmie shock you with it!

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Congress

Legislative body of a country.

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emigrant car

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

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roller skates / rink

Wheeled frame for the shoe.

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Introspections of an Individualist

Norma Lee Browning article about Rose Wilder Lane.

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beard / whiskers

Facial hair.

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tomahawk

War hatchet used by American Indians.

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“The Burial of Sir John Moore”

1817 poem by Charles Wolfe.

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oranges

Citrus fruit.

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fever ‘n’ ague / malaria

malaria

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

1793 Robert Burns poem.

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Yankton, Dakota Territory

1879 land office town.

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Tennyson’s Poems

Christmas present for Laura

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whalebone

Baleen used in corsets.

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engine / locomotive / iron horse

Vehicle powered by steam and run on tracks.

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ash withe / ash-withe

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

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“Am I a Soldier of the Cross”

Isaac Watts hymn.

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Western Reserve

Land in Ohio, given to Connecticut upon agreement to give up claim to lands in Pennsylvania.

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gosh!

that wicked word

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bureau

A dresser / chest of drawers.

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mowing machine

Farm implement for cutting hay or grain.

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Ella & Robert Boast

Friends of the Ingalls family in De Smet.

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bracket lamp

Affixed lighting fixture.

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“Nobody Ask’d You”

“Where are you going, my pretty maid?”

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Laura’s Sorosis Club speech

“My Work”

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“Captain Jinks”

1868 comedic opera song.

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lief

Gladly; willingly; freely.

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threshing

Beating to separate.

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Edelbert Harthorn family / Frank Harthorn & Mabel Burd

Father and son owners of early drygoods store in De Smet.

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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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B

bachelor – “by the pale, silver light…”

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water alcove

Railroad car water for drinking.

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amen / amen corner

Expression used at the end of prayers.

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George Whiting Ingalls

Bugle-blowing, jigging uncle.

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dumpling

Dough cooked in liquid.

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Amos Whiting family

Superintendent of Schools, De Smet.

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A

aboveboard – axle

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“Kitty Wells”

1858 Sloan & Atherton song.

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Timothy Johnson family

De Smet Wagon Shop.

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perforated paper embroidery

Stitched designs.

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cat’s cradle

Game played with string twisted on the fingers.

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claim jumper / Mr. Hunter / Jack Hunt

One who ousts another from their land.

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copper

Cu

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Delos Perry family

The Perry School was on his homestead.

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James McKee family

Homesteader north of Manchester D.T.

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vanity cakes

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

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crow

Large black bird of genus Corvus.

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ticket

All aboard!

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sheep sorrel

Tastes like lemon… or springtime?

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velvet

Silk or blend fabric with short shag surface.

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“The Mulligan Guard” / “The Skidmore Guard”

Harrigan & Hart minstrel show.

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“Don’t Leave the Farm, Boys”

Song from The Conqueror.

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“The Gum-Tree Canoe”

1847 Steele & Winnemore song.

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“Gaily Now Our Boat is Sailing”

Singing school exercise

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cottonwood tree

Wetland plains tree, Populus fremontii.

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“What Shall the Harvest Be?”

1850 Emily Oakley poem.

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Pre-1906 and 1912 De Smet Panoramic Photos

A view in every direction.

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killdeer

Small aquatic bird.

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Mary Blanche Howard

Mary’s roommate in Vinton.

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“Paddle Your Own Canoe”

1850s Harry Clifton song.

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Jim River / James River

A tributary of the Missouri River.

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C

cabbage – cyclone

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Perley Day Wilder

Almanzo’s youngest brother.

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Carrie Ingalls

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

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forfeits

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

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alley / alleyway

Narrow passageway, distinct from public street.

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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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flag, the flower

An aquatic flower, Iris versicolor.

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“Buffalo Gals”

1844 Virginia Minstrels song.

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Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography

Laura’s handwritten manuscript.

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Big Sioux River / Sioux River

SD-IA tributary of Missouri River.

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Fred Fields / Big Jerry

Railroad boss and his brother-in-law.

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America / American

Pertaining to the United States of America.

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Spat them Out

Clapping (and kissing) game.

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Daniel Loftus

Early drygoods store owner in De Smet.

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S

Sabbath – sycamore

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The New York Ledger

Weekly story paper, published 1855-1898.

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Osage Indian Treaty

Legal agreement between nations or sovereigns.

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The Story of Art Smith

1915 Rose Wilder Lane serial about an aviator.

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Mother Goose

Fictionalized compiler of ancient nursery rhymes.

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sewing machine

“Such beautiful stitching!”

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beet

Succulent root vegetable.

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Thomas C. Wilkin family

Florence Wilkin’s father.

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cupola

Dome-like vault on a public building.

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Old English letters

Variety of printing type.

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Ross family

Neighbors in the Perry District.

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bull dog / bulldog

All of him rested, except his ears.

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Lizzie

the child bride

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school section

Public land supporting schools.

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Silas Rood

Rude by name & nature?

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“The Good Old Way”

Hymn 18, Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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galumphing

To move in a clumsy, ponderous, or noisy manner.

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Declaration of Independence

Document renouncing U.S. subjection to Great Britain.

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blueing bag

Whiter whites.

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galluses / suspenders

Straps worn for holding up pants.

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Thomas Huleatt family

Neighbors of Ingalls family in Pepin Co.

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latch / latch-string

It’s always out!

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These Happy Golden Years – the fictional story

Laura teaches and falls in love.

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jumping jack / jumping-jack

Jointed acrobat toy.

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greenhorn / greeny

Immature, raw, awkward.

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Little Georgie Dwight

He could not learn his letters!

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Little House on the Prairie – the fictional story

The Ingallses in Indian Territory.

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bobolink

On Mary Power’s name card.

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whiskey

Spirits distilled from grain.

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Young Pioneers

David and Molly Beaton.

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“Lend a Helping Hand”

Hymn #22, Pure Gold for Sunday School.

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consumption

A wasting disease, pulmonary tuberculosis.

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Alfred Thomas

He was MARRIED, people!!

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Jesse French

Butchered oxen during the Hard Winter.

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auk

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

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Peter Riley Ingalls family

Uncle Peter & Aunt Eliza.

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Peytona & Fashion

Currier & Ives print at Rocky Ridge Farm.

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hair receiver / hair-receiver

Container to save strands of hair in.

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“Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess”

Nursery rhyme wordplay on the name Elizabeth.

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hardtack

Unleavened hard bread made from flour and water.

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literature

Knowledge and fancy preserved in writing.

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Silliman Gilbert family

Kingsbury County farmer.

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The Floweret

1842 book of verse by Anna Maria Wells.

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F

Fair Grounds – furrow

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butter

Edible fatty substance made by churning cream.

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“Oh! Susanna”

Stephen Foster song.

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Will Barnes

Walnut Grove laborer

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Margaret Garland family / Cap Garland

Family living behind the Ingallses in De Smet.

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birds’-nest pudding

Dessert made of apples baked in syrup and served with cream.

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quarter section / quarter-section

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

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copper-toed shoes

Metal shoe protector.

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P

Pa – pussy-in-the-corner

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P A T

one seven seven ought

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“The Campbells are Coming”

Traditional Scottish jig.

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Marvin Hughitt

Officer and President of the Chicago & NorthWestern Railway Company.

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“Bonny Doon”

1792 Robert Burns song.

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“A Motto for Every Man”

1868 Harry Clifton song.

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New England States

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

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reindeer

Why didn’t they fly over the creek?

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muskrat

Their houses predict winter weather.

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basket

Woven container.

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pen / pen-wiper

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

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legal cap

legal document paper

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mercury / thermometer

Used to measure air temperature.

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Burr Oak during the Little House years

Town in Winneshiek County, Iowa.

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cabin / log house

A small cottage; a hut or small house.

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poll

No horns.

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Charlotte Quiner Holbrook

Caroline Ingalls’ mother

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blacking / stove-blacking / boot blacking

Preparation used to make things black.

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batten / lath

Thin, narrow board for fastening or joining.

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“Irish Washerwoman”

Traditional Scottish and Irish song/dance song.

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harvest moon

Full moon nearest autumnal equinox

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blizzard

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

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Thomas H. Ruth

President of Kingsbury County Bank in De Smet.

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Blanche Coday

Rose’s friend.

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railroad camp / Silver Lake camp

Temporary dwellings for workers during surveying or construction.

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“Jingle Bells”

1857 James Pierpont song.

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G

gable – “Gypsy’s Warning”

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Little Town on the Prairie – historical perspective

De Smet D.T. in the 1880s.

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dickcissel / dickie-bird

A semi-nomadic finch, Spiza americana.

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writ of attachment

Legal document requiring action.

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“The Big Sunflower”

Pa’s trouble song.

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huckleberry

Let’s have some pie!

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Wilder feed store

Shhh. There’s wheat in the wall!

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John James Ingalls

Senator from Kansas.

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“Life Let Us Cherish”

1796 Swiss song translated to English.

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Missouri Pool

Smoked a pipe & grew pretty flowers.

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“Mary of the Wild Moor”

1845 song by Joseph W. Turner.

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E

ear flap – expelled

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lime / whitewash

Oxide of calcium mixed with water and used for whitening.

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badger

Don’t poke it with a stick!

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Henry Hinz

Owner of first saloon in De Smet and boarder at the Ingallses’.

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mother-of-pearl

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

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bear grease

Bear fat hair dressing.

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nubia

A light scarf worn about the head and neck.

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“Old Grimes”

1822 Albert Gorton Greene poem.

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“Haste to the Wedding”

Traditional Irish fiddle tune.

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catechism

Question & answer book of religious doctrine.

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pork-pickle

Salt and sugar pork brine.

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Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Birthday

Happy Birthday, Laura!

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welcome!

who we are

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Freddy Ingalls

Laura’s brother (1875-1876)

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carpet-bag / carpetbag

Traveling-bag

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chestnut / horse chestnut

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

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“The Silver Moon”

Sail on, silver moon…

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“Bo-peep has lost her sheep”

Game of hiding and surprise to amuse a small child.

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John D. Peirson

Early De Smet liveryman.

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Docia Ingalls / Hiram Forbes

Sister of Charles Ingalls married to railroad contractor.

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“Tubal Cain”

Charles McKay poem.

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Pittsburgh Courier

Widely-circulated black newspaper, which Rose Wilder Lane wrote a column for in the 1940s.

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John Anderson

Walnut Grove store clerk & more

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leap frog / leap-frog

Run and jump game.

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Alice Maria Wilder

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

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storm apron

Rain protection for buggy.

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Syndicate Hotel

Laura & Almanzo stayed there!

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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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The Square in Malone

Where the band played.

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