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Dr. Alfred Starr

His wife wanted Laura.

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galluses / suspenders

Straps worn for holding up pants.

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last

Mold of a foot, used in making shoes.

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Alice Maria Wilder

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

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Freddy Ingalls

Laura’s brother (1875-1876)

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Little Town on the Prairie – historical perspective

De Smet D.T. in the 1880s.

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Mr. Clancy / Chauncey Clayson

Drygoods store owner, Chauncey Clayson

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xanthophyll

I bet you can spell this word.

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twilight

Light when the sun is 0-18 degrees below the horizon.

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“The Blue Juniata”

1841 Marion Dix Sullivan song.

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Little House in the Big Woods – historical perspective

Pepin Twp., Pepin Co. Wisconsin

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Declaration of Independence

Document renouncing U.S. subjection to Great Britain.

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cat hole / cat-hole

Jack will keep other animals from using it.

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checkers

Game played on a board of 64 squares.

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Jim River / James River

A tributary of the Missouri River.

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Bloody Benders

Serial killers in 1870s Kansas.

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Little House on the Prairie – the fictional story

The Ingallses in Indian Territory.

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Silver Lake

Kingsbury County prairie pothole lake.

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clear, pure green sky

Sunlight separated into colored bands at sunset.

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jumping jack / jumping-jack

Jointed acrobat toy.

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“A Motto for Every Man”

1868 Harry Clifton song.

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Bad Lands

Area eroded by wind & water.

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poor man’s fertilizer

Snow plowed into a field.

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The Youth’s Companion

Weekly instructional magazine for children, first published in 1827.

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“The Sleighing Glee”

Singing school song.

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“Nellie was a Lady”

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

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Uncle Sam

Figure symbolizing the United States.

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Old Settler’s Day

De Smet annual reunion.

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morning-glory

Climbing plant of the genus Ipomœa.

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album

Blank booklet for collecting autographs or photos.

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certificate

Written testimony of fact.

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“The Pied Piper”

Robert Browning poem.

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Martha Perry / Mrs. White

Laura helped her sew shirts.

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by jingo!

A corruption of St. Gengoulph.

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perforated paper embroidery

Stitched designs.

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starry papers

Hand-made shelf edging.

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“Captain Jinks”

1868 comedic opera song.

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“The Star of Bethlehem”

When Marshalled on the Nightly Plane

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Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography

Laura’s handwritten manuscript.

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Thomas H. Ruth

President of Kingsbury County Bank in De Smet.

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Perry School

April 28 – June 27, 1884

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Edward H. Couse

Early hardware store owner in De Smet.

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powder horn / powder-horn

Animal horn in which gunpowder is carried.

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black-berry / blackberry

The berry of the bramble, Rubus fruticosous.

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Hattie Dorchester

Jake Zickrick’s skating partner.

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galumphing

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

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honey

Bee-made sweetness.

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drop the handkerchief / drop-the-handkerchief

Circle game.

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“Give us this day our daily bread”

“The City, a Mc Kee plain glassware pattern.

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Almanzo Wilder

The Man of the Place

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osage orange

no good to eat or for anything else

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ground-cherry

Variety of husk tomato.

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Laura Remington

Mrs. Phillip Aubrey Lawrence

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Braille / New York Point

Used by Mary Ingalls.

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flag, the flower

An aquatic flower, Iris versicolor.

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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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The Long Winter – historical perspective

The Hard Winter of 1880-1881.

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Charleton Fuller / Gerald Fuller

Hardware store owner, partnered with his brother Gerald.

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zebra

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

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“Uncle Ned”

One of the earliest Stephen Foster songs.

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dug out / dugout

Dwelling built into the earth.

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pieplant

Rhubarb.

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spoon holder / spoon-holder / spoonholder

Any vessel used to hold and display spoons.

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Belgian horse

A heavy draft horse originally from the Brabant region of...

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mantel-shelf

Shelf above a fireplace.

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“The Star-Spangled Banner”

Our National Anthem; words by Francis Scott Key.

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biscuits

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

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Timothy Johnson family

De Smet Wagon Shop.

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“The Evergreen Shore”

1861 William Hunter song.

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bangs / lunatic fringe

hair across the forehead

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Charles Lamson

Almanzo’s cousin.

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Henry J. Stebbins

Railroad contractor who inspired a song.

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Dr. Robert Hoyt

Husband of Mattie Masters.

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Farmer Boy – historical perspective

1860s Burke / Malone NY.

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poll

No horns.

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Orion E. Stearns

Caught by blizzard of ’88.

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“Pull for the Shore”

Sunshine for Sunday Schools hymn.

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“Gentle Words and Loving Smiles”

Hymn 139 in Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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literary society

Instructional and entertaining gathering.

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the Cameron gang

fiat justitia, ruat caelum…

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tattoo

Sounds like beating drums!

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apple pie / dried apple pie

Just like Ma used to make.

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swan

Cygnus Americanus

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“yell like a Comanche”

Imitated Indian battle cry.

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Jerome Bisby

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

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Good Templars Lodge

International temperance fraternal organization.

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what-not / whatnot

An étagère for books & ornaments.

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Peter Riley Ingalls family

Uncle Peter & Aunt Eliza.

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pork-pickle

Salt and sugar pork brine.

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South Troy / Zumbro Falls today

Little town along the Zumbro River.

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Waverly Novels

Sir Walter Scott books.

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“Little Annie Rooney”

1889 song by Michael Nolan.

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“The Good Old Way”

Hymn 18, Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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Big Green Animal Book

George Hartwig’s The Polar and Tropical Worlds: A Description of Man and Nature.

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forfeits

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

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ambition

Act of obtaining an object of desire.

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fichu

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

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Christopher Columbus

A native of Genoa, in Italy.

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Kingsbury County, D.T.

County in eastern South Dakota, organized in 1879.

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cat’s cradle

Game played with string twisted on the fingers.

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Roman candle

Flaming stars and balls firework.

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“Keep the Horse Shoe Over the Door”

1880 Joseph Skelley song.

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scour / scouring brick

To rub hard for the purpose of cleaning.

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Farmer Boy – the fictional story

Almanzo Wilder’s childhood in Burke NY.

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bison / “The Bison Track”

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

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“Oft in the Stilly Night”

Song from Lalla Rookh.

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emigrant car

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

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alley / alleyway

Narrow passageway, distinct from public street.

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carved wooden bracket

Place for a china shepherdess.

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“Barbary Allen”

Old Scotch tune.

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links

Helps you find what you’re looking for.

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Little House in the Big Woods – the fictional story

Once upon a time, 60 years ago…

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quinine

Medicine used to treat malaria, made from cinchona bark.

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Congress

Legislative body of a country.

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Reverend Edward Brown

Minister of the First Congregational Church of De Smet, 1880-1884.

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harvest moon

Full moon nearest autumnal equinox

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anvil

Iron block to hammer upon.

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Ven Owen

Teacher and principal of the first graded school in De Smet

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writ of attachment

Legal document requiring action.

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Julia & Amasa Tower

Walnut Grove church friends.

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le cadeau du cheval

2008 horse mural composed of smaller paintings of horses,...

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Frank Schaub

Early harness maker in De Smet.

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Osage Indian Treaty

Legal agreement between nations or sovereigns.

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Mr. Anderson / Niels Kopperud

Hard Winter wheat settler

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wall-paper

Wall covering.

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“Paddle Your Own Canoe”

1850s Harry Clifton song.

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tableland

Elevated flat land; a plateau.

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dragon-fly / dragonfly

Mosquito hunter.

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Peytona & Fashion

Currier & Ives print at Rocky Ridge Farm.

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clove apple / clove-apple

Spice-preserved fruit decoration.

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Home Missionary Society

Group organized to raise money to start churches and Sunday schools in the west where there were none.

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Burr Oak today

Only Ingalls home in original location.

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“Sweet By and By”

Pa’s favorite hymn.

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Army bugle

Brass military horn.

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Mrs. Jarley’s Wax Works

Rise! Come forward!

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Marvin Hughitt

Officer and President of the Chicago & NorthWestern Railway Company.

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John James Ingalls

Senator from Kansas.

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“What Shall the Harvest Be?”

1850 Emily Oakley poem.

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“Yankee Doodle”

Early song brought to America from Britain.

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“My Jenny Jerusha Jane”

1868 A.G. Chase song.

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“Jingle Bells”

1857 James Pierpont song.

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Hamlin Garland

…and his first Christmas tree!

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“Merry, Merry Christmas”

Hymn Number 150 in Pure Gold for Sunday Schools.

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Willard Seelye

De Smet teacher, 1881-1882.

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“Money Musk”

Traditional American dance tune.

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William O’Connell

Fictional Bill O’Dowd.

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bale

Specific bundle of goods packaged for transport.

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awl

pokes holes

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Johnny Johnson

“Wake up and watch the cattle!”

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dried-raspberry sauce

Dried sauce good on biscuits.

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crow

Large black bird of genus Corvus.

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cupola

Dome-like vault on a public building.

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pumpkin

The plant and fruit of Curcubita pepo

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shoe pegs

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

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Lost, between sunrise and sunset…

Horace Mann quotation from his Writings, published in 1872.

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Maude Blair

Walnut Grove friend of Laura’s

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tiger

Noah’s ark toy piece.

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Delos Perry family

The Perry School was on his homestead.

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spring tonic

Bitter purifying medicine.

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tax

A certainty, as is death.

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saleratus / soda

Leavening agents used in baking.

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churn

Cream agitator.

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consumption

A wasting disease, pulmonary tuberculosis.

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“The Gypsy King”

Young Laura and Mary’s favorite song!

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Becky Newhall / Rebecca Stewart

Classmate of Laura Ingalls in De Smet.

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mowing machine

Farm implement for cutting hay or grain.

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

Quilt block pattern.

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President George Washington

First President of the U.S.A.

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Ernest & Minnie Green

This is not Mary & Edwin Sanford!

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sheep sorrel

Tastes like lemon… or springtime?

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Rev. Royal Gould Wilder

Almanzo’s uncle.

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“Haste to the Wedding”

Traditional Irish fiddle tune.

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clinched nail

Bent at a right angle.

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swimming hole

Watch out for ankle grabbers!

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The Missouri Ruralist

Twice monthly Missouri farm periodical.

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Henry Ford’s Own Story

Industrialist and founder of Ford Motor Company.

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Laura’s Sorosis Club speech

“My Work”

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Joseph Bouchie family

Fictional Brewster family in THGY.

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Charles Ely

Early lumber man in De Smet.

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“Mountain of the Lord”

Hymn #52, Pure Gold for the Sunday School

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The Advance

Weekly family newspaper of the Congregational church.

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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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china shepherdess / little china woman

Ingalls precious family figurine.

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muskrat

Their houses predict winter weather.

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These Happy Golden Years – the fictional story

Laura teaches and falls in love.

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willow-ware

Blue-and-white tableware with Chinese story paintings.

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prairie danglers

seventhwinter whimsey’s glass slide pendants!

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“Kitty Wells”

1858 Sloan & Atherton song.

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cant-hook / cant-pole

Instrument used by lumbermen to move logs.

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“Old Folks at Home”

Way down upon the Swanee River!

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milking-stool

Three legs (the cow has the udder).

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cottage cheese

Curdled skim milk.

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George C. Bradley

Early De Smet druggist.

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“To a Girl”

Poem used to describe Beatrice Sorchan.

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whiffle-tree / whiffletree

Bar to attach traces to.

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Thomas Quiner

Ma’s brother and Laura’s uncle

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“My Sabbath Home”

Hymn #7, Pure Gold for the Sunday School.

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Brownsville, Texas 1906

Did Eliza Jane sell fruit to these soldiers?

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chewing gum

Long white sticks of chewiness.

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“Hail Columbia”

1789 Philip Phile march.

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