Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born February 7, 1867, in a little loghouse in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, seven miles north of Pepin; and died on February 10, 1957, at her home Rocky Ridge Farm, Mansfield, in the Ozarks of Missouri. She was 90 years old.

Laura Ingalls childhood was spent traveling west by covered wagon, to Indian Territory in Kansas, to Grasshopper Country in Minnesota, and then to Dakota Territory, where she met and married Almanzo Wilder. Her experiences growing up in the unsettled West inspired her famous children's series "Little House on the Prairie." The television series "Little House on the Prairie," starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, ran from 1974 to 1982.

Parents: Charles Phillip Ingalls and Caroline Lake (Quiner) Ingalls

Married:

1. on August 25, 1885 to Almanzo Wilder. He was born February 13, 1857 and died October 23, 1949. His parents were James (1813-1899) and Angeline Day Wilder (1821-1905).

Children:

1. Rose Wilder Lane (1886–1968) novelist, journalist, and political theorist
2. an unnamed son, who died soon after birth in 1889.

Rocky Ridge Day

After Laura's death, Mansfield residents L.D. and Irene Lichty began a non-profit organization in commemoration of Laura and her books. They later persuaded Rose to repurchase the home and grounds, and were active in its preservation. Today, the house stands just as Laura left it. A museum next to the home contains many of Laura's personal belongings and a number of items mentioned in her books, such as Pa's fiddle, Ma's sewing machine, Mary's nine-patch quilt, autograph albums, name cards, and much more. One section of the museum is devoted to Rose Wilder Lane and her literary career.

The modern rock house that Rose had built for her parents has been undergoing restoration over the past several years, and was officially opened at Rocky Ridge Day 1997. The rock house is now available for tours.

Family Research Notes

There were three marriages between the Ingalls and Quiners, making Laura's family quite complicated.

• Charles Ingalls (Pa) (Laura's father)
• Caroline Ingalls (Ma) (Laura's mother)
• Mary Ingalls (Laura's oldest sister)
• Carrie Ingalls (Laura's younger sister)
• Freddy Ingalls (Laura's younger brother)
• Grace Ingalls (Laura's youngest sister)
• Almanzo Wilder (Laura's husband)
• Rose Wilder Lane (Laura's daughter)
• Landsford and Laura Ingalls (Laura's paternal grandparents)
• Henry and Charlotte Quiner (Laura's maternal grandparents)
• Henry and Polly Quiner and children (Laura's uncle and aunt)
• Peter and Eliza Ingalls and children (Laura's uncle and aunt)
• Thomas Lewis Quiner (Laura's uncle)
• Docia Waldvogel Forbes and children (Laura's aunt)
• James and Angeline Wilder (Almanzo's parents)
• Royal Wilder (Almanzo's brother)
• Eliza Jane Wilder (Almanzo's sister)
• Laura Ingalls Wilder

Links

1. Wikipedia: Laura Ingalls Wilder
2. Laura's home in Pepin became the setting for her first book, Little House in the Big Woods
3. A Genealogical Look at Laura Ingalls Wilder
4. Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum