Why did Mary go blind?

Accepted 2012 Oct 5. Scarlet fever was once one of the most feared diseases of childhood. Readers familiar with Laura Ingalls Wilder's semi-autobiographical “Little House” series will recall that her sister Mary became blind from the infection.

When did Mary lose her sight?

Mary Ingalls did indeed lose her sight when she was 14, in 1879. Here's the line from the "Little House" novel "By the Shores of Silver Lake": "Mary and Carrie and baby Grace and Ma all had scarlet fever. Far worst of all, the fever had settled in Mary's eyes and Mary was blind."

What happened to Mary Ingalls in real life?

There she suffered from a stroke, and on October 20, 1928, she died of pneumonia at age 63.

In what episode does Mary go blind?

But one thing I will never forget about Little House on the Prairie is the episode in which Mary Ingalls (Melissa Sue Anderson) went blind. Mary and Pa. Image: Parade. In the episodes “I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away: Parts 1 and 2” (4.21-22) the Ingalls family is having dinner.

What were Laura Ingalls Wilder's last words?

Garth Williams drew the iconic illustrations for the 1953 edition. She thought to herself, “This is now." be a long time ago. Those are the last words in the first book by Laura Ingalls Wilder, who was sixty-five years old when it was first published.

Video commentary about Mary went blind in Little House on the Prairie

What happened to Laura Ingalls Wilder's baby?

The year 1889 proved the breaking point for the Wilders. In early August, Laura gave birth to a son. The child remained unnamed when, two weeks later, he suddenly died of "convulsions." Laura Ingalls Wilder never spoke of his death, and the couple did not have another child.

How old was Laura Ingalls when she married Almanzo?

They had to make a few updates for television most likely so people weren't uncomfortable with the age difference and on the screen, Laura (Melissa Gilbert) pursued Almanzo (Dean Butler). Charles Ingalls (Pa) wouldn't allow the couple to get married until Laura was 18 so they waited.

What did Charles Ingalls Jr died of?

Ingalls died on June 8, 1902, of cardiovascular disease, at the age of 66.

What happened to Caroline Ingalls?

Following her husband's death from heart disease in 1902 at age 66, Ingalls and her oldest daughter, Mary, remained in the De Smet home, renting one of the rooms for extra income. Following a long illness, Caroline Ingalls died on April 20, 1924, at the age of 84.

Did Grace Ingalls have a baby?

She taught in the Manchester, South Dakota area where she met a farmer, Nathan Dow. Grace and Nathan were married on October 16, 1901, in Ma and Pa's parlor in De Smet. Grace was 24 and Nathan was 42. They made their home on the Dow farm, not far from Manchester, and never had any children.

Can scarlet fever cause blindness?

The mechanism for scarlet fever causing permanent blindness is uncertain. It is conceivable that it could be a postinfectious autoimmune phenomenon, such as optic neuritis. However, there are few cases reported, of which most were temporary and some likely misattributed cases of meningitis.

Was there a real Nellie Oleson?

Nellie wasn't a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew from childhood: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is one-dimensional: snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant.

How old was Mary when she became a widow?

Mary's father-in-law, Henry II of France, thus claimed the English throne on her behalf. The death of Henry in 1559 brought Francis to the French throne and made Mary a glittering queen consort of France, until Francis's premature death in December 1560 made her a widow at the age of 18.

Did Mary Ingalls have a baby?

Nine months later, nearly two years into their marriage, Mary gives birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy, whom she and Adam name Adam Charles Holbrook Kendall [“Adam” after Mary's husband, “Charles” after Mary's father, and “Holbrook” after Mary's grandfather on her mother's side].

Does Walnut Grove still exist?

Walnut Grove is a city in Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 871 at the 2010 census. Another name formerly associated with the area is Walnut Station.

Did Laura Ingalls lose a son in real life?

On December 5, 1886, Wilder gave birth to her daughter, Rose. In 1889, she gave birth to a son who died at 12 days of age before being named. He was buried at De Smet, Kingsbury County, South Dakota.

What terminal illness did Albert Ingalls have?

Albert Ingalls (Laura's adopted brother) is diagnosed with leukemia. The story, although sad and heartwrenching, is still a story of hope and life. Charles and his family has moved away from Walnut Grove at the time.

Are there any living descendants of Charles Ingalls?

There are no descendants from Charles & Caroline. Laura had one daughter Rose. Rose had no children. Laura's sisters had no children either.

Did Carrie Ingalls ever marry?

On August 1, 1912, Carrie married David N. Swanzey and retired from the newspaper business so she could raise her stepchildren, Mary (age 8) and Harold (age 6). Carrie spent the remainder of her life in Keystone until she passed away on June 12, 1946 at the age of 76.

How many babies did Laura Ingalls have?

Laura Ingalls Wilder had two children. Her first child, Rose, was born in 1886. Her second child, a son, was born in 1889 but would only live for a month. It is unknown what their son's name was, and the grave marker in South Dakota reads "Baby Son of A.J. Wilder."

Did Albert Ingalls ever become a doctor?

Albert Ingalls was an orphan who was adopted by Charles and Caroline Ingalls. He had some problems and at one point was addicted to morphine. Albert also became very ill when he was studying to be a doctor. He went on to become a doctor and returned to Walnut Grove to be the town's doctor many years later.

How old was Melissa Gilbert when she kissed Dean Butler?

This episode aired February 1980. Melissa Gilbert turns 16 in may of 1980. So she had her first kiss, on screen or otherwise the age of 15. Dean Butler was 23.