Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ the Ingalls family arrives in Independence, Kansas, to start anew. They have to build their house from scratch on a land that they later discover could be taken away from them. In between this, there are several other challenges to survive. Despite all that life throws at them, the family members constantly support one another. Each attributes to ensure the family’s survival and happiness, including Mary, the eldest daughter of Charles and Caroline Ingalls. Apart from what we see in the show, she went through many more struggles in her real life, but she weathered them all. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Mary is Based on the Real Sister of Little Prairie’s Author
The first season of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ adapts the third book in the book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The author wrote a semi-autobiographical account of her childhood, basing the characters on her own family and friends, as well as the people they crossed paths with. Though some fictionalization has occurred, the characters, like Laura’s sister, Mary, are mostly a true reflection of the real people they are based on. The real Mary Ingalls was born on January 10, 1865, to Charles and Caroline Ingalls near Pepin, Wisconsin. Much like in the show, she and Laura were pretty close to one another, despite their childhood feuds. She loved reading and writing poetry and was exceptionally skilled at needlework.
Mary would likely have become a teacher, like her mother, at a young age, but her life was completely changed in 1879. At the age of 14, while the Ingalls were living in South Dakota, she suffered a severe illness (which is now identified as possibly being viral meningoencephalitis), which led her to lose her sight. It was a difficult time and a huge adjustment, but her family helped her through it. Laura became her eyes, reading to her for hours and helping her continue her studies. Determined to give their daughter a better future, the Ingalls enrolled Mary in the Iowa Braille & Sight Saving School in 1881. She remained there till 1889, during which time she proved herself to be a dedicated student and a quick learner.
Mary Ingalls Lived a Happy and Full Life
At school, Mary’s interests ranged from sewing and knitting to music. She picked up several new skills that were aimed at helping her make a living. At the time of graduation, she was 24 years old. She returned to De Smet, South Dakota, where she moved in with her parents and lived with them until they passed away. Reportedly, the house was arranged so that Mary could move through it with ease. Cupboards and compartments were arranged a certain way, and ropes were fixed around the house to help her navigate the space without needing anyone’s help. She made money by making and selling fly nets for horses.
She was a member of a youth group called the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor with her sisters. She was also a regular churchgoer and even played the organ for the choir for about three decades. Mary had many friends who made for an active social life. Reportedly, she also had a suitor and had received a marriage proposal. However, she refused the offer and remained single her entire life. It is believed that she didn’t want to get married because she couldn’t bear the idea of not being able to see her child’s face. Though she kept the true reason for her choice entirely private.
After Charles Ingalls passed away, Mary continued to live with her mother. They put a room up for rent in their house as an additional source of income. When Caroline passed away, Mary moved in with her sister, Grace, and her husband. Shortly after, she moved to Keystone, South Dakota, to live with her other sister, Carrie. Over the years, Mary’s health suffered, and she had strokes, which weakened her in the last years of her life. She passed away at the age of 63 on October 17, 1928, a few days after suffering another stroke. She was laid to rest at the De Smet Cemetery, alongside her parents.
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