02/08/2025
Mary Amelia Ingalls was born on a cold January 10, 1865, in a small cabin in Pepin County, Wisconsin, to parents Charles and Caroline Ingalls. Little did they know, Mary’s story would forever be tied to the pages of literature through her younger sister, Laura. Mary was a quiet and obedient child with a sharp mind and an insatiable curiosity. She loved reading, sewing, and writing poetry, and her world was full of warmth from her family and the playful moments shared with her sisters, Laura, Carrie, and Grace.
However, everything changed in the summer of 1879 when Mary fell gravely ill at the age of 14. Intense fevers left her bedridden, and when the fever finally subsided, she discovered a new, devastating reality: she had lost her sight. Her family, although supportive, couldn’t change the fact that the disease had left her blind. Her sister, Laura, became her eyes, reading to her, describing the world around them, and helping her continue her studies. Despite this dramatic shift, Mary remained determined to overcome the challenges that came with her blindness.
In 1881, Mary enrolled in the Iowa College for the Blind, where she spent seven years studying literature, mathematics, science, and even learning practical skills like weaving and broom-making. She became a cultured, independent, and resilient woman. After graduating in 1889, Mary returned to De Smet, where she lived with her family, finding joy in music, reading, and sewing. Though she never married, Mary found fulfillment in her simple life, surrounded by her loving family. After her mother’s death in 1924, Mary continued to live with her sisters until her passing in 1928. Though her life was overshadowed by her sister Laura’s fame, Mary’s legacy lives on in the pages of *Little House on the Prairie*, where her spirit remains alongside her beloved sister.