Carrie Ingalls, born Caroline Celestia Ingalls on August 3, 1870, to Charles (“Pa”) and Caroline (“Ma”) Ingalls, is best known as the younger sister of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie books. Carrie is only a baby in the first book, Little House in the Big Woods, but her presence and interactions with Laura become more prominent in the later books after Mary loses her sight.
As pioneers in the late 1800s, the Ingalls family moved around a great deal – from Montgomery County, Kansas, where Carrie was born in a small cabin Pa built, to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, back to Minnesota, and eventually to De Smet, South Dakota, where Pa and Ma came to settle for the remainder of their years.
From the left - Carrie, Mary, and Laura Ingalls
Carrie spent her formative years in De Smet, passed her teacher’s examination, and became a schoolteacher for a short time though she found this not to be the profession she truly wanted. After teaching, she learned the printing trade when, at age 19, she became an apprentice on the Leader staff, the town’s weekly newspaper, which eventually combined with the De Smet News. She became a talented printer and journalist, skilled in all aspects of the trade, including melting lead into type, editing, writing, publishing, ad work, and binding.
Her talents eventually got her a job with E.L. Senn, owner of many newspapers in South Dakota, and this work offered her great journalistic and travel opportunities – a perk since Carrie enjoyed travel very much. In fact, before she took this position, she had traveled a great deal, briefly living in Colorado and Wyoming, between 1905-1907, in search of a climate that would give her reprieve from her sinus and respiratory problems.
Carrie found her way back to South Dakota, feeling rested and healthier, where she won the right to take a homestead claim in Indian lands near the town of Topbar, South Dakota, and lived in a small tar-paper shanty. She lived on the homestead for the requisite six months each year, and with her family in De Smet the remainder of the year.
From the left – Caroline, Carrie, Laura, Charles, Grace, and Mary
E.L. Senn began acquiring newspapers in mining areas and he sent Carrie to run them. In 1911, at the age of 41, Carrie arrived in the mining town of Keystone, South Dakota, where she managed the Keystone Recorder and worked for the Hill City Star. She would spend 35 years in this town until she eventually passed away on June 12, 1946, at the age of 76.
It was in Keystone where some of the most important moments of her life took place, including meeting and marrying her husband, David Swanzey, in 1912 and raising her two stepchildren, Mary and Harold. Her sister Mary also came to live with her in Keystone after Ma Ingalls passed away. Carrie cared for her sister from 1924-1928 when Mary passed away in October as a result of pneumonia and complications from a stroke.
Caroline "Carrie" Ingalls
Keystone became well known as the site of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which features the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the massive granite face of the mountain. Carrie’s husband assisted sculptor Gutzon Borglum in scouting locations in the Black Hills and Carrie’s stepson was one of the 400 workers who transformed the mountain.
Carrie Ingalls, the lesser-known Ingalls sister, lived a rich and full life and was a strong, independent pioneer in her own right. To celebrate her life, the Keystone Historical Museum hosts an event in honor of her birthday, complete with cake, lemonade, crafts mirroring those of 1899, and a fun and festive costume contest featuring clothing worn in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
References and Additional Resources:
Rebecca was one of the driving forces in developing and launching the Little House on the Prairie® website. She is committed to preserving Laura Ingalls Wilder's legacy and meeting fans from around the world. For the past four years, she has worked in the education technology sector in both early learning and higher education, helping people access opportunities to learn and succeed. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and enjoys hiking and gardening.
Thanks for offering this site. My sister and her husband live in SD. They took a trip a few years back to one of the Ingalls homesteads’ sites (where Pa planted a Cottonwood tree, I believe, for each member of their family). My sister found a leaf on the ground and sent it to me in Maryland. I still have that leaf.
My 5th grade teacher, Mrs Crowley, first introduced the class to the Little House books. I bought the set of 9 books decades ago BUT I just downloaded one on my Kindle.
I took some twigs from the ground to represent each child . I’m trying them and placing them up above
Love this series!!
Me too!
If you know of any, please let me know. What was the name of the high school Carrie went to?
They might not have had a high school yet. Laura didn’t go to high school. Most kids left after 8th grade. Some stayed in school. Laura was 15. Left to teach. LAura had been 8n the one room school house. There were not that many students in school. I’ve been I’m that schoolhouse, about 4 rows of desks
I love little house on the prairie. Watched as a kid and still to this day. Everyday
Preciosa historia !! Beautiful story !!
Little House was an amazing series that really effected the emotions. I’m reliving the experience right now. These stories make me grateful for the opportunities and quality of life we enjoy today.
Very interesting and informative article about Carrie Ingalls! I read several of the Little House on the Prairie books when I was a kid and watched the TV show too. I was really fascinated about Mary Ingalls because of Melissa Sue Anderson’s portrayal of her as being blind. I wrote a fan letter to her and she sent me a reply letter with an 8×10 signed photo of her. I think I was around 7 or 8. It was really thrilling to me get that letter and signed photo from her. As an adult, I have rewatched the Little House episodes on Hallmark in recent years. A few weeks ago, I saw the Christmas episode where they were snowed in. It reminded me of The Long Winter book, so I decided to do some online research about the locations mentioned in the books and found this website. I am from Yankton, SD but now live in Phoenix, AZ. I always found it fascinating that the Little House books were set in South Dakota and other Midwest states. I did not know that Carrie had lived in the Keystone area as a reporter for so many years. That is really cool that she has been honored by the Keystone community and her work featured by the local museum.
Kendra Morales, not sure IF their are no descendents because Ma and Pa had brothers and sisters. Unless you meant the core family. Just a thought.
I was thinking the same thing. Pa’s brother Peter had kids. He married Ma’s sister, Eliza. Also, Polly Ingalls (Pa’s sister) married Ma’s brother , Henry Quiner and they had kids. So there should be descendants there.
Loved the Little House books. I read them all as a kid. I just loved the stories. I also watched the tv show and loved it. Thanks for sharing .
Love There Shows. I Watched Them On Hallmark Channels!! Today My Daughter And I Watched Probably Five Or Six Of Them!!
I loved the Ingalls family in “Little House on the Prairie” and the “Little House” books. I watched it on T.V. as a child. My daughters watch the DVDs. What absolutely breaks my heart is that there are no direct descendants; the family has died out. Breaks my heart. They were such a wonderful, Christian family, and I wish there were some of their offspring left.
Well there may not be a true blood line, but Carrie helped her husband raise two step-children from an early age. They very much considered each other as family!!! The daughter Mary Elezabeth Swanzey, grew up to be & raise a large good christian family of her own, with 14 children, rich in their own fascinating history. Mary Swanzey’s brother Harold was killed in a tragic car accident as a young adult before having the chance to start a family.
This was one of the first read that I enjoyed as a starter
I HAVE THE WHOLE SERIES OF LITTLE HOUSE BOOKS, PLUS HER GRAND PARENTS BOOKS PLUS THE WHOLE SERIES OF ROSE WIDER BOOKS, I ALSO GOT TO VISIT MANY PLACES. THEY WERE AN INSPIRATION TO ME AS A CHILD. I FIRST READ THEM IN A SCHOOL MAGAZINE. I LOVE THE BOOKS AND HAVE READ THEM MANY TIMES, AS I AM 80 YEARS OLD I STILL ENJOY GOING BACK INTO HEIR LIVES.
Where did you get all the collections at I have been trying find them forever
Late to the game here but I have all those sets also! I got them at the DeSmet SD homestead. They are in color too!
Read these so many times growing up and just decided at age 55 to read them again! Interesting perspective reading them as an adult. Still love them though!
So enjoyed reading this story, on Carrie. Biographies my favorite books to read. This was great.
Thank you.
You mentioned a stepson? Was Charles a widower?
I believe it was Carrie’s husband David who had two kids; thus, Carrie’s stepson…
Yes, that is correct. The two children Carrie raised from their early ages as her own, where from her husband David Niven Swanzey & his 1st wife that passed. David was the widower.
This is Charles and Caroline Ingalls 2nd youngest daughter, Ma’s name sake, “Carrie”. Carrie married David (a widower) whom had two children she helped raise. Charles and Caroline’s step grandchildren.
No carries husband
For me growing up in the UK, to learn about pioneering in the USA was fascinating. I have great admiration for Laura the young girl and the author she became. Just thank you to all who preserve and promote these memories in the modern day.
Great read. Thanks.
When my Language Arts teacher in 8th grade found out how much I love to read; she introduced me to TLHOTP series. A one time I owned every one of her books. Then in 1994 my mother was diagnosed with cancer and she took to reading them. So in my life I have owned everyone of her books twice, and today I don’t have one. I let them all get away from me.
Thank You, Miss Kennedy, LA Department, Arvada Jr. High School, Arvada, Co 8th grade for opening up this wonderful world. I wonder often what happened to you.
(1967-1968)
Im a 43 year old man from El Salvador and i started watching LHOTP when i was maybe 5 yrs old when i still lived there. I arrived to the USA when i was 7 yrs and grew up watching it and now i love watching this wonderful show with my young daughters . Thanks to Laura Ingalls Wilder and of course Michael London for all your hard work to put it on tv for all to watch.
I love learning about the Ingalls family. I grew up watching and reading about Laura’s pioneer life. I would love to visit all the old home places talked about in the books. Thank you Laura Ingalls wilder for sharing your life with us.
Yes I agree!
Thank you Laura Ingalls Wilder for sharing your life with us.
Carrie was not the baby in Little House in the Big Woods. Carrie hadn’t been born yet.
The Keystone Historical Museum hosts an event annually on August 3rd to celebrate
Carrie’s birthday.
Harrold, Carrie’s stepson, worked for a very short time on Mount Rushmore. With his
total time adding up to be less than a year.
This is a little confusing, but bear with me:
Laura was born in “the big woods,” and the family moved to Kansas when she was around 2. Carrie was indeed born in the “little house in the prairie.” Then, when the family was forced to leave Kansas, they moved back to the Big Woods for awhile. It is during this period that the events that she wrote about in “LHITBW” occurred…so Carrie would have been there then. In her books, Laura’s Ingalls Wilder didn’t write about the two times she lived in the Big Woods, just the second time. So, the progression in the books was from there to the prairie to Walnut Grove. It’s confusing, but she did take some liberties with time and place to make a coherent, easy to follow story. Hope this helps clear up confusion!
I’ve always loved Little House and wish I could watch it all over again. We don’t get the reruns or anything here where I live. I live on Prince Edward Island , Canada. Charlottetown actually and would love to have it shown here again.
You can pick up the DVDs or digital streaming copies of the show from the shop https://littlehouseontheprairie.com/shop/
I have read the books so many times when I was growing up. I still look at the movie ? everyday. That and the Walton are two of my favorite shows. But I love Lucy and The little house on the prairie are my all time favorite.
Love the programme! Watch it everyday and fascinated by all the info you give out. Thank you
I watch the program every single day morning and evening and I am 69 years old.
Hola, soy Sol desde mi niñez ame la familia Ingals…cuando me entere que la serie de Michael Landon estaba basada en una historia real ,escrita por la verdadera Laura Ingals…senti que ese mundo puro , lleno de valores y gente bella me llenaba de felicidad saber que vivieron y estan en mi mente y corazon , cada relato, foto que veo me llena de ganas de saber mas de cada uno de ellos y en especial de Laura y su soñada familia…gratitud inmensa a quien junto con ustedes nos regalan parte de algo maravilloso…con toda la tecnologia y avanses jamaz existira para mi una epoca mas dorada que la de la Familia Ingals…saludos .
Very good info about Carrie. I love learning more and more about Laura and the entire Ingalls family. Thank you so much for this site. My dream is to one day take my own LHOTP tour to all of these historical places.
Rebecca,
I enjoyed the website very much. I have an MSW and am curious to know what a MASTER’s in Social Entrepreneurship is?
When i was in the 4th & 5th grades my teacher read the entire series to us. That was approx. 48 years ago. Loved them then & now. The TV series was one of my all time favorites. Thanks for keeping the Ingalls family alive in our hearts & the hearts of future generations to come.
All the information about the family is always interesting. Sad to say I had not heard of the books until the TV show. Are there any living members of the family? Grand children, great, great-great grand children etc.
I worked for Jim and Lois Engles here in Springfield Mo. Jim is a great cousin of laura Engles. He has the family tree hanging on his wall on their home.
Hi
I own the books from buying them in the 1970’s through the Readers Digest.
They are old and worn but I would never part with them.
I live in Long Island New York State and every year in December when our cold weather is unbareable I read the Long Hard Winter.
Knowing what the Ingalls went through in all those months I know I can make it through our months.
Its great reading about all you people and finding out lots more about the Ingalls girls.
Unfortunately, there are no direct descendants of Charles and Caroline Ingalls. However, Charles came from a large family and they have many descendants, including me. In “Little in the Big Woods,” when the two Laura’s are arguing about which baby is prettier; that other baby is my great-grandmother Ruby Evaline Ingalls. I have grown up reading the books and learning what is true and what was made up or confused.
That is so neat! What a great legacy for your family to be descended from the other pretty baby. I have a large extended family and love researching my ancestry. I’ve often thought I should write down all of the family stories, perhaps I will.
I was blessed by having my wonderful teacher in fourth grade, Mrs. Isom, read the entire series of books to us throughout the year. Many of us in the class shed a tear when Laura and Almanzo married in “These Happy Golden Years.” Those were wonderful times and I am glad I was introduced to the books, have enjoyed reading them all these years and still do at age 65. One of my best school memories.
I believe the immediate family died out with Laura’s daughter, Rose
Happy 146th Birthday, Carrie!
Love LHOTP, watch the reruns over and over! Was great reading about Carrie’so life. Best information was, her husband and stepson working on Mt Rushmore, since I was just there with the grandkids, who also watch the show with me. I also own the CDs!
I was just wondering if NBC would ever do a reunion special featuring whatever is left of the original cast from “Little House on the Prairie.”
The place could be Walnut Grove in Minnesota and the time of course, would be the 1930’s just before WW-II. I can just see Melissa Gilbert reprising her roll as Laura Ingals Wilder.
There are some on YouTube, as well as in the extras of the LHOP DVD’s. I believe they were on the Today show.
I just Love the show too! I’m just getting real info for first time! Now I’m wondering why Marry lived with Carrie? I thought she had the hardest life of all!!! I hope Adam didn’t leave her or die after he got his sight back! Also curious about Grace and all the adopted kids especially Albert. I have a feeling that Charles”PA” was a pretty strict dad and gives me that fire and brimstone feeling looking at him? Love finding this!
A) Adam never existed in real life. Mary Ingalls never married. B.) Charles has a nephew named Albert in real life. But Pa and Ma never adopted any kids. Hollywood took alot of liberties.
My family and I immigrated from Norway to Oklahoma City where, as an avid reader, I discovered The Little House on the Prairie books. My best friend and I would sew period clothing for our dolls and pretend they were the characters in the stories. At the age of 9 I wrote a long (11 pages!) fan letter to Laura telling her about my family, my special friend and our love for her and her books! I received a letter in return from Laura’s daughter, Rose, informing me that sadly her mother had died just a couple of years before. We have read the books to our grandchildren and this summer took them to Mansfield, Mo to see Rocky Ridge Farm and the museum. It was wonderful to step back in time and touch base with Laura’s history.
I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie and my kids grew up watching it too. I was so obsessed with Laura. As a child I wanted to be her friend. Lol! My mom even bought me a bonnet to wear and a Little House on the Prairie lunch box when I was a little girl. I’ve read the books which is awesome! I’m 39 years old and I’ll never get tired of watching the show!
I read these books as a child and fell in love with the Ingallas family. The show became one of my most favorite to watch. I never missed an episode. Now that they are on reruns I still find myself turning to watch them. They made me laugh and cry all in the same episode.
This was very interesting! I always wondered what had happen with Laura’s sisters and if they had any children. I am very involved in doing my own ancestry, so I am always curious as to the decedents of my favorite people. I had an chance to visit Mount Rush Moore once back in 2008. I am so glad to know this information. It makes my trip even more meaningful. Thank you for sharing the treasured pictures and information of their lives. It is so interesting and a life almost forgotten.
Love love this show! I’m a true little house on the prairie fan, every since I was a little girl! I’ve read the book and everything. I still watch the shows, and never miss it! I wish I could travel to see where they grew up together and see the church and everything! My dream bucket list!
Thank you for sharing! This is so informative. Down through the years I have read not only the Little House books.. but biographies here and there. I have never read this about Carrie! Thanks so much.?
On thisday, several years ago we were there in Keystone for the Carrie Ingalls celebration. At the celebration I got to meet the last man living who had worked helping to create Mt. Rushmore. While visiting, I found out he knew my great uncle Lon, who also worked on the monument. In that visit, I found out my uncle Lon was very good friends with the owner of the newspaper, and that Carrie Ingalls Swanzey worked for the paper. Since my Uncle Lon hung out a great deal of time at the newspaper, we are left to surmise that he knew Carrie, who worked there. Being a HUGE Laura Ingalls fan and follower, it gives me great joy to think that one of my family members actually was acquainted with one of her family members!
Happy Birthday, Carrie!
Adeline how lovely!
i love watching little house and i am getting all the dvds
I have 6 seasons of little house and whenever I start thinking of my grandparents and mother and I feel a little sad i watch my little house to make me feel better as I once lived that life. I am now 75 and love the shows. You see we were poor and never knew it. We also were rich with love of family and friends
To Nancy, above, there are descendants. My great grandmother is an Ingalls, of the same family.
Loves watching this show growing up with my family.
Angela, you say your great grandmother was an Ingalls. Which one is she? I also grew up reading the books that Laura wrote and watched the TV show with Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert. I plan on going to South Dakota to see where they grew up at. I live in Texas.
Angela you are blessed have Ingall blood running through your body:)
Our family grew up in Australia with Little Joe in Bonanza, Little house on the Prairie and The Waltons…
Now living in The Netherlands where my parents came from.. guess what show has more than 3 repeats?:-)
Not only in The netherlands but also Belgium has had many returns:-)which makes me happy :-)..
It’s a film the whole family enjoys from grandparents to great grand childeren..9th on the way
I’m the eldest of 9 born in Aussieland and we all agreed it may be the wisest most relaxing series around..
So it’s about time filmmakers look at what we need most …to compensate all the stress and trash being passed as entertainment…
Family life, solid values, caring, and lots of time outside:-) Best wishes to you from Grey Dove Maryanne:-)
I was living in the Netherlands, teaching at the American Air Force base, Camp New Amsterdam, (near Soesterberg) when the pilot movie aired on Dutch TV in two parts over two or three weeks. My second graders were treated to a marathon read aloud day by me so we would finish the book before the second half of the pot aired. The next day, we filled ALL the blackboard space available in our classroom noting the similarities and the differences between the book and TV pilot. That was my beginning of becoming a Lauraphile. Sadly, no other episodes were broadcast in the Netherlands at that time. I did catch up with reruns and my own children later.?
I agree!! More programming such as Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons… and no more violence, trashy language and themes!
I watched the Waltons all the time till it was taken off the air. What a shame.
Children of now a days only see fighting, wars, blood they don’t know what good clean tv shows are like.
I’m a true fan. I watch every day.
I loved the stories of the Little house on the Prairie books and the show on television. Very inspirational.
When I was growing up I loved watching Little House on the Prairie and also loved reading the books… I still read them.
I love Little House on the Prairie. I read the books a long time ago.
Our children grew up on Little House on the Prairie, and it was something the whole family could enjoy. So many happy memories associated with this show. So glad their lives were written about. I had the privilege of seeing the little house in Kansas with my husband. It was so fun to see that part of our history. Thank you for sharing all of these pictures and history with us. I am 73 years old and still love these stories!
I saw a stage presentation in Oklahoma City and was pleased to take my daughter and two of my grand-children with me.
Thanks so much for visiting our website and sharing your happy memories with us. We think you and your family might enjoy the recently released documentary called Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was narrated, directed and co-produced by Dean Butler, who played Almanzo Wilder on the “Little House on the Prairie” television series, and features Pamela Smith Hill who edited Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography and has contributed articles to our website. Click here to learn more about the documentary.
Thank you for keeping these memories alive. Always watched the show on tv when I was little and continue to watch it now. A great way to relax when I get home from work! My son even gave me a complete season boxed set on DVDs as he said “just in case they take it off tv you won’t go through withdraw ” yes my son knows me well. Thanks for this site too
I loved watching and reading about the Ingalls family; I found it ironic that “Carrie” passed away 3 days after I was born. I have a set of books about the whole family, that I will keep indefinitely, as I may want to read them, again. Wish they would put the programme back on TV in Canada; would love to watch it again!
Carrie passed on the day I was born !!!!! We share something special as she was leaving I was arriving. Hope someone can answer this question, why did she care for Mary ? I have watched EVERY episode many many times and feel the casting of each Ingalls character was very good and helped to make it such a wonderful success. Believe it will be around when all who are living now are long gone and basically forgotten !! Great series
Because ma passes and Mary was blind
I was a faithful watcher of Little House on the Prairie. I seldom missed it. It was my favorite show. It was also a good show for our 6 children. I miss it. Maybe some day I can see the actual house and if there is a museum I’d love to see it. Its too bad there are no descendants. As far as I know there aren’t any, or am I wrong?
I love Little House on the Prairie. They show it on the Hallmark Channel.
I love watching Little House on the Prairie…..it inspires me a lot. Thank you!
Watching Little House Right Now! Have The Whole Series On Disc! Best Show Ever!