While most are familiar with Rose Wilder Lane, who was the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder, they also had another child, Baby Boy Wilder, who died shortly after birth. The birth and death of this child is told in The First Four Years. So while Laura had two children, only one would survive infancy.
It was not uncommon at the time for babies and young children to die, Laura also had a brother, Charles “Freddie” Frederick Ingalls who died in infancy as well.
As far as researchers are aware, these two children were Laura and Almanzo’s only children. While there had been speculation that perhaps Almanzo’s diphtheria and related health issues following could have been related, but their son was born the year following Almanzo’s illness.
It is also worth noting that Laura’s mother, Laura herself and Laura’s daughter Rose did not have any sons that lived past infancy. This could have been coincidence however.
