by Wendy Morgan

Created on: August 20, 2009

Rose Wilder Lane was the first child of the popular "Little House" series author, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder. Born on December 5, 1886, Rose was the only child of Laura and Almanzo to survive to become an adult. As a child, Rose Lanes family was plagued by successive crop failures, resulting in financial crises that forced the family to move several times. After moving several times, including to Minnesota and Florida, the Wilder family eventually settled in Mansfield, Missouri.

Rose attended the first part of high school in Missouri, but eventually moved to Louisiana, where her aunt, Eliza Jane Wilder Thayer, lived. Proving her intellect, Rose graduated 1904 at the top of her class after completing three years of latin studies into a single year. Sadly, Rose was unable to attend college due to the financial position of her parents. After graduating, Rose returned to Missouri and learned telegraphy which allowed her to secure a job with Western Union before she was eighteen.

Rose Wilder married Gillette Lane in 1909 and in 1910 bore a stillborn son. Due to complications from surgery, Rose was unable to ever have children after her first. After the loss of her child, Rose and Claire travelled around the United States working miscellaneous jobs. Rose tried to enjoy the carefree lifestyle, but her personal paper reflect on a time of sadness and insecurity. Rose felt as though her life was stifling her. She didn't enjoy what she was doing, was unsure of her husband and felt as though her intellect was being wasted. After a failed suicide attempt with Chloroform, Rose awoke with not only a headache, but ready to take on the world.

In 1910, Rose began writing and began selling real estate with her husband. Rose was one of the first female agents in California, and was sad to be very good at it. Rose and her husband worked separately, on commission, which allowed her to support herself during their multiple separations. The onset of World War I collapsed the real estate market in California, adding additional tension to an already stressful marriage. In 1918, Rose and Gillette divorced.

Rose's writing became a staple in the Bulletin. As early as 1915, she had several romantic stories published in the Bulletin and her biographies of Jack London, Henry Ford, Charlie Chaplin and Herbert Hoover were published as books. In 1918, Rose quit her job at the Bulletin and became an independent writer. She had pieces published in many well known

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>