SPECIAL REPORT: Did Almanzo and Cap's Heroic Journey Really Happen?

Speaking of bread, the Wilder's bread plate was one of the only items saved during the tragic house fire in The First Four Years.  The original plate is on display in at Laura's home in Mansfield, MO. 

While innocently searching for a photo of Anderson for Chapter 27's blog post, I found information supporting a claim that Cap and Almanzo's "Quest for Wheat" never happened.  Truthfully, I wish I hadn't stumbled upon this well researched website since I am still grappling with the freeloading Masters.  How much can a Bonnethead take?  But once you see something, you can't un-see it.   

Without Almanzo and Cap's adventurous "Quest for Wheat", there wouldn't be action in The Long Winter.  The book would consist only of hay twisting and huddling around a cookstove.  I need Almanzo to be a hero, so I can support his marriage to dear Laura.  (SPOILER:  Almanzo and Laura's married life is peppered with hardships - often caused by Almanzo's poor decisions.)

Mr. Anderson/Niels Kopperud

I will attempt to summarize the startling information surrounding chapter 27.  If you would like more information about the topic, follow the above link.  

In the 1930's, Laura returned to DeSmet to research her books and she supposedly  went looking for Niels Kopperud (aka Mr. Anderson).  Laura went looking for Niels North of town, not South of town, as described in her book.  I won't even mention how Niels Kopperud didn't live in a sod house - It is all just too much.  We do not know if Laura found Niels or relatives of Niels.  

Lela Lane, granddaughter of a Mr. Anderson, said her grandfather was paid a visit by Laura in the 1930's.  Lela claimed Chapter 27 was written about her grandfather.  Unfortunately, neither of Lela's grandfathers lived in Kingsbury, Laura's county, during the long winter.  (NOTE:  There were 75+ claim holders named Anderson in Kingsbury County during the winter of 1882.  In Laura's original manuscript she didn't  name the settler.  She left a space with a line under it and later scribbled in the name, "Anderson".)  

There are no newspaper accounts of the venture - including: 

• Before or after the long winter      
• When LIW was researching her book in the 1930's
• After the deaths of Almanzo, Cap, and any of the plentiful Mr. Andersons

However, there are many accounts of an Amos Whiting harvesting 500 bushels of wheat before the long winter.  He also brought in a carload of veggies and provisions. It is well documented that settlers traveled four miles NE of DeSmet to Amos's house to buy wheat.  The settlers manually pulled the sleds of wheat home since the snow wouldn't hold the horses.  Another surprising coincidence is that Almanzo's cousin set up a commercial grade coffee grinder in the DeSmet hotel.  Could it be that Carrie didn't grow pale and weak from grinding wheat? 

Laura did mention the heroic quest to her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, in letters - so the story must be somewhat true.  Maybe?  Hopefully?

What are your thoughts?  Did Almanzo and Cap save the town or was it a literary device to propel The Long Winter's plot?

Prairie Eydie