The Ingalls Family ~ Sweet By and By

The Charles and Caroline Ingalls family, made famous from Laura Ingalls Wilder "Little House" book series, with the song "Sweet By and By," which was "Pa" Ingalls' favorite song and was played at his funeral. Laura Ingalls Wilder mentioned "Sweet By and By" in her book "The Long Winter" (1940) by using the opening lyrics. In the chapter "We'll Weather The Blast" Laura wrote:

"After dinner Pa played hymn tunes on his fiddle, and all the afternoon they sang. They sang:

"'There's a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar . . .'"

In the video you are hearing "Sweet By and By" being played on Pa Ingalls' fiddle. The song was played on Pa's fiddle during Laura Ingalls Wilder Days in Mansfield, Missouri, in September 2008. A video of the perfornance was posted by bearfeet1986 and may be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG0drWpgJfA

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• Caroline
• Mary
• Carrie
• Grace
• hymn
• Sweet
• By
• and
• fiddle
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• slideshow
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• Pa
• Ingall's

[ColConnie]

Nice setting of "Sweet By and By" with the various old photos of the Ingalls family and Garth Williams illustrations from the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Who played the fiddle?

[Fortunatus1778]

@ColConnie Thanks! I don't know the name of the young woman playing Pa's fiddle. I have this information posted under the video with a YouTube link [I can't post the link here in the comments]:

In the video you are hearing "Sweet By and By" being played on Pa Ingalls' fiddle. The song was played on Pa's fiddle during Laura Ingalls Wilder Days in Mansfield, Missouri, in September 2008.

[fisteberg]

Little Carrie Célestia was pretty as a little girl but ugly as a lady.The prettiest girl is Laura definitely.Mary was not as fine as Laura.I find it hard to believe that Laura and Carrie had only 3 years and a half of age difference.Carrie was very little and thin next to Laura.

[Fortunatus1778]

@fisteberg I've read that The Long Winter severely affected Carrie physically and probably explains her significantly smaller size at that age. She is quite a bit smaller than Laura, who was never very tall and was actually a small woman. I believe Laura was about five feet tall.

[fisteberg]

Thanks for this video,and these rare pictures.Ma was pretty and pa seemed very soft.

[TheEldry]

i love the books, thanks