<P> On December 5, 1886, Wilder gave birth to her daughter Rose Wilder . In 1889, Wilder gave birth to a son who died at 12 days of age before being named . He was buried at De Smet, Kingsbury County, in South Dakota . On the grave marker, he is remembered as "Baby Son of A.J. Wilder". </P> <P> Their first few years of marriage for the Wilders were frequently difficult . Complications from a life - threatening bout of diphtheria left Wilder's husband partially paralyzed . While he eventually regained nearly full use of his legs, he needed a cane to walk for the remainder of his life . This setback, among many others, began a series of disastrous events that included the death of their newborn son; the destruction of their barn along with its hay and grain by a mysterious fire; the total loss of their home from a fire accidentally set by their daughter; and several years of severe drought that left them in debt, physically ill, and unable to earn a living from their 320 acres (129.5 hectares) of prairie land . These trials were documented in Wilder's book The First Four Years (published in 1971). Around 1890, the couple left De Smet and spent about a year resting at the home of Wilder's husband's parents on their Spring Valley, Minnesota farm before moving briefly to Westville, Florida, in search of a climate to improve Wilder's husband's health . They found, however, that the dry plains they were used to were very different from the humidity they encountered in Florida . The weather, along with feeling out of place among the locals, encouraged their return to De Smet in 1892, where they purchased a small home . </P> <P> In 1894, the Wilder family moved to Mansfield, Missouri, and used their savings to make the down payment on an undeveloped property just outside town . They named the place Rocky Ridge Farm and moved into a ramshackle log cabin . At first, Wilder and her husband earned income only from wagon loads of fire wood they would sell in town for 50 cents . Financial security came slowly . Apple trees they planted did not bear fruit for seven years . Wilder's parents - in - law visited around that time and gave them the deed to the house they had been renting in Mansfield, which was the economic boost Wilder's family needed . They then added to the property outside town, and eventually accrued nearly 200 acres (80.9 hectares). Around 1910, they sold the house in town, moved back to the farm, and completed the farmhouse with the proceeds . What began as about 40 acres (16.2 hectares) of thickly wooded, stone - covered hillside with a windowless log cabin became in 20 years a relatively prosperous poultry, dairy, and fruit farm, and a 10 - room farmhouse . </P> <P> Wilder and her husband had learned from cultivating wheat as their sole crop in De Smet . They diversified Rocky Ridge Farm with poultry, a dairy farm, and a large apple orchard . Wilder became active in various clubs and was an advocate for several regional farm associations . She was recognized as an authority in poultry farming and rural living, which led to invitations to speak to groups around the region . </P>

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