Masonic Monday – Charles Ingalls

Masonic Monday is a series that discusses a bit of Freemasonry each week, from famous members to strange rituals.

Many people have heard of all the Presidents, Governors, and other influential people who were Freemasons. But the fraternity was not only for the rich & famous; the majority of Masons through history have been just your “everyday Joe,” average citizens. One of these was Charles Ingalls.

Does the name ring a bell? That was “Pa” of Little House on the Prairie, and yes, the real Charles Ingalls was also a Freemason.

Since most people are more familiar with the Pa of the TV show, let’s contrast that portrayal with the real-life Charles Ingalls.
1. Hair: Michael Landon’s styled locks were appropriate for an on-screen celebrity, but not for a nineteenth-century farmer. The real Charles often had hair problems. Between aggressive cowlicks, patches shorn off by mice in the night, and the never-ending wind of the prairie, his mane didn’t have a chance. As you can see above, he also sported quite a beard.

2. Children: Charles and Caroline had four daughters: Mary, Laura, Carrie, and Grace. They also had a son, Frederick, who died before his first birthday. The Ingalls family of the TV show adopted additional children, but that never happened in real life.

3. Financial success: Michael Landon’s Charles was never rich, and neither was the real one. In fact, the Ingalls family probably had less money than was even portrayed on the show. Charles’s search for the good life took his family to Wisconsin, Kansas, Minnesota, and Iowa, before finally landing for good in De Smet, South Dakota. Unfortunately, they were plagued with bad luck everywhere they went, and Charles’s many occupations through the years—farmer, carpenter, butcher, small-time local politician, and storekeeper, among others—never led to financial success.

4. Social success: There are many ways to count success, however, and Charles achieved it in other areas of life. This is one area the television show got it right. Charles was well-respected in his community and had many friends.

5. Community: Charles and his family were very involved in their community. The television show often depicted Charles taking a lead in community affairs, and this, too, was true to life. Some of the ways Charles served his community: on the school board, as a deputy sheriff, as a street commissioner, as a deacon in his church (Congregational), and as a justice of the peace.

6. Freemasonry: The TV show never showed this, but Charles Ingalls joined the local Masonic Lodge in De Smet, South Dakota. He petitioned for membership in December of 1885 and was accepted, being Entered as an Apprentice on January 18, 1886. Charles was passed to the second degree of Fellowcraft on March 1, 1886, and raised to the third degree of Master Mason on February 7, 1887.

Records show that he was faithful in attendance and held an office every year. These offices included Tyler, Steward, Deacon, Warden, and Treasurer. De Smet Lodge still owns the sword that Charles used as Tyler.

Aside from his duties as an officer, Charles actively participated in the Lodge in other ways. He was one of three members responsible for the repair of the Lodge furnishings in 1895-6. He often acted on investigating committees for new petitioners, and sometimes filled in as an officer Pro Tem when needed. His service came to an end with his death on June 8, 1902. He died of heart disease at the age of 66 years. The Lodge conducted a Masonic funeral service for Charles, and paid for his final expenses, including providing his headstone.

You can learn a lot more about Charles’s time in Freemasonry – and the rest of his family’s affiliation, as well – in my book Little Lodges on the Prairie: Freemasonry & Laura Ingalls Wilder, available wherever books are sold.

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