After Sandra referred to Almanzo Wilder as “The Oyster” in her last post, Laura W expressed her curiosity in the comments as to what this was all about. I decided to post the answer rather than reply to Laura as others of you may be curious as well, and it’s an interesting story.
In early 1937, Rose Wilder Lane was collecting information from her father for her book Free Land, which was published in 1938. In a letter dated March 20, 1937, Almanzo wrote Rose the story of how he, his brother Royal, and sister Eliza Jane journeyed from Minnesota to Dakota Territory to file on their homestead claims. In the story he comments, “After we past Sioux Falls about 10 miles, one of the horses took the colic and died…” (spelling preserved)
Laura wrote another letter to Rose the same day filling in some of the details for her that Almanzo had not included in his letter but she thought would be of help to her daughter.
She explained that the horses were fed their noon oats, and then given water a few miles down the road when they came to a house with a pump. They drove on about five miles, and then “the horse was taken sick and died in a few minutes. Driving hard on dry oats, getting too hot and then drinking cold water and swelling ‘em up. Manly has always blamed E.J. because she kept urging him to drive faster.”
Laura later adds, “As for getting Manly to tell what some one said — Have you heard of oyesters. It is long ago. But you can imagine what E.J. would say to make him drive faster.” (spelling preserved)
Thus Sandra’s nickname for Almanzo… the oyster.
So… while we’re here, anyone want to offer up a suggestion as to just what E.J. would say to make him drive faster? 
Thanks for this post. I know that there was a previous discussion here about Eliza Jane and how she is portrayed by Laura in the LH books. I think this post is a great example as to what both Laura and Almanzo really thought of her. For Almanzo to always “blame” EJ for the death of a beloved horse, and for Laura to talk of her in such as way that says “You know what your Aunt is like!” makes me think that there wasn’t much love lost between them.
I cannot possibly imagine what EJ could’ve said to spur Almanzo on! (unless it was that he’d be rid of her that much faster the quicker they got there!!!)
Thank you so much for the explanation! I just finished reading Free Land and am so curious to know which of the stories not told in LH lore are based on the Wilder’s own experiences.
Oh, and I could imagine EJ going on about how he didn’t know how to drive his horses and why can’t you drive faster and what good are these horses anyway and blah blah blah… =)
“I cannot possibly imagine what EJ could’ve said to spur Almanzo on!”
“God hates a coward!”
(If she was a little confused on animal classification …)
“Get your ass moving!”
If I were a man, I would know how to drive these horses to make them go a decent speed, but of course women aren’t allowed to know about horses. That’s just one of the reasons women should be allowed to vote.
“You drive too slowly! Even the little birds in their nests agree….”