Offspring of the Determined Homesteader. Homesteaders tended to have as many kids as they could manage. They provided a future for the homestead (and when old enough could homestead adjacent territory to add to the family farm), were a handy source of free labor, and let's face it there wasn't much else to do on long winter nights. And they were often willing to take in foster children of relatives or neighbors. Most visual media will go for smaller numbers of children, to save on budget, screen focus and the difficulties of working with child actors.