QUILT INDEX RECORD

53-155-2496

Who documented this quilt?

South Carolina Quilt History Project

South Carolina Quilt History Project Number:

SAL-24

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt Owner's Name:

Elizabeth H. Anderson

Quilt Owner City:

Columbia

Quilt Owner State:

South Carolina (SC)

Quilt Owner Country:

United States

Relation of the quiltmaker to the present owner:

Grandmother helped to make the quilt as a member of a community project - later married owner to take to college (Newberry)

Interviewer:

Mary Howe

Do you know the city where this quilt was made?

Prosperity

Do you know the county where this quilt was made?

Saluda

Do you know the state where this quilt was made?

South Carolina (SC)

Do you know the country where this quilt was made?

United States

Do you know the time period when this quilt was made?

1850-1875

Do you know when the family said this quilt was made?

1862

Date provided by someone else, like a quilt appraiser:

1862

Do you know who made it (quiltmaker's name)?

Wysz, Marilla Riser

How did you happen to get the quilt?

Inheritance

Do you know how old the maker was when the quilt was made?

The maker was 17 years old when this quilt was made.

Do you know if she made other quilts? Do any of them still exist? Where are they now?
Did the quiltmaker leave any letters or diaries that you know of? Where are these?
Do you have quilts made by other people?
Do you have relatives or friends who have quilts or make quilts?

This maker made other quilts owned by Alice Booger?

Do you know where the maker got her fabrics for this quilt?

Great grandmother bought material and passed it out to girls to each make a square for quilt probably purchased in the area.

Did she quilt this herself? Or did someone else do it or help her with it?

Girls got together for quilting at the home of Capt. Joseph Wyse

Do you know if there are photographs of the quiltmaker?
Are there any photographs of her with quilts or making quilts?

There is a picture of the quiltmaker.

Who was the quiltmaker's father?

Riser, Henry Hartwell

Who was the quiltmaker's mother?

Kinard, Karen Happuch

What church did the family go to?

St. Marks, Pomaria

When was the quiltmaker born?

11/13/1845

Who was her husband?

Wyse, Allen Melancthon

What did he do for a living?

Farmer, Cotton-Buyer

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

German

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

1/23/1928

Did the quiltmaker have children? How many?

7

Was this quilt made for a particular person?

Made for Allen Wyse going to college at Newberry

Are there any interesting stories about the quiltmaker?

This quilt was made for my grandfather, Allen M. Wyse, to take with him when he entered Newberry College. (He was there only a short time, joining the Confederate army when he became 16 in 1863.) The squares were appliqued by girls of the community of material which had been bought in a piece by his mother. They were then put together at a quilting party in the family home near Wyse's Ferry on the Saluda River not far from Prosperity. The names of some of the young seamstresses have been written on the backs of squares in fairly recent years, as remembered by a relative (now deceased) (See original survey attached diagram). One of the squares was made by the girl who later became Allen's wife, Marilla Riser. Another square, credited to her sister, Sallie Riser, is the subject of a little family joke. In reality, Marilla is supposed to have made Sallie's square also as a favor to her, and when the squares were placed in the quilt, side by side, the comment was heard, "Sallie's is better than 'Rilla's." Marilla, my grandmother, kept her own counsel at the time but chuckled about it to later generations in her dry, twinkly way. Two of the squares were made by Allen's sisters, Mary and Martha. The quilt is to me a touching document of family affection and community ties. It was clearly made for utility in strong, masculine colors. It was probably continuously in use until the disposing of my grandparents' household belongings at the death of the grandmother in 1928. Won 1st (illegible words) 1967. (See original survey attached pages 2).

Was this quilt ever in a contest?

Won 1st (illegible words) 1967.

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt width:

74"

Quilt length:

74"

Design; applique:

Applique

Design:

Block pattern

Pattern Name:

Autograph Quilt or Album Quilt

Fabrics, source:

Purchased new

Fabric styles:

Print; Solid/plain

Predominant Colors:

Green; Red

Block orientation:

Straight

Set:

Separated by pieced pattern sashing

Describe the quilt setting:

Triple sashing

Number of quilt blocks:

16

Number of borders:

1

Notes on backing:

Domestic

Binding construction:

Front turned to back

Batting materials:

Cotton

Batting loft:

Thin

Needlework; excellent; good; utilitarian; hand; machine:

The needlework techniques are good to excellent.

Quilting description:

Follows top; stitches - small

Condition:

Very good/almost new

Damage:

Stains

Describe the damage:

Washed, some acid stains

Details

• 

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

All rights reserved, McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina