Wylie House Museum

This historic house museum shares the history of the Wylies, a prominent family in Bloomington, Indiana during the 19th century. The house was built in 1835 and was home to Indiana University's first president, Andrew Wylie. After his death, cousin Theophilus Wylie purchased the home and generations of Wylie family resided there until 1913. Now, the Wylie House is a museum restored to its original 1800’s fashion. The house hosts the belonging of many Wylie family members such as their piano forte, beds, dolls, tea sets etc.

In the Wylie House parlor, there is a small circular table with Margret Wylie’s china tea set. The set was gifted from her husband, Andrew Wylie. It is unknown where the tea set was purchased from or the price of the set. However, according to an article by George L. Miller that scaled the prices of ceramics from the 19th century, ceramic prices varied heavily between 1833 to 1855. The lowest recorded price in the article is 80 cents and peaks at about 1.30 dollars. (Miller, 1980). The price of the tea set is most likely in this range.

The tea set is of a simple design. The set is made from porcelain and each piece is adorned with a thick gold rim around each of its edges. The set is comprised of a tea pot, tea cups and saucers, a milk pitcher, sugar container, a small handless cup with an intricate design painted on the front, and one plate. The plate is painted with initials of a Wylie family member and the date 1838-1888.

During the 19th century, afternoon tea was a prominent part of culture and was a common pastime for men and women, women specifically. Each guest would receive a place setting of utensils, a saucer, a cup for tea, and a small plate. Desserts, salads, small sandwiches, and/or meats and cheeses would be served to the guests. The tea served most likely were Black or green teas. A correspondence between Maggie W. Mellette to Mrs. Louisa M. Biosensors (1887) reads,“I forgot to tell you that my party or ladies tea was a success in every way. I had the nicest tea they all said (ham, turkey, chicken salad, pickles, deviled eggs wrapped in bright paper, ice cream, different fruits cut together, 8 kinds of cake etc.) As they commenced tea I had John Wylie and Minnie to play soft music and that added".

“Most pleasant way to take afternoon tea was to invite a few friends who all [knew] one another” (Lady, 1856). The Wylie women often spoke, in their correspondence, of gatherings they hosted or attended with their friends, such as the Ballantine, Dunn, and Kirkwood families. (All prominent families at Indiana University.) Margret Wylie writes to Louis Wylie in 1856, “Mr. McCalla was here to tea and we did not expect him. We sent over to the bakers and got cake & cheese and crackers and we had a jar of

Blackberries.” In another correspondence between Maggie Wylie and Miss Lou E. Wylie (1859), Maggie writes,“Lib Dodds came up this afternoon and stayed to tea we had dryed apples and Blackberries butter and bread and meat and sasafrass tea. Ma is going to make some beer we think we will have company next Friday we want to have Cournel Bryant before he goes we will have Mrs & Mr Kirkwood Mrs and Mr Ballantine Mrs and Mr Gilett Cournel Bryant and Mr Hopkins Mr Fisk and I don't know who else we are going to have oysters and fruit cake and Try coulard cake and pound cake I will write and tell you about it next week I wish you were here to help us."

a Lady, By. "A Manual of Etiquette for Ladies: Or, True Principles of Politeness." London: T(1856).

Miller, George L. "Classification and economic scaling of 19th century ceramics." Historical

Archaeology 14, no. 1 (1980): 1-40.

Additional Information

Afternoon Tea: A History (Book) Skinner, Julia. Afternoon Tea: A History. Rowman & Littlefield, 2019.

The Ladies’ etiquette Handbook: The Importance of Being Refined in the 1880s (Book) Schoonover, David E., ed. The Ladies' Etiquette Hand-book: The Importance of Being Refined in the 1880s. University of Iowa Press, 1886.