Biographical information concerning Robert Eliot and Norman Emmons in not readily available. It is known, however, that Emmons, an attorney, moved to Milwaukee from Detroit in 1846. He had two brothers: Halmer, an attorney, who became a Michigan circuit judge; and Jed, also an attorney. In 1863 Emmons was president of the Milwaukee and Western Railroad, which later became part of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul system. His connection with Eliot was through his wife, Julia Whetten, who was the sister of Eliot's wife, Eliza Whetten. Julia and Eliza were half nieces of Harriet Douglas Whetten, an army nurse during the Civil War, and later nurses' superintendent at the Carver Hospital in Washington, D.C. Eliot was an iron and produce commission merchant in Milwaukee.
