Emma Solomons, the daughter of Edward and Margaret Solomons, and niece of Dr. Joseph Robert Solomons, was born in Ocala, Florida, in 1847, the oldest of three known children. The family later moved to Sumter, South Carolina, where her grandfather, Mark Solomons had been the first Jewish resident.

Following the conclusion of the Civil War, Emma married Horace Harby Moses, son of Andrew Jackson Moses and Octavia Harby Moses. On February 27, 1874, Horace filed to have his, Emma’s and their then two children’s names changed from Moses to Harby in order to distance himself from his disgraced and infamous cousin, Franklin J. Moses, Jr. The so-called “robber governor” of South Carolina, Franklin had recently been indicted for misappropriation of funds, and was known for living an extravagant life with the use of public money, although he was detested by many whites as well—including his family—as a Republican who played an active role in Reconstruction and enjoyed wide support among the state’s African Americans.

Emma and Horace would have nine more children.