Edward Augustus Tyler was born in Massachusetts in 1815 and trained as a watchmaker before he moved to New Orleans by 1841. Tyler worked in a partnership selling watches and jewelry at the beginning of the 1840s, but in 1844 he went into business by himself. For a brief time, he was an agent to Nunns & Clark, Chickering, and A. H. Gale piano companies, selling their instruments and sheet music alongside his watches and jewelry. During the Civil War, Tyler remained loyal to his adopted home and was imprisoned by Major General Benjamin F. Butler during the Union occupation. Tyler’s jewelry store at 115 Canal Street was very prosperous after the war. He employed silversmiths, jewelers, and watchmakers to repair jewelry and make some custom pieces. He also made regular trips to New York for merchandise and was an agent for major manufacturers.