John Slidell was an American politician, lawyer, slaveholder, and businessman. A native of New York, Slidell moved to Louisiana as a young man and became a Representative and Senator. He was one of two Confederate diplomats captured by the United States Navy from the British ship RMS Trent in 1861 and later released. He was the older brother of Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, a U.S. naval officer.

Frédéric Émile, Baron d'Erlanger born as Friedrich Emil Erlanger, was a German-French banker and Consul. He founded the French branch of the Erlanger banking businesses, Emile Erlanger & Co.