Robert Henry Allerton, born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, was the son and heir of First National Bank of Chicago co-founder Samuel Allerton. He was a philanthropist who served as a trustee and honorary president for the Art Institute of Chicago, becoming one of its benefactors by donating thousands of artworks. He also became a trustee for the Honolulu Academy of Art, leaving a trust that funds the Academy to this day.

Samuel Waters Allerton (1828-1914) was a businessman who amassed a substantial fortune, primarily through ventures in stockyards and livestock.