Lieutenant George Thornton Emmons, U.S.N., was stationed in Alaska during the 1880s and 1890s, a time when the Navy was largely responsible for law and stability in the Territory. His duties brought him close contact with the Tlingit Indians, whose respect he won and from whom he gained an understanding of and respect for their culture. He became a friend of many Tlingit leaders, visited their homes, traveled in their canoes when on leave, purchased native artifacts, and recorded native traditions. He was widely recognized for his extensive collections of Tlingit artifacts and art, and for the detailed notes that accompanied them.