Edelmira Rivero was born in Cuba during the Spanish–American War. Her parents died by the time she was three or four, leaving her and her sister Taurina (about five years older) orphaned. Eventually, they found their way into a Florida orphanage after a pair of visiting Episcopalian nuns found them living without parents. They remained at the orphanage until Edelmira was ten or eleven, and Taurina was fifteen. Taurina described her sister as a beautiful young girl with auburn hair, and says she was often taken around to various locations and used as an example of the types of wards the orphanage cared for. However, Taurina described the living conditions at the orphanage as unpleasant, and they eventually ran away. It is not told how they came to Palatka, but shortly thereafter, Mary Mulholland employed Taurina as a housekeeper. Apparently Miss Mulholland had a reasonably good but fiery relationship with Taurina. She also became very fond of Edelmira and wished to adopt her, but Taurina would not allow it.