Louis Ah Mouy was born circa 1826, in Guangzhou, China, and grew up in Singapore.

[5] Considered as one of Melbourne's earliest Chinese immigrants, he also worked as a house constructor and a carpenter.

[6] It is claimed that the very first houses in South Melbourne and Williamstown were built by Ah Mouy,[7] who at that time was working under contract for Captain Glendining.

[8] It was through gold mining that his wealth increased significantly,[9] making him one of Melbourne's richest merchants of that time.

[12] Ah Mouy married Mary Rogers, a teenage Irish orphan, in Melbourne on 13 November 1855,[13] with whom he had a daughter and a son.