Eliza Whelpley Hickok was born in Burlington, Vermont.  She was the daughter of grocer and dry goods merchant Samuel Hickock. She was married at age 19 to Frederick Buell, who was the son of another merchant in Burlington.  They had three children together, two of them named Mortimer.

In 1829 her father Samuel Hickock built a brewery for her on the west side of Champlain Street.  She manufactured "Fresh Ale" there for several years and sold it at her father's stand in town.  The brewhouse burned down in around 1835.

On July 9th, 1835 Buell died and Hickock inherited enough money to never work again.  She sold the brewery property and at age 34 retired.  She became benevolent in Christian charities.  She erected group homes for unwed mothers, elderly ladies and Civil War orphans.

Eliza Whelpley Hickok died on the 7th of December, 1874 at the age of 73.