the pinkerton detective agency

                                       

                                                            Allan Pinkerton


Allan Pinkerton was born in Glasgow, Scotland on August 25, 1819.  In 1842, Pinkerton emigrated to the United States and established a barrel making shop in a small town that was located outside of Chicago, Illinois.  Once day, Pinkerton was out exploring rural areas in search of barrel making supplies when he happened upon a group of counterfeiters making counterfeit coins in the area.  Pinkerton reported to local authorities the counterfeiter's whereabouts and assisted in the arrest of the gang.  This led to the appointment of Pinkerton as a deputy sheriff of Kane County, Illinois.

Pinkerton thrived in investigative work and soon became a detective in Chicago.

In 1850, Pinkerton elected to leave the Chicago police force and started his own detective agency, the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.

Pinkerton's agency was the first of it's kind in that it would provide a variety of detective services to private individuals and businesses.  In a time when local law authorities were often ill equipped, or downright crooked, Pinkerton's agency provided a valuable service.  

In 1861, Pinkerton uncovered a plan to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.  Pinkerton notified the President of the threat and the President quickly changed travel plans, thus thwarting the assassination attempt.  Lincoln asked Pinkerton to organize a "secret service" to obtain military information in the Southern States during the Civil War.

               

Following Pinkerton's service with the Union Army, he continued his pursuit of train robbers, such as the Reno Gang. 

By 1870, Pinkerton had amassed the world's largest collection of criminal data, which included mug shots, detailed criminal information, etc.  This information spurred the agency's logo as being the "All-Seeing Eye."

In June of 1884, Pinkerton slipped on thepavement on a Chicago street, biting his tongue when he fell.  Pinkerton failed to seek medical attention for his tongue and it soon became infected.  Pinkerton died from this infection on July 1, 1884.