Allan Pinkerton

Allan Pinkerton, born in Glasgow, Scotland, was a barrel-maker before he discovered his true calling: catching bad guys. Or, at least, getting paid to try. After immigrating to the US and stumbling upon a counterfeiting ring, he quickly realized that a career in private dickery offered far more excitement (and likely better pay) than coopering. Thus, the Pinkerton National Detective Agency was born, giving rise to an industry that would eventually lead to reality TV shows about bounty hunters. We're not saying it's all his fault, but the breadcrumbs do lead back to him.

Pinkerton’s agency became legendary, handling everything from railway security to protecting Abraham Lincoln from assassination attempts — often with more success than government agencies. During the Civil War, he even served as the head of the Union Intelligence Service, proving that sometimes, you just need a good private eye to get things done when the bureaucracy is tying itself in knots.

Despite his impressive resume in thwarting plots and chasing outlaws, Pinkerton's Jewish bona fides are, shall we say, non-existent. Born to Presbyterian parents and never showing any inclination towards matzo ball soup or a good hora, he kept his detective skills strictly secular. Which is a shame, because a good Jewish mother could have told him exactly where to find those pesky Confederates.

His legacy, however, is undeniable, even if some of his methods were, shall we say, enthusiastically applied. The