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Famous Residents Allan Pinkerton was born in Glasgow, Scotland on July 21, 1819. In 1842, Pinkerton emigrated to the United States and made his way to the newly settled area west of Chicago and set up his own cooperage. While living in Kane County, Pinkerton assisted runaway slaves through the Underground Railroad. He became a deputy sheriff of Kane County in 1846. By 1850 he formed the Pinkerton Agency that specialized in railroad security. The Pinkerton Agency became one of the most famous detective agencies in the United States. He also served as head of the United States Secret Service from 1861 to 1862 and uncovered a plot to kill Abraham Lincoln during his service. Pinkerton went on to publish 15 detective stories before he died in 1884. QuincyNet Home Copyright© 2000 by QuincyNet, a division of HCW Ltd. All Rights Reserved