Civil War Union veteran, detective, chief of police, and founder of the Furlong Secret Service Company. During the Civil War, he served in the Pennsylvania Bucktails (1st Pennsylvania Rifles)
Thomas Furlong was born about Feb. 22, 1844, in Jamestown, New York, the son of John Furlong of Ireland and Mary Fitzgerald of Scotland. In 1860, he was living in Benezette working as a laborer and lumberman. He was 5'4" with blue eyes, dark hair, and a fair complexion. From Benezette where he enlisted, he mustered in to the service as a Private on May 29, 1861, in Harrisburg as a member of the Pennsylvania Bucktails (Company G, First Pennsylvania Rifles). He was wounded at the Battle of Dranesville, December 20, 1861. About the time of the Antietam battle, he took on a detached special service in Sep. 1862, which began his detective career. Some sources say he became a spy for the Union Army and continued that until the end of the war. He officially transferred to the PA Veteran Reserve Corps on Jan. 1, 1864, and was mustered out on May 28, 1864.
After the war, he continued his detective career by becoming the head of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Police. Because of this, he and his family moved to Oil City in Venango County in the early 1870's, at the time of the oil boom in Pennsylvania. He became involved with the Allegheny Railroads as a special agent and also became the first police chief of Oil City. In 1865, he married Elizabeth F Hagerty. They had eight children. of whom 3 were living in 1910.
In 1880, they moved to St Louis, Missouri and he pursued a career as a special detective. He eventually started the Furlong Secret Service Company (a competitor of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency) and gained a reputation as one of the best detectives in the United States for his cleverness in running down a variety of criminals and thieves. He was a supporting member of the Bucktail Regiment Association and active in the Masons in St Louis. He died on Jan. 6, 1918, in St Louis, Missouri following a hospital operation. He was interred at the Missouri Crematory (now known as the Valhalla Hillcrest Abbey) in St Louis.
Of interest was Thomas Furlong's career after the war. According to his 1912 publication, Fifty Years a Detective, (Pinkerton wrote "Thirty Years a Detective"), Furlong commenced his "long and strenuous career . . . on September 14, 1862," when he was detailed from his company--the Pennsylvania Bucktails--for special service. In civilian life, his career continued when he was named the first chief of police of Oil City, Pennsylvania, in 1871. By 1874, he had become a special agent for the Allegheny Valley Railroad. In 1880 he moved to St. Louis and organized the Furlong Secret Service Company, at the same time working as special agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. By 1912 his company had established branch offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Houston and had operatives not only in major U.S. cities but in foreign countries as well. The Missouri Pacific Railroad used Furlong's Secret Police to develop operatives similar to those of Allan Pinkerton. Chief Special Agent Thomas Furlong oversaw these men. The efforts of Furlong's Secret Police, Canada's Bandit Hunters and Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended the era of the train robbers; the outlaws were killed, in jail, or retired from their criminal careers. (bio by: Bob Nay)
Sources:
Nay, Bob. Contributor and researcher, email dated 9/2/11.
Thomas Furlong was born about Feb. 22, 1844, in Jamestown, New York, the son of John Furlong of Ireland and Mary Fitzgerald of Scotland. In 1860, he was living in Benezette working as a laborer and lumberman. He was 5'4" with blue eyes, dark hair, and a fair complexion. From Benezette where he enlisted, he mustered in to the service as a Private on May 29, 1861, in Harrisburg as a member of the Pennsylvania Bucktails (Company G, First Pennsylvania Rifles). He was wounded at the Battle of Dranesville, December 20, 1861. About the time of the Antietam battle, he took on a detached special service in Sep. 1862, which began his detective career. Some sources say he became a spy for the Union Army and continued that until the end of the war. He officially transferred to the PA Veteran Reserve Corps on Jan. 1, 1864, and was mustered out on May 28, 1864.
After the war, he continued his detective career by becoming the head of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Police. Because of this, he and his family moved to Oil City in Venango County in the early 1870's, at the time of the oil boom in Pennsylvania. He became involved with the Allegheny Railroads as a special agent and also became the first police chief of Oil City. In 1865, he married Elizabeth F Hagerty. They had eight children. of whom 3 were living in 1910.
In 1880, they moved to St Louis, Missouri and he pursued a career as a special detective. He eventually started the Furlong Secret Service Company (a competitor of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency) and gained a reputation as one of the best detectives in the United States for his cleverness in running down a variety of criminals and thieves. He was a supporting member of the Bucktail Regiment Association and active in the Masons in St Louis. He died on Jan. 6, 1918, in St Louis, Missouri following a hospital operation. He was interred at the Missouri Crematory (now known as the Valhalla Hillcrest Abbey) in St Louis.
Of interest was Thomas Furlong's career after the war. According to his 1912 publication, Fifty Years a Detective, (Pinkerton wrote "Thirty Years a Detective"), Furlong commenced his "long and strenuous career . . . on September 14, 1862," when he was detailed from his company--the Pennsylvania Bucktails--for special service. In civilian life, his career continued when he was named the first chief of police of Oil City, Pennsylvania, in 1871. By 1874, he had become a special agent for the Allegheny Valley Railroad. In 1880 he moved to St. Louis and organized the Furlong Secret Service Company, at the same time working as special agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. By 1912 his company had established branch offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Houston and had operatives not only in major U.S. cities but in foreign countries as well. The Missouri Pacific Railroad used Furlong's Secret Police to develop operatives similar to those of Allan Pinkerton. Chief Special Agent Thomas Furlong oversaw these men. The efforts of Furlong's Secret Police, Canada's Bandit Hunters and Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended the era of the train robbers; the outlaws were killed, in jail, or retired from their criminal careers. (bio by: Bob Nay)
Sources:
Nay, Bob. Contributor and researcher, email dated 9/2/11.
Civil War Union veteran, detective, chief of police, and founder of the Furlong Secret Service Company. During the Civil War, he served in the Pennsylvania Bucktails (1st Pennsylvania Rifles)
Thomas Furlong was born about Feb. 22, 1844, in Jamestown, New York, the son of John Furlong of Ireland and Mary Fitzgerald of Scotland. In 1860, he was living in Benezette working as a laborer and lumberman. He was 5'4" with blue eyes, dark hair, and a fair complexion. From Benezette where he enlisted, he mustered in to the service as a Private on May 29, 1861, in Harrisburg as a member of the Pennsylvania Bucktails (Company G, First Pennsylvania Rifles). He was wounded at the Battle of Dranesville, December 20, 1861. About the time of the Antietam battle, he took on a detached special service in Sep. 1862, which began his detective career. Some sources say he became a spy for the Union Army and continued that until the end of the war. He officially transferred to the PA Veteran Reserve Corps on Jan. 1, 1864, and was mustered out on May 28, 1864.
After the war, he continued his detective career by becoming the head of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Police. Because of this, he and his family moved to Oil City in Venango County in the early 1870's, at the time of the oil boom in Pennsylvania. He became involved with the Allegheny Railroads as a special agent and also became the first police chief of Oil City. In 1865, he married Elizabeth F Hagerty. They had eight children. of whom 3 were living in 1910.
In 1880, they moved to St Louis, Missouri and he pursued a career as a special detective. He eventually started the Furlong Secret Service Company (a competitor of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency) and gained a reputation as one of the best detectives in the United States for his cleverness in running down a variety of criminals and thieves. He was a supporting member of the Bucktail Regiment Association and active in the Masons in St Louis. He died on Jan. 6, 1918, in St Louis, Missouri following a hospital operation. He was interred at the Missouri Crematory (now known as the Valhalla Hillcrest Abbey) in St Louis.
Of interest was Thomas Furlong's career after the war. According to his 1912 publication, Fifty Years a Detective, (Pinkerton wrote "Thirty Years a Detective"), Furlong commenced his "long and strenuous career . . . on September 14, 1862," when he was detailed from his company--the Pennsylvania Bucktails--for special service. In civilian life, his career continued when he was named the first chief of police of Oil City, Pennsylvania, in 1871. By 1874, he had become a special agent for the Allegheny Valley Railroad. In 1880 he moved to St. Louis and organized the Furlong Secret Service Company, at the same time working as special agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. By 1912 his company had established branch offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Houston and had operatives not only in major U.S. cities but in foreign countries as well. The Missouri Pacific Railroad used Furlong's Secret Police to develop operatives similar to those of Allan Pinkerton. Chief Special Agent Thomas Furlong oversaw these men. The efforts of Furlong's Secret Police, Canada's Bandit Hunters and Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended the era of the train robbers; the outlaws were killed, in jail, or retired from their criminal careers. (bio by: Bob Nay)
Sources:
Nay, Bob. Contributor and researcher, email dated 9/2/11.
Thomas Furlong was born about Feb. 22, 1844, in Jamestown, New York, the son of John Furlong of Ireland and Mary Fitzgerald of Scotland. In 1860, he was living in Benezette working as a laborer and lumberman. He was 5'4" with blue eyes, dark hair, and a fair complexion. From Benezette where he enlisted, he mustered in to the service as a Private on May 29, 1861, in Harrisburg as a member of the Pennsylvania Bucktails (Company G, First Pennsylvania Rifles). He was wounded at the Battle of Dranesville, December 20, 1861. About the time of the Antietam battle, he took on a detached special service in Sep. 1862, which began his detective career. Some sources say he became a spy for the Union Army and continued that until the end of the war. He officially transferred to the PA Veteran Reserve Corps on Jan. 1, 1864, and was mustered out on May 28, 1864.
After the war, he continued his detective career by becoming the head of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Police. Because of this, he and his family moved to Oil City in Venango County in the early 1870's, at the time of the oil boom in Pennsylvania. He became involved with the Allegheny Railroads as a special agent and also became the first police chief of Oil City. In 1865, he married Elizabeth F Hagerty. They had eight children. of whom 3 were living in 1910.
In 1880, they moved to St Louis, Missouri and he pursued a career as a special detective. He eventually started the Furlong Secret Service Company (a competitor of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency) and gained a reputation as one of the best detectives in the United States for his cleverness in running down a variety of criminals and thieves. He was a supporting member of the Bucktail Regiment Association and active in the Masons in St Louis. He died on Jan. 6, 1918, in St Louis, Missouri following a hospital operation. He was interred at the Missouri Crematory (now known as the Valhalla Hillcrest Abbey) in St Louis.
Of interest was Thomas Furlong's career after the war. According to his 1912 publication, Fifty Years a Detective, (Pinkerton wrote "Thirty Years a Detective"), Furlong commenced his "long and strenuous career . . . on September 14, 1862," when he was detailed from his company--the Pennsylvania Bucktails--for special service. In civilian life, his career continued when he was named the first chief of police of Oil City, Pennsylvania, in 1871. By 1874, he had become a special agent for the Allegheny Valley Railroad. In 1880 he moved to St. Louis and organized the Furlong Secret Service Company, at the same time working as special agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. By 1912 his company had established branch offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Houston and had operatives not only in major U.S. cities but in foreign countries as well. The Missouri Pacific Railroad used Furlong's Secret Police to develop operatives similar to those of Allan Pinkerton. Chief Special Agent Thomas Furlong oversaw these men. The efforts of Furlong's Secret Police, Canada's Bandit Hunters and Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended the era of the train robbers; the outlaws were killed, in jail, or retired from their criminal careers. (bio by: Bob Nay)
Sources:
Nay, Bob. Contributor and researcher, email dated 9/2/11.
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