ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSNo one writes their

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


No one writes their thesis in a vacuum. While working on this, I certainly accrued

my share of debts. My partner Hannah has been exceedingly patient with the long hours

and monastic existence, and I have ignored the pleading stares of Pablo the dog, as well

as phone calls and emails from relatives for the past several months. My parents have

been remarkably understanding when I mention that I cannot come to visit, and if they

did, I would have to do some work while they are around.

My committee of Dr. Billy G. Smith, Dr. Robert Rydell, Dr. Mary Murphy, and

Dr. Tim LeCain helped me to bring a vague and unwieldy idea to fruition. My fellow

graduate students, including Cheryl Hendry, Ryan Sparks, Alex Aston, Suzy Avey, Derek

Akin, and Natalie Schiedler served as a sounding board for ideas when my head

resembled an echo chamber. Similarly, the faculty and staff of the history department

proved invaluable as I navigated the tangled web of the Pinkertons, whether through

advice, mentorship, or securing the necessary funding.

I had to do a bit of travelling to find the tendrils of the anti-union practices of the

Pinkertons. The archivists at the Library of Congress Manuscript Division and at the

University of Colorado-Boulder were remarkably patient with my esoteric requests and

general unfamiliarity with archives. My friends Maureen and Brian Beck gladly gave us

their guest room while I did research in Boulder, and Tom and Leanna Fenske literally

rescued me off the D.C. streets when my lodging plans fell through. I really cannot thank

the people that contributed enough; I hope that it reflects their generosity and altruism.