Tom the Tinker

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Tom the Tinker assumed the leadership of The Whiskey Rebellion in the early 1790s. He came about after it was decided that to merely attack tax collectors or those who rented offices and lodging to tax collectors wasn't enough; pressure needed to be applied to those who had registered their stills and were paying the tax. In essence, Tom the Ticker illuminated the point that compliance with the law was as comtemplatable an action as those who were collecting the whiskey tax. He began by writing personal notes to individuals imploring them to contact the Pittsburgh Gazette and state their dislike of the whiskey tax or suffer the consequences; namely coming home to find your whiskey still in shambles. Emboldened with his success, he began to contact the editor of the Pittsburgh Gazette with notes urging him to publish against the tax or feel the wrath of Tom the Tinker. Groups formed calling themselves Tom the Tinker's Men. They assured Tom the Tinker's threats were carried out. Some believe John Holcroft, a leading member of the Mingo Creek Association, was Tom the Tinker but it is not known whether Tom was an actual individual or a character created by the leading members of the Whiskey Rebellion to serve as their leader.