Jacob Thompson came to Mississippi seeking his fortune and succeeded royally. In addition, he was elected to Congress at the age of 29, soon becoming a force in national politics, and was selected to serve as secretary of the interior in the Buchanan administration. Then everything abruptly changed with the advent of the Civil War. Jefferson Davis tapped him to head the Confederate secret service, ultimately resulting in several accusations, including involvement in the Lincoln assassination. His story is a fascinating one of triumph, failure, disturbing allegations, and perseverance through all of it.