Ralph Van Deman in 1901-1903 in the Philiphines-American War, compiling huge files on the population to try to root out rebels, was imo one of the first big dat

Ralph Van Deman in 1901-1903 in the Philiphines-American War, compiling huge files on the population to try to root out rebels, was imo one of the first big data people. He brought that home to America. And started keeping copious notes on anything the capitalist fatcats dubbed un-American. His labor, leftist, civil rights suppression activities got entrenched as quasi-legal vigilantism & endless paperwork & survelliance as the American Protection League. He was an O.G. keeper of big data.