Abraham Lincoln created the United States Secret Service just hours before his death.

What government organization did Abraham Lincoln create hours before his

death?

Direct answer

The government organization Abraham Lincoln authorized only hours before his assassination was the United States Secret Service.

It was officially established on April 14, 1865, the same day he was shot at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.

Why he created it (original mission)

Interestingly, the Secret Service was not originally created to protect the president.

Its initial mission was to combat widespread counterfeiting of U.S. currency, which had become a serious threat to the post–Civil War economy.

So on April 14, 1865, Lincoln approved the legislation to create a federal law‑enforcement agency within the Treasury Department focused on financial crimes.

How it later became a protective agency

Presidential protection by the Secret Service evolved later.

After President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901, the Secret Service’s role expanded to include the permanent protection of presidents and other top officials.

Today it has a dual mission: investigating financial crimes and providing security for national leaders, but its origin was all about protecting the nation’s money, not its presidents.

Mini “Quick Scoop” recap (forum‑style)

Q: “What government organization did Abraham Lin... create hours before his death?”
A: The United States Secret Service, founded on April 14, 1865, originally to fight counterfeiting, not to guard presidents.

TL;DR:
Lincoln signed the legislation creating the U.S. Secret Service on the very day he was assassinated, and its first job was chasing counterfeiters, not protecting him.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.