Full Details of the Killing of Sheriff
Baker.
...The warrant for the arrest of Isiah Court-
wright and the writ of restitution were
in the hands of the Sheriff for service at
the time of the murder, and it was for
the purpose of serving them that he was
on the premises.
...An innocent officer had been shot down in
cold blood while in the discharge of a duty
over which he had no control. A mother
had been widowed and four helpless chil-
dren made fatherless...
At the time of his death Joseph H.
Baker was about forty years of age, and
was serving his second term as Sheriff of
Portage county. He was a farmer by oc-
cupation, but has run the river for several
years as pilot. He served nearly four
years in the 18th Wisconsin Infantry, and
received a severe wound at Pittsburg
Landing, six days after the regiment left
the State. Entering the service as a pri-
vate, he was on the 2d of March, 1863
promoted to Second Lieutenant, and on
the llth of March, 1864, made First
Lieutenant. Prompt, energetic, honest,
faithful and the possessor of excellent
judgment, he has always filled every pos-
ition with credit to himself and the
universal acceptation of his friends. What
more, what better, can be said of any man?
His remains were followed to their last
resting place in the Plover Cemetery on
Thursday by a large concourse of citizens
and buried with Masonic honors. The
funeral was held at the Methodist church
in that village, Rev. Mr. [?], a Uni-
versalist minister from Menasha, preach-
ing the sermon.
Through the death of Mr. Baker,
Wm. H. Gilchrist becomes our Sheriff, by
virtue of his previous position of Under
Sheriff.
--excerpt from Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Saturday, October 16, 1875
Notes: Died in the Town of Buena Vista; the unincorporated communities of Coddington and Keene are located within the town. The Battle of Pittsburg Landing, also known as the Battle of Shiloh, was fought on April 6-7, 1862.
1870 Census:
Name Joseph Baker
Age in 1870 35
Birth Date abt 1835
Birthplace Maine
Home in 1870 Plover, Portage, Wisconsin
Race White
Gender Male
Post Office Plover
Occupation Sheriff
Joseph Baker 35
Ellen Baker 31
Frances Baker 4
John Baker 3
George Baker 1
Full Details of the Killing of Sheriff
Baker.
...The warrant for the arrest of Isiah Court-
wright and the writ of restitution were
in the hands of the Sheriff for service at
the time of the murder, and it was for
the purpose of serving them that he was
on the premises.
...An innocent officer had been shot down in
cold blood while in the discharge of a duty
over which he had no control. A mother
had been widowed and four helpless chil-
dren made fatherless...
At the time of his death Joseph H.
Baker was about forty years of age, and
was serving his second term as Sheriff of
Portage county. He was a farmer by oc-
cupation, but has run the river for several
years as pilot. He served nearly four
years in the 18th Wisconsin Infantry, and
received a severe wound at Pittsburg
Landing, six days after the regiment left
the State. Entering the service as a pri-
vate, he was on the 2d of March, 1863
promoted to Second Lieutenant, and on
the llth of March, 1864, made First
Lieutenant. Prompt, energetic, honest,
faithful and the possessor of excellent
judgment, he has always filled every pos-
ition with credit to himself and the
universal acceptation of his friends. What
more, what better, can be said of any man?
His remains were followed to their last
resting place in the Plover Cemetery on
Thursday by a large concourse of citizens
and buried with Masonic honors. The
funeral was held at the Methodist church
in that village, Rev. Mr. [?], a Uni-
versalist minister from Menasha, preach-
ing the sermon.
Through the death of Mr. Baker,
Wm. H. Gilchrist becomes our Sheriff, by
virtue of his previous position of Under
Sheriff.
--excerpt from Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Saturday, October 16, 1875
Notes: Died in the Town of Buena Vista; the unincorporated communities of Coddington and Keene are located within the town. The Battle of Pittsburg Landing, also known as the Battle of Shiloh, was fought on April 6-7, 1862.
1870 Census:
Name Joseph Baker
Age in 1870 35
Birth Date abt 1835
Birthplace Maine
Home in 1870 Plover, Portage, Wisconsin
Race White
Gender Male
Post Office Plover
Occupation Sheriff
Joseph Baker 35
Ellen Baker 31
Frances Baker 4
John Baker 3
George Baker 1
Family Members
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