Portage County Sheriff's Department, Wisconsin
End of Watch: Tuesday, October 12, 1875
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 11, 1875
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Lynched
Sheriff Joseph Baker was shot and killed when he attempted to serve an eviction notice and other court papers to a pair of brothers.
Sheriff Baker was outside the premise and was shot by one of the brothers who had fired from a second-floor window. The sheriff was taken to a nearby house, where he died the following day. Both suspects were taken into custody a short time later.
A week later, an angry mob broke into the jail and hanged both suspects. The suspect who shot Sheriff Baker had served several years in New York's Sing Sing Prison for murder.
Sheriff Baker had served four years with the 18th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War. He received a severe wound at the Battle of Shiloh. He entered the war as a private and came out as a 1st Lieutenant.
Sheriff Baker was serving his second term as Sheriff of the Portage County Sheriff's Department. He was survived by his wife and four children.