Sheriff Joseph H. Baker

Joseph H. Baker

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 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 a 1st Lieutenant.