Joseph was a man of many occupations. He was a cheesemaker, a politician and a lawman. He served as a federal marshall on the Menomonee Indian Reservation and Oconto County Sheriff both as a Democrate and a Republican candidate. He grew up in the Town of Spruce. He lived in the Breed Cheese Factory and after retiring from the Sheriffs Department lived in Mountain, Town of Armstrong.

He loved to fish. Especially trout fishing in the smaller streams around Mountain. He also loved to ice fish in the winter time. He loved the outdoors. He picked berries for his wifes pies. He hunted.

According to the 1920 census, the family lived in the Township of Little River, Oconto County, WI