Born on April 11, 1878, Joe Sewell was the youngest of Columbus and Louisa Sewell’s children. Joe passed at a young age so his life isn’t as well documented as that of his father, Columbus, or his brother, Tom.

What is known about Joe is that he loved the horse racing, drinking and fighting that often came with life on the frontier. A well-known boxer, Joe was known as the best fighter in the area for a time.

The love of frontier life eventually caught up with Joe and led to his passing. Two separate accounts of Joe’s untimely demise have been circulated, although nobody really knows for sure which is true. Joe Sewell met his end either in a shooting incident in Baker or during a brawl in a Pendleton brothel.

The date of Joe’s death isn’t in question, however, as he passed less than a month after his 20th birthday on May 10, 1898.

Joe Sewell in the news

Last Friday Joe Sewell and Major Magone were having a horse race down the road, but the Major’s team ran away and rolled him out into the ditch, ending the race, but the team kept right on. Damage, some.

Grant County News, Canyon City, Or., Thurs., April 7, 1887, Vol. IX , # 2, p. 3, col. l, item 11

Last Monday in Justice’s court Joseph Sewell was fined $5 and costs for using profane and obscene language in a public place.

Grant County News, Canyon City, Or., Thurs., April 28, 1887, Vol. IX, # 5, p. 3, col. 1, item 8

For assaulting Jo Sewall with a billiard cue Billy Moss was fined $10 and costs, the whole amounting to $20. The case was prosecuted by Constable Todhunter and taken to John Day and tried before Justice Kelly. Moss plead guilty to the charge and considered himself in luck to get out of the scrape so easily.

The Grant County News, Canyon City, Or., Thurs., Nov. 24, 1887, Vol. IX, #35, p. 3, col. 2, para 19

Spring fights have already begun. Joe Sewall last Monday slapped a fellow called “Frenchy” for using insulting language towards his mother. Joe was arrested, but the case was compromised by each paying half the costs.

The Grant County News, Canyon City, Or.,Thurs., Feb. 13, 1890, Vol. XI #47, p. 3, col. 1, para. 13