Joseph A. Freshman
Agency patch
Policeman

Joseph A. Freshman

Butte Police Department — Butte, MT
Felonious
End of Watch September 23, 1906
Age 52
Tour of Duty 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 21 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Policeman Joseph Freshman was shot and killed after a man tried to rob him as he walked his post. Policeman Freshman was walking his post when a man approached him and attempted to rob him at gunpoint. At first the suspect did not realize that he was robbing a police officer due to the poor lighting condition, but when he realized he was robbing an officer, he opened fire, killing Policeman Freshman. A subject was arrested but was later released due to insufficient evidence. Policeman Freshman had served with the Butte Police Department for six months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-6HKX-KY4Z-Q earlier record number BO-US-MT-80BBA841
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Policeman Freshman served with the Butte Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Butte community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Freshman.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Butte, Silver Bow County, MT
Platform Identity bpd.silverbow.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 23, 1906
Tour of Duty 6 mo
Age 52
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,741 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.2% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1906, 89 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 69th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 52. Of the 14,215 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Joseph had served 0.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.2% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Butte Police Department has 14 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Policeman Joseph A. Freshman

Butte Police Department · End of Watch September 23, 1906

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 7-E

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