JOSEPH AIKEN BAXTER was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 8, 1882. It is somewhat unclear as to who his parents were, as the 1890 Census was lost in a fire and I have yet to find him in the 1900 Census.

The 1901 Census shows a Joseph A. Baxter and his wife Rebecca living at 1111 Penn Street. Joseph Baxter was working as a morocco finisher at one of Camden's leather factories. The couple appears again in 1904, at 829 Coates Avenue in South Camden. 

In 1907 a Joseph Baxter, who worked as a finisher, was living at 211 Milton Street in the Poets Row section of North Camden. This person was at 934 Pearl Street in 1908, and at 113 North 21st Street in 1909. Wives were not named in the directories for those years.

The 1910 Census shows Joseph Baxter, unmarried and working as a trucker for an express company, boarding with a co-worker, Paul Judge, at 113 North 21st Street in East Camden. He boarded with the Judges into the 1920s, even when the family moved from one house to another. The 1914 City Directory shows that he had moved to 46 North 21st Street and was working as a leatherworker again. The 1917 Directory has the same information regarding address and employment.

After America got involved in World War I, there was a great deal of turnover in the Camden Fire Department. By the time the 1918-1919 City Directory was compiled, Joseph A. Baxter had been appointed to the Camden Fire Department. This took place prior to September 12, 1918 when he registered for the draft. He was still living at 46 North 21st Street. When he registered for the draft Joseph Baxter indicated that his nearest relative was Rebecca Baxter of Philadelphia, and a widow by that named does appear in the 1910 and 1920 Censuses. It is conceivable that this was his mother.   

The Census taken in January of 1920 shows Joseph A. Baxter  boarding at 50 North 21st Street, still with the Judge family. City Directories through 1924 also have him at this address. The 1923 City Directory places him at 1134 Baring Street, boarding with Daniel B. Riegel. He boarded with Riegel through most of the 1920s, moving to 1124 Baring Street when did in the mid-1920s.

Joseph Baxter married late in life, shortly after the 1929 City Directory was compiled. He was still living at 1124 Baring Street. When the Census was taken in April of 1930, Joseph and Mary Baxter were living at 573 Spruce Street. Neighbors included grocery store owner Charles Malamut at 577 Spruce, veteran police officer Frank Crawford at 569, and long-time Democrat political leader George Kleinheinz at 574 Spruce Street.

The 1940 City Directory lists Joseph A. and Mary Baxter at 235 Eutaw Avenue in East Camden.

By the spring of 1942 Joseph A. and Mary Baxter had moved to 24 Read Avenue in Runnemede, New Jersey. He was still a member of the Camden Fire Department, however, when he registered for the draft.

Joseph A. Baxter is not listed in the 1956 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory, however, his wife Mary is, at the Read avenue address. It would appear that he had passed away prior to the compilation of the Directory.