Poker Joe

Poker Joe (18?? - 1877) was popularly known for his contribution to the Nez Perce people during the Nez Perce War of 1877. He went by several monikers to include Little Tobacco, Hototo, and Nez Perces Joe. Half French Canadian and half Nez Perce, his birth name was Joe Hale, and his tribal name was Lean Elk. Joe Hale gained the nickname Poker Joe through his obsession with gambling and poker.

Initial involvement in the Nez Perce War

Poker Joe lived in Missoula, Montana before his involvement with the Nez Perce War.

Removal from leadership Lean Elk's traveling style left the Nez Perce caravan tired and weak. The mental and physical anguish brought on by his aggressive effort towards the North proved itself too dangerous for the group. On September 25, 1877, the council voted to bring Poker Joe's leadership to an end, and Chief Looking Glass ultimately resumed his position as leader before the Nez Perce reached the Canadian border.

Death of Poker Joe

Mistaken for a Cheyenne scout, Poker Joe was accidentally killed by a fellow Nez Perce during the Battle of Bear Paw in 1877. The battle of Bear Paw took place about 40 miles from the Canadian border where the Nez Percè battled Colonel Nelson Miles and his troops.