HON. JOSEPH MAULL CAREY has been identified with the development of Wyoming from pioneer times and has left and will leave the impress of his ability and individuality indelibly upon the history of the state.  In whatever capacity he has acted since arriving in Wyoming he has done his work well; especially may we in this respect consider his services as United States attorney.  United States territorial judge, mayor of Cheyenne, member of congress.  United States senator and governor of the state of Wyoming.
     He is a descendant of English and Scotch families who arrived in America during an early period of the colonization of the new world.  His grandfather, Joseph Carey, who married Margaret, the daughter of Robert Hood, was engaged in agricultural and business pursuits all his life and passed away at Milton, Delaware, in 1838 and was buried at St. Georges' Chapel, one of the oldest Episcopal churches on the Delaware peninsula.
     His father, Robert Hood Carey, the son of Joseph and Margaret (Hood) Carey was born in Milton, Delaware, in 1811 and followed all his manhood.  mercantile and agricultural pursuits. He died in 1891 in the same house in which he had been born eighty years before.  His wife was Susan Pitt Davis, daughter of Robert Davis, born in 1813 and died in 1881.  They are buried in the Carey lot in the Methodist Churchyard Cemetery at Milton, Delaware.
     Joseph M. Carey, the subject of this sketch was born on January in, 1843, at Milton, Delaware, and was the third son in a family of five boys and two girls.  He pursued his education in public and private schools and in teaching a country school.  He entered the Port Edward Collegiate Institute at Fort Edward, New York and afterwards attended Union College, Schenectady, New York, remaining there until the end of his sophomore year in 1865.  He was made honorary chancellor of that college in 1804 and with the honor came the degree of Doctor of Laws.  Mr. Carey became a citizen of Pennsylvania in 1863, immediately taking up the study of law in the office of B. F. Temple, of Philadelphia, afterwards continuing his studies in the same city under the direction of W. L. Dennis and Henry Flanders.  He matriculated at the same time in the law department of the University of Pennsylvania from which he was a graduate with the class of 1867.  He located immediately for the practice of his profession in Philadelphia.
     In 1866, Mr. Carey made political speeches in Pennsylvania, first speaking at Reading, Pennsylvania, with Governor Geary then making a canvass for his second election for governor of that state. That year Mr. Carey cast his first vote.  In 1868, under the direction of the chairman of the republican state committee of New Jersey, Mr. Carey spoke in many towns in New Jersey.
     In 1869, when Wyoming was organized as a territory, Mr. Carey was appointed the first United States attorney for the newly created territory.  In 1872, when he was less than twenty-eight years of age, he was appointed by President Grant an associate justice of the supreme court of the territory.  He retired from judicial office and the practice of law in 1876, having, however, in the meantime made a most excellent record upon the bench by the fairness and impartiality of his decisions, which were based upon a comprehensive knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence and ability to accurately apply those principles.
     He was present and took part in all the details of the organization of the new government of Wyoming territory as provided for by the act of congress.  After the counties were organized he was employed by the several county governments, where county attorneys had not been elected, to prosecute all territorial cases arising in such counties during the first year of the territorial government.
     He early realized the resources of Wyoming and was one of the leaders in the development of live stock raising in this section of the country.  In the undertaking he became associated with his brother, R. Davis Carey, of Philadelphia, and later his brother. Dr. John F. Carey, in business in Wyoming.  Subsequently he bought out the interests of his brothers.
     In 1885 he originated and helped to organize the Wyoming Development Company for the reclamation of lands between the Sybille and Laramie rivers and Chugwater creek in the then Laramie county, of which company he was elected president, and later he became the president of the Wheatland Industrial Company, all of which has contributed to the settlement of what is known as the Wheatland Colony.  This colony is perhaps the best object lesson of what can be done through irrigation for the development of the arid lands in Wyoming.  The firm of J. M. Carey & Bro., subsequently the corporation of J. M. Carey & Bro., has led to substantial progress and improvement of this state as well as to the building of a great business.  They erected some of the best blocks in Cheyenne and the city's progress is attributable in no small measure to their efforts.
     He was present and participated in all the early meetings of the Wyoming Live Stock Association.  He was for a number of years president of the association.  This association became the greatest organization of its kind in the world.  At one time it had a membership representing fully $200,000,000.00 investments in the business.  It became active not only in Wyoming but also in the adjoining states of Colorado and Nebraska and in the territories of Utah, Idaho, Montana and Dakota.   This association has continued to grow, and the great business it today carries on for the protection of those interested in the live stock business can only be comprehended by an examination of its records.
     At the same time, Mr. Carey continued a most active and helpful factor in public life.  In 1880 he was chosen mayor of Cheyenne and continued in this office for three terms, making a record by the prompt, efficient and business-like manner in which he discharged his duties.  Among other things, he secured legislation, notwithstanding great opposition, to build a residence water and sewer system for Cheyenne.  He secured the cooperation of the then three banks of Cheyenne to carry the indebtedness of the city until he could dispose of the bonds with friends in the east.
     In 1884 he was elected delegate to the Forty-ninth Congress, and he served in this capacity also in the Fiftieth and Fifty-first Congresses.  In 1890 he was elected the first United States senator, which position he held until 1895.  It was Mr. Carey who wrote the bill and the report thereon for the admission of Wyoming as a state in the Fiftieth Congress. In this work he had the continual support of the people of the territory.  He procured for the state much legislation during his service in the United States house of representatives and senate.  That of first importance was the passage of the bill for the admission of Wyoming as a state, and second, the law since known as the "Carey Act." under which so much has been accomplished, notably in Idaho, Colorado. Montana and Wyoming.  This law. since in active operation, has contributed in a marked measure to the development of great irrigation work in the states enumerated, and the reclamation of large acreages in each of these states.  He also secured legislation for the erection of government buildings at the capitals of Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada.  He secured the necessary legislation for the establishment of all the land offices of this state except those at Cheyenne and Evanston, notably at Douglas, Sundance, Buffalo and Lander.  He procured much other land legislation.
     Mr. Carey represented the territory and state of Wyoming for twenty years on the republican national committee.  He was commissioner of the territory of Wyoming at the World's Fair held at Philadelphia, 1876.  Mr. Carey was governor of the state of Wyoming for the term commencing January 1, 1911, and ending 1915.  During his term as governor there was a great deal of important legislation enacted and the manner in which he discharged the duties of the office was thoroughly appreciated by the people of Wyoming.  He especially took an interest in the penal and charitable institutions and for the improvement of the condition of the inmates of these institutions.  He exercised his parole and pardon powers as, it is said, no preceding governor had done.
     He used the veto power to curb unnecessary laws and appropriations, yet there was more satisfactory legislation to the people during his term than during any other like period.  He was asked to run again for governor or to become a candidate for United States senator. He declined to let his name be used again in connection with either position, saying, "There are many others in the state who are entitled to consideration," and that it was not necessary that anyone should be continued in office all the time and that there was no man whose position could not be filled.
     On the 27th of September, 1877, Governor Carey was united in marriage to Miss Louisa David, of Dubuque, Iowa, whose people had become residents of Cheyenne in 1876.  Her father, Edward C. David, was surveyor general of the territory of Wyoming.  Two children were born of his marriage: Robert Davis and Charles David Carey.  The elder is a graduate of Yale University of the class of 1900 and is now at Careyhurst, being manager of the cattle interests of J. M. Carey & Bro.  The younger son was also educated at Yale in the Sheffield course and lives at Cheyenne.  Both of the sons have homes in Wyoming but are largely interested financially with their father in the corporation of J. M. Carey & Brother.
     Well descended and well bred. Joseph M. Carey in his active life record has reflected credit upon the family name.  Nature endowed him with keen sagacity and intellectual force, and with the passing years he has wisely utilized his time, his talents and his opportunities. The steps in his orderly progression are easily discernible. He early proved himself an able lawyer and learned judge and he became one of the builders of the Western Empire.  An eminent American citizen has said:  "In all this world, the thing supremely worth having is the opportunity coupled with the capacity to do well and worthily a piece of work, the doing of which shall be of vital significance to mankind." The opportunity came to Mr. Carey and the capacity was his.  The combination has resulted most beneficially for Wyoming and the outcome of his efforts has been a most tangible factor in molding the material development and the political history of the state.
     He may be truly called "the grand old man of Wyoming."
Source: The History of Wyoming Volume II - Published Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company - 1918 - Page 5