The Carey family is one of the prominent families in Sussex County. Although there are many different branches, the one this article is about is the John Carey family from the Milton/Cool Spring area of Sussex.
John Carey (1663-1723) arrived from England and settled in today’s Sussex County, Delaware. John married Bridget Jones (1680-1730). They had children Samuel, William, Thomas, and Mary.
Samuel Carey (1702-1756) lived in Sussex County. He married Ester Russell Carter (1706-1758). They had children Ann, William, Joseph, Samuel, and Eli.
Eli Carey (1747-1796) lived in Sussex County. He married Elizabeth Burton (1750-1799), They had children John, Joseph, Samuel, Eli, Ester, Phoebe, Nehemiah, Woolsey Burton, James, Joshua, Lemuel, and Cornelius.
Joseph Carey (1772-1834) lived in Sussex County. He was a farmer and merchant. He was proprietor of Carey’s Storehouse in Milton. He married Margaret Hood. They had children Robert, James, and Eliza Jane (1814-).
Robert Hood Carey (1811-1891) lived Sussex County. He married in 1838 Susan Davis (1813-1881). He was very well off, taking over his father’s storehouse in Milton, and died at age 80, leaving a large estate. They had children Robert Davis Carey (1839-1907), John Fitchett Carey (1843-1911), Joseph Maull Carey (1845-1924), Theodore Campbell Carey (1847-1895), Sallie M. Carey (1851-1925), and Susan Davis Carey (1855-1935).
Robert Davis Carey (1839-1907), son of Robert Hood Carey, never married, moved to Philadelphia where he became a millionaire by manufacturing wallpaper. Was partner in various ventures with his brother Joseph and John in Wyoming. His wallpaper company was called Carey Brothers and Gravenor Company. Another wallpaper company was called the National Wallpaper Company.
John Fitchett Carey (1843-1911), son of Robert Hood Carey, was a doctor. He died at age 69, having suffered with chronic asthma. He practiced as a doctor in Sussex County and followed his brother west to Wyoming, where he took up ranching. He married Mary Catherine Kollock (1845-1886). No children are known.
Joseph Maull Carey (1845-1924), son of Robert Hood Carey, was born in Milton, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania law school, was a Philadelphia lawyer, and was appointed by President Grant to be the U.S. attorney in Wyoming. In 1877, he married Louise David of Cheyenne. He created a cattle raising aristocracy, was Governor of Wyoming (1919-1923), and later U.S. Senator from Wyoming. In 1876, he brought 15,000 cattle to Wyoming for his CY Ranch. The CY may be the first and last letter of the name Carey. He partnered financially with his brothers John and R. Davis Carey. The city of Casper, Wyoming later was built on part of the CY Ranch. They also owned the SO ranch and the YU ranch. He fought rustlers and outlaws, namely the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang.
His son, Robert Davis Carey (1878-1937), a graduate of Yale, was one of the biggest cattle and beet sugar raisers in the state. His company was J. M. Carey and Brother. He took over the CY Ranch from his father, became a U.S. Senator, and later Governor of Wyoming. He married Julia Freeman (1882-1971) they had Joseph Maull Carey (1914-1958) and Sarah Darlington Carey (1911 -1955), who married Walter C. Weber. They lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
His other son, Charles David Carey (1881-1935), married Ellen Miller Elliston (1882-1931). Their daughter Elizabeth Miller Carey (1912-) married Willits Brewster. His other daughter, Louise David Carey (1915-2002), married Francis J. Bon and moved to California. His son Charles David Carey Jr. (1920-1995) married Margaret Barnes. Charles Jr., born in Wyoming, returned to Sussex County, where he farmed until his death at age 75.
Theodore Campbell Carey (1847-1895), son of Robert Hood Carey, in partnership with his brother R. Davis Carey when he died, left his estate to his sister Susan so she would care for his children (Theodore C. and Joseph M.). Theodore Sr married Clara Waples (1857-1894). One son, Theodore C. Carey (1888-1916), would die in 1916 in a railroad accident in Spain. Due to WW1, his body would not be returned to the United States until 1922. When Mr. T. Carey made out his 1914 application for a passport, he listed his occupancy as capitalist. He attended the University of Pennsylvania. The other son, Joseph M Carey (1893 -1965), was president of Newark (Delaware) Lumber Company. His estate was worth $302 million. He left $75,000 to the Princeton University Class of 1916 to honor war dead of WW1. He was a flyer in WW1. He married Gertrude Vosage (-1948).
Sarah (Sallie) M. Carey (1851-1925), daughter of Robert Hood Carey, died at age 74. She never married and was financially taken care of by her father and brothers.
Susan (Susie) Davis Carey (1855-1935), daughter of Robert Hood Carey, died at age 79 in Milton. When she died, she had the largest estate ever in Sussex County. She raised her nephews Theodore and Joseph Carey. She never married.