Obituary Details

Robert Davis Carey

(08/12/1878 - 01/17/1937)
Courtesy of The Lusk Herald, 01/21/1937

Robert D. Carey, Former Seanator and Governor, Dies in Cheyenne of Heart Attack; Funeral Wednesday

Death Comes to Distinguished Wyoming Native Son Sunday, Shortly After He Returns From Stockmen's Meeting

Cheyenne, Wyo., Jan. 18 - (A.P.) -
Wyoming Monday mourned one of its most distinguished native sons, former United States Senator Robert Davis Carey, who died suddenly at the home of his nieces, Misses Louise and Elizabeth Carey, here Sunday night.

His doctor said a heart attack was responsible. Senator Carey was 58. Cheyenne was definitely shocked and almost incredulous as the report of the death of the rugged-appearing, six-foot rancher, business man and political leader spread through the city.

Senator Carey arrived here Saturday night from El Paso, Texas, where he attended the convention of the American National Livestock association and Sunday afternoon complained that he wasn't feeling well.

WENT TO SENATE IN WARREN'S POST
A doctor was called and announced he found no alarming symptoms, but at 7:30 p.m., the first native son to serve Wyoming in the national congress and as governor was dead.

Senator Carey was elected to the senate in 1930 to fill out a portion of the unexpired term of the late Senator Francis E. Warren and at the same time for a full term of six years.

He was defeated for re-election last Nov. 3 by Harry H. Schwartz of Casper, whose election gave Wyoming its first full Democratic congressional delegation in its history.

Throughout his service in the senate and during his campaign for re-election, Carey was an ardent advocate of tariff protection for western livestock and agricultural interests and strenuously opposed reciprocal trade agreements.

In addition to his career in politics, Senator Carey had extensive ranch and other business interests in many parts of Wyoming.

His 70,000-acre ranch in Converse county was one of the state's show places. He was interested in a bank at Douglas and had large real estate holdings in Cheyenne, Natrona county and Wheatland.

SON OF GOVERNOR AND U.S. SENATOR
Senator Carey was the son of a governor and United States senator.

His father, the late Joseph Maull Carey, was a delegate in congress from the territory of Wyoming, one of the state's first United States senators and later governor.

Senator Carey was born in Cheyenne, Aug. 12, 1878, and after education in the public schools here was graduated from Yale university in 1900. Three years later he was married to Julia B. Freeman, daughter of Brig. Gen. H. B. Freeman.

Mrs. Carey was at Careyhurst and rushed to Cheyenne Sunday night.

A daughter, Sarah Darlington, 24, was at the ranch with her mother and a son, Joseph Maull II, 22, is a senior at Yale.

Senator Carey's brother, Charles D. Carey and Mrs. Charles D. Carey were killed two years ago this month when their automobile struck an abutment of a railroad underpass at the edge of Cheyenne.

ACKNOWLEDGED LEADER OF LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY
In 1912 Senator Carey was national committeeman for Wyoming of Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive party. Later he returned to the Republican party and was elected governor on that docket in 1919. Four years later he was defeated for renomination by John Hay of Rock Springs.

Upon his graduation from Yale he became manager of the central Wyoming section of the vast ranching and stock raising property of J. M. Carey and others, in Laramie, Converse and Natrona counties.

He was associated, too, in the Wyoming, development company, Wyoming's first large irrigation enterprise, located on the Wheatland flats eighty miles north of here.

He became an acknowledged leader of the livestock industry and served four years as president of the Wyoming Stock Growers association.

Among his other offices was the presidency of the Wyoming state fair commission and chairman of the board of county commissioners of Converse County.

Later he became the chairman of the first state highway commission.

Funeral services were held at St. Mark's Episcopal church hee at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon. The Rev. Charles A. Bennett will be in charge.

Bural will follow in the family plot in Lakeview cemetery, where his father, mother and brother are buried.

BRIEF SERVICES TO BE HELD FOR FAMILY
Brief private services at the home of his nieces will be held for members of the immediate family immediately preceding the church services.

Leaders in the Wyoming legislature announced both houses would be adjourned Wenesday afternoon and all capitol offices were closed.

Members of the legislature stood in silent tribute Monday morning following the announcement from the floor of each house that Carey had died.

Pallbearers were chosen from the list of numerous men closely associated with the former senator over a long period of years in his many interests.

They were Joe Reynolds, Casper; Howard Esmay, Douglas; J. A. Elliott and James D. Caplin, Wheatland, and Francis J. Bon and Capt. George G. Smith of Cheyenne.

Tributes and messages of condolence from all parts of the state and nation poured into Cheyenne Monday.

CAREY LONG FOUGHT GOVERNMENT WASTE
Both in and out of congress, Senator Carey preached the gospel of constitutional government. He labored tirelessly for economy and efficiency in government. His views were those of a man who had successfully faced the realities of life, rather than those of a politician. In his condemnation of much of the experimentation of the new deal, he did not dispute the necessity of increased public assistance to millions of the American people. What he condemned was the waste and inefficiency of the methods employed.

Senator Carey was a liberal, in spite of his conservative background. He advocated social security legislation, old-age pensions and unemployment insurance. As a solution of the agricultural problem he coupled with adequate tariff protection liberal credit, low interest rates to farm borrowers and government puchase of nonproductive and nonprofitable lands which he suggested should be turned into national forests, game preserves and recreatonal areas.

Officially Senator Carey was a representative of Wyoming. But in his advocacy of adequate tariff protection for farmers and stockmen, and in urging that the government encourage expansion of the production of sugar beets and other nonsurplus crops, he was a spokesman for the whole Rocky Mountain region.

Physically and mentally, Senator Carey represented the popular conception of a real man.

During his visits to Lusk and Niobara County, Senator Carey made many friends, who were greatly disturbed by his sudden passing.

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Related/Linked Records

Record Type Name
Obituary Carey, Charles (11/30/-0001 - 01/07/1935) View Record
Obituary Carey, Julianne (06/13/1896 - 01/06/1935) View Record