Joseph Casey was born on December 17, 1814. He was the son of Joseph Casey, a native of Wicklow, Ireland, and a graduate in medicine of Edinburgh University, who in 1792 emigrated to the United States, settled in Pennsylvania, and there married Rebecca, daughter of Thomas McLaughlin of Franklin County. The younger Joseph was born at Ringgold's Manor, Washington County, Maryland, United States. While he was yet a child misfortune beset his parents, the various members of the family separated, and Joseph was placed with a blacksmith's family in Newville.
Education
In 1828, having received little education, he rejoined his father at Shippensburg, Cumberland County. He there attended the common schools for about a year, but his father was in financial straits, and in 1831 Joseph was apprenticed to a hat manufacturer at Shippensburg. For the next five years he was employed in this industry, also studying at home to complete his education.
Career
In 1836, in Carlisle, he entered the law office of Charles B. Penrose, grandfather of Senator Boise Penrose, and a very astute politician. In November 1838 he was admitted to the bar at Carlisle. For four years he practised at Bloomfield, Perry County, but in 1845 moved to New Berlin, Union County, a place which offered better opportunities. There he commenced to take an active part in politics.
On the conclusion of his term he received the Whig nomination for judge of the district court for Mifflin and Union counties, but was defeated. In 1855, prompted by the exigencies of his growing practise, he opened an office at Harrisburg, and was appointed by Gov. Pollock commissioner to investigate and terminate the "Erie Railroad War, " a somewhat difficult and delicate undertaking which he brought to a successful conclusion. In the same year he was appointed reporter of the decisions of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, a position which he occupied for six years, in the course of which he prepared and published 25-36 Pennsylvania State Reports (1856 - 61), covering the years 1855 to 1860. They are frequently cited as "Casey's Reports, " and have been uniformly accepted as able and accurate.
Owing to the outbreak of the Civil War the business of the Court of Claims assumed an importance which hitherto it had lacked, and it fell to his lot to consider and decide many cases involving new problems of vital interest. Eminently fair to both the Federal Government and the private citizen, he enjoyed the confidence and respect of the public, and performed his judicial duties with complete success. Failing health induced his resignation, December 1, 1870. During the last nine years of his life he was a professor in the National University at Washington, and took a deep interest in its success.
Achievements
Politics
In 1848 he was elected as Whig representative of his district in the Thirty-first Congress and served till March 3, 1851, but declined a renomination. He was a moderate opponent of slavery and voted for the compromise measures of 1850 but against the fugitive-slave law.