South Dakota Crusader

Francis Case's Road to Congress

By: Stephen L. Wilson

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Paperback | 10 February 2024

At a Glance

Paperback
586 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 3.3

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South Dakota Crusader takes an in-depth look at Francis Case's life and times up to the day before he officially becomes a U. S. congressman. It begins by describing his family background and early years as one of five children born in rural Iowa, where his Methodist-minister father served ten pastorates before accepting a new assignment in South Dakota's Black Hills. Next, Francis's high school, college, Marine Corps service, teaching, and graduate school careers are discussed in detail. The story then turns to his newspaper endeavors in Rapid City, Hot Springs, and Custer; and his involvement as a civic leader and unabashed Black Hills promoter. Finally, the book recounts his three attempts to be elected to Congress, and the Epilogue contains a summary of his congressional career. As the story unfolds, short updates about his close-knit family are provided.

South Dakota Crusader is a 2025 Midwest Book Awards gold winner in the Biography category. It is also featured as the Book of the Week in an online publication for Rhodes scholar alumni; and it is highlighted in a University of Oxford alumni newsletter.

Industry Reviews

"Exceptionally well written, impressively detailed and informative, as well as thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "South Dakota Crusader: Francis Case's Road to Congress" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library American Biography/Memoir collections."

Midwest Book Review

"I rate this book five out of five stars for its amazing and exceptional writing style. The book was expertly edited. . . . I recommend . . . [it] to individuals interested in learning about the life and works of South Dakota Congressman, Francis Case, and his contributions to the development of South Dakota."

Bron Bakers for Online Book Club

"South Dakota has never had another member of Congress--possibly never another government representative--like Francis Case, and probably never will again . . . Author Stephen Wilson has done exhaustive research; . . . 100 pages of notes on his sources support his commentary and conclusions. . . . If you are a South Dakotan, don't miss this book!"

Linda M. Hasselstrom, South Dakota writer and editor

"Author Stephen L. Wilson's meticulous attention to detail and thorough exploration of Case's upbringing, career, and political aspirations provide readers with a rich understanding of the man behind the political figure. . . . Overall, South Dakota Crusader is a compelling biography that sheds light on an often overlooked figure in American political history."

K. C. Finn for Reader's Favorite

"The author, Stephen L. Wilson, is a competent writer who knows his subject well, offering the reader not just the nuts and bolts of what happened, where it happened and when, but also WHY - and it is this aspect of the book that is its biggest strength."

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

"This portrait offers an inspiring example of resilience, decency, and purposeful living in the expanding ideological and media landscapes of the 20th century. Exploring both personal and political nuance, this biography is a well-deserved tribute and a testament to honor in American governance."

Self-Publishing Review

"[Francis Case's] passion for water might be traced to an anecdote told in Stephen L. Wilson's new biography. . . . Case was reared in Iowa until his father Herbert, a Methodist minister, was called to Sturgis in 1909. The following year was among the driest in West River history. Water was so scarce that the family might use the same potful to cook dinner, make coffee and wash dishes. Case later remembered 1910 as giving him 'an early education in South Dakota's greatest economic problem--water! I have never forgotten it.'"

South Dakota Magazine

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