George W. Case, born on March 3, 1861, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was a distinguished lawyer and influential citizen of Watertown, South Dakota. Moving to Mason City, Illinois, in 1868, he later relocated to South Dakota in 1883, where he pursued law and was admitted to the bar in 1891. Case built a successful legal career, initially with Mellette & Mellette, and later succeeded their practice. A prominent Republican, he served in the state senate and held the position of receiver of the U.S. land office. Married to Capitola Pierce in 1882, they had six children. Case was active in various fraternal organizations and community affairs.
George W. Case merits representation in this history as one of the prominent and successful members of the bar of the state and as one of the popular and influential citizens of Watertown. He is a native of the old Keystone state, having been born on a farm in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, on the 3rd of March, 1861, and being a son of Lorenzo D. and Susan M. (Scofield) Case. In 1868 his parents removed to Mason City, Illinois, where his father became a prominent contractor. Both are now deceased, having both died at Watertown.
George W. Case was reared in Mason City, and after completing a course in the high school, was variously employed until he had attained the age of twenty, when he began reading law. In 1883 he came to South Dakota and took up a preemption claim in Sully County, and instituted its development, so that in due time he perfected his title. He remained on his ranch for five years, during which time he assiduously continued the study of the law, being admitted to the bar of the territory before Judge Andrews, at Watertown, in 1891. The following year he was admitted to practice before the supreme court. He became identified with the active work of his profession by entering the employ of the law firm of Mellette & Mellette, of Watertown and Pierre, the senior member of the firm having been governor of the state. In this relation he gained valuable experience and so clearly proved his mettle that at the expiration of ten months Governor Mellette came to Watertown and offered him a membership in the firm, and he thereafter continued to be associated with the two gentlemen until the Messrs. Mellette retired from practice in the state, in 1896, when he succeeded to the entire business of the firm. From the start Governor Mellette had pushed him forward into the active business, and he assumed much of the court practice, thus gaining prestige as an able trial as well as consulting attorney. He has built up a large and representative general practice and his standing in the profession is second to that of none of the members of the bar of this section of the state. Mr. Case is one of the leaders of the Republican party in the state and is prominent in its councils. He served as a member of the state senate in 1896-7, and was chairman of the joint house and senate committee which selected Hon. James H. Kyle for United States senator for a second term. In 1898 he received, at the hands of President McKinley, the appointment as receiver of the United States land office in Watertown, of which office he remained incumbent four years. He is at present chairman of the Republican judicial committee of the third judicial district. He was one of the incorporators and stockholders of the Watertown State Bank, while he is the owner of several city properties, including his own residence, which he erected and which is one of the handsomest of the many modern homes which embellish Watertown. He and his wife are valued and zealous members of the First Baptist church, and fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
At Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1882, Mr. Case was united in marriage to Miss Capitola Pierce, a daughter of Christopher Pierce, a prominent and influential citizen of Menard County, that state. Mr. and Mrs. Case have six children, namely: Howard B., Claude E., Stella Bernice, Ruth L., Verne R. and Lillian E. The elder son is at the time of this writing a student in the State University of South Dakota.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.