About the Author
R. Lee Wilson is a passionate historian, scholar, and former CEO. He is a retired Booz Allen consulting partner, Harvard MBA and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of DePauw University. He was an executive vice president at Chase and Equitable Life before he finished his career as CEO of First Capital, a national commercial lender. Wilson pursued his ongoing interest in education issues by serving for ten years as a trustee of his alma mater DePauw. He lives with his wife, Deb, on Sanibel Island in Florida and spends his summers in Greenwich, Connecticut, where they raised three children. Women’s Crusader is his first biography.
The Process
Although Wilson’s career pursuits never landed in historical places, his leadership experience has provided insights on human behavior and primed his curiosity. He is a meticulous researcher with instincts that make him an ideal historical detective. He prefers deep dives into the lives and relationships of his characters. Reading a subject’s letters to family and friends provides an intimate window on their character and personality. And sometimes it unmasks deliberate efforts to alter evidence, which adds to the drama. Borrowing techniques from genealogy he thoroughly documents relationships, dates and locations of events. These are useful means to validate the accuracy of a story. But above all, he loves to visit sites connected to his characters. A sense of place brings their stories to life. There are some things that a discerning observer learns on site that cannot be found in a library. Two of the most surprising discoveries for Women’s Crusader were made at a cemetery in Franklin, Massachusetts, and the rocky cliffs near Kinsale, Ireland.
Pictured above, the author in Franklin, MA, and the site of the Albion shipwreck near Kinsale, Ireland
The Discoveries
There were numerous important discoveries made for Women’s Crusader. A good example of one not previously reported was the unmistakable sign of tampering with the evidence.
The Inspiration
Wilson was first introduced to Catharine Beecher in a course on the history of women in America, which he took at Columbia University. He was impressed with her accomplishments and surprised that outside academia, few had ever heard of her. His interest was piqued by the fact that she founded schools in his hometown, Quincy, Illinois, and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a city where he once worked. The question that he found interesting was What caused a lighthearted romantic like Kate Beecher to become a pioneer advocate for women’s education? The answer that emerged from his research was the untold story of her relationship with Alexander Fisher. Surviving correspondence between Kate, her father, Lyman, and her best friend, Louisa Wait, allowed the story to be pieced together. It was far more intimate and influential than previously imagined.
Inspired by the women in his life, from his grandmothers to his granddaughters, Wilson connected with Beecher’s history as a pioneer advocate for women’s education. His purpose in writing this book is to elevate Beecher’s historical recognition. But his hope is that her commitment to female education will motivate the actions of current and future generations of women.