4. Noah Webster was 69-years-old when he released his famous dictionary and he spent the rest of his life updating it
Noah Webster had a lifelong passion for language. So much so, in fact, that when he released his landmark dictionary in 1828 he was 69-years-old. Of course, he fit a lot into the preceding 7 decades. Born in 1758, he worked as a writer and editor for the Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. He also served in the Connecticut House of Representatives and played an influential role in laying the foundations of the abolitionist movement, campaigning against the evils of slavery in his home state. However, it was his, book An American Dictionary of the English Language, that was his greatest achievement.
The work, which was published 22 years after his first attempt at producing a dictionary, made Webster’s name. What’s more, it kick-started a late career as the country’s go-to guy for language matters. Webster played a key role in the creation of the Copyright Act of 1831 and he was working on an updated version of his celebrated book right up until his death at the age of 84. The modern Merriam-Webster dictionary and continues to be the number one reference point for students across the United States.