The American Dictionary sunk him in debt

One of the interesting facts about Noah Webster is the American Dictionary sunk him in debt. In the 19th century, the price of the American Dictionary, which ranged from $13 to $20, was a luxurious amount. Although Webster's first dictionary is today revered in American English history, just 2,500 copies were ever sold, and Webster still lost money. He wasn't one to give up lightly, so he mortgaged his New Haven home to pay for the second printing. The second edition was released in two volumes in 1840. A few days after adding more precise definitions to the second edition and with many of his contributions to the dictionary still going largely unnoticed. Sales of the second edition were as dismal. "I am completely subject to God's will," were his final words before he passed away.

In Springfield, Massachusetts, the Merriman brothers started a printing company in 1831. Although many other dictionaries have taken his name to capitalize on his success, George and Charles Merriam purchased the rights to Webster's dictionary. When Webster passed away in 1843, his heirs sold them the unsold copies of the 1841 edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language, Corrected and Enlarged. They obtained publication rights to updated versions of the dictionary with the acquisition. In 1982, Merriam-Webster Inc. took the place of G. & C. Merriam Co., which still produces Webster's Dictionary. As a result, all modern Merriam-Webster dictionaries can trace their roots back to Webster.