Noah Webster, Class of 1778 (1758-1843). Webster defined the national standards for American English through his grammars, spellers, and An American Dictionary of the English Language, which was first published in 1828. Webster’s “blue-back speller” was the most popular American book throughout the mid-nineteenth century; it has never been out of print. Over time, the name Webster became a synonym for an American dictionary. A 4-cent stamp was issued in 1958 on the 200th anniversary of Webster’s birth.