Adam Willis Wagnalls

Biography

Adam Willis Wagnalls, born in 1843 in Lithopolis, Ohio, studied law before turning his attention to the power of the printed word. When he joined forces with Isaac Funk to create Funk & Wagnalls, he helped build a publishing house that produced the Standard Dictionary and popular encyclopedic works designed to make reliable information available to families and schools across the nation.

Later in life he directed his wealth toward civic causes, funding the Wagnalls Memorial Library and championing educational opportunities in the region that shaped him; he rests in Lithopolis Cemetery, a quiet testament to his commitment to the community where his love of books first took root.