Noah Webster 
Dissertations on the English Language [EPUB ebook] 

According to Wikipedia: 'Noah Webster, Jr. (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843), was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. He has been called the 'Father of American Scholarship and Education.’ His blue-backed speller books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read, secularizing their education. According to Ellis (1979) he gave Americans 'a secular catechism to the nation-state.’ Webster’s name has become synonymous with 'dictionary’ in the United States, especially the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the nation.’