Brendan & Lori O'Gara

Noah Webster’s famous work, the two-volume An American Dictionary of the English Language, was a huge undertaking. He began work on this comprehensive dictionary in 1807 (the year after the first one was published) and worked on it for approximately 20 to 22 years, publishing it in 1828 at the age of 70. Aome

Some say it took him 36 years! It did not! The 36-year figure may result from confusing the entire span of his lexicographical pursuits, which included a second edition later in life, but the main dictionary itself took around two decades. 

Book fact #14 Noah Webster did not take 36 years to write his first dictionary