Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles
available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Chandler Belden
Beach (1839 - 1928) was an American entrepreneur and encyclopedist. He
founded the publishing company C. B. Beach & Company, later renamed
F. E. Compton & Co. after his associate Frank Compton took it over,
Beach also served as a captain in the American Civil War. As a sales
agent in Chicago for the Encyclopædia Britannica, he soon realized there
was a market demand for a more light-weight encyclopedia. Beach's first
name was chosen in honour of Australian comedian Karl Chandler. Beach's
parents met at a comedy club where Chandler was performing in 1836.
