new firm. Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co., of which Lewis Van Antwerp, Caleb S.
Bragg, Henry H. Vail, Robert F. Leaman, A. Howard Hinkle, and Harry T.
Ambrose were the partners. This firm continued unchanged until January
1, 1892, except for the untimely death of Mr. Leaman on December 12,
1887, and the retirement of Mr. Van Antwerp, January 2, 1890, just
previous to the sale of the copyrights and plates owned by the firm to
the American Book Company.

This sale, completed May 15, 1890, did not then include the printing
office and bindery belonging to the firm. These were used by the firm of
Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co. until January 1, 1892, in manufacturing books
ordered by the American Book Company. The American Book Company became,
on May 15, 1890, the owners, by purchase, of all the copyrights and
plates formerly owned by Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co. The four active
partners in that firm, each of whom had then been in the schoolbook
business some twenty-five or thirty years, entered the employ of the
American Book Company. Mr. Bragg and Mr. Hinkle remained in charge of
the Cincinnati business, Mr. Vail and Mr. Ambrose went to New York; the
former as editor in chief, the latter was at first treasurer, but later
became the president.

[A Vigorous Firm]

Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co. issued many new and successful books and remade
many, including the McGuffey Readers and Speller, Ray's Arithmetics and
Harvey's Grammars. Most of these met with acceptance and this was so
full and universal throughout the central West as to give opportunity to
the competing agents of other houses to honor Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co.
with such titles as "Octopus" and "Monopoly," names that were used
before "Trusts" were invented. They also called the firm in chosen