About C. Richard Beam
Lived 1925 – 2018 (aged 92). C. Richard Beam was an American lexicographer.
Charles Richard Beam (February 15, 1925—January 26, 2018) was a major figure in twentieth-century Pennsylvania German linguistics, folklore studies, and social history who wrote under the pen-name Es Bischli-Gnippli (Little Clodhopper). He was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and received his doctorate in German at the University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D. 1970).
Beam wrote newspaper columns in the Pennsylvania German dialect for over fifty years, and also hosted radio broadcasts in Pennsylvania German from 1971 until 2013.
A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Beam also belonged to the Pennsylvania German Society and a large number of German-American and Pennsylvania local history organizations.
Works An Abridged Pennsylvania German Dictionary (1970) (with Jennifer Trout) The Comprehensive Pennsylvania German Dictionary (2004-2012) William Keel and C. Richard Beam, editors, The Language and Culture of the Pennsylvania Germans: a Festschrift for Earl C. Haag (2010)
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in C. Richard Beam's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped C. Richard Beam's
Frequently asked questions
Who was C. Richard Beam?
American lexicographer
When was C. Richard Beam born?
C. Richard Beam was born on 15 February 1925.
When did C. Richard Beam die?
C. Richard Beam died on 26 January 2018.
What was C. Richard Beam's occupation?
C. Richard Beam was a lexicographer.
What nationality was C. Richard Beam?
C. Richard Beam was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). C. Richard Beam. https://biography.guide/c-richard-beam/
MLA: "C. Richard Beam." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/c-richard-beam/.
Chicago: "C. Richard Beam." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/c-richard-beam/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:19 UTC