Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Robert Appleton Company opened its doors in New York City during February 1905. Five men formed the editorial board including Charles G. Herbermann, Reverend Edward A. Pace, Condé B. Pallen, Reverend Thomas J. Shahan, and Reverend John J. Wynne.
Volume one containing entries from Aachen to Assize appeared on shelves in March 1907. The editors released two volumes during that initial year before moving into 1908 with additional installments.
Nativist groups protested the presence of the encyclopedia inside public libraries across the United States arguing that placing such a religious text violated constitutional separation of church and state. A court appeal took place in Belleville, New Jersey where the controversy reached legal resolution allowing the work to remain accessible.
A master index volume followed in 1914 to help users navigate the fifteen-volume set. The final three volumes arrived in 1912 with entries spanning Revelation to Zwirner completing the initial run concluded in 1913.
Kevin Knight launched a digital initiative in 1993 while visiting Denver, Colorado for World Youth Day. He founded the website known as New Advent to host this massive transcription effort which went online two years later in 1995.