Charles H. Taylor (publisher)

General Charles Taylor redirects here, but may also refer to President Charles Taylor of Liberia.
Charles H. Taylor
Member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
Personal details
Spouse(s) Georgiana Olivia Davis
Occupation Journalist, Publisher
Military service
Allegiance United States of America
Union
Service/branch Union Army
Unit 38th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers
Battles/wars American Civil War
Siege of Port Hudson

Charles H. Taylor (1846–1921), also found as General Charles H. Taylor, was an American journalist and politician. He created the modern Boston Globe, acting as its publisher starting in 1873. Taylor was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1872[1] and served as private secretary to the Governor of Massachusetts.[2]

Taylor was born 14 July 1846 in Charlestown, Massachusetts to John Ingalls Taylor and Abigail Russell Hapgood. At the advent of the American Civil War, Taylor enlisted in the Union Army at the age of 16 and was badly wounded at the Battle of Port Hudson.[2] Taylor married Georgiana Olivia Davis in March 1867, and the couple had 5 children. His commonly used military rank, General Taylor, was due to his service and rank in the Massachusetts state militia.[2]

The Boston Globe

Taylor joined the Boston Globe a year after it was founded in 1872. The newspaper was started by six Boston businessmen, led by merchant Eben Dyer Jordan, who jointly invested $150,000. The first issue was published March 4, 1872 at the price of four cents. In August 1873, with the paper facing low circulation and financial difficulties, Jordan hired General Charles H. Taylor as temporary business manager. At the time Taylor was a 27-year-old Civil War veteran,[2] who had worked as a staff member and printer for the Boston Traveler, and as a stringer for The New York Tribune.[3] Taylor’s efforts ultimately created a profitable, large-circulation newspaper. He reduced the price to two cents and "laid down a strict rule that all news should be given impartially." His most important innovation, however, was adding stock quotations, women's pages, and sports coverage to the previous menu of political, national and foreign news, creating a prototype of a modern, family newspaper. Within three weeks of his advent as publisher, the circulation climbed from 8,000 to 30,000.[2]

As a result of his success in stabilizing the business, and setting circulation on a successful growth path, Taylor and Jordan, the only remaining investor in the paper, became partners. Taylor was shortly named the newspaper's publisher. Members of the Taylor family served as publishers of The Boston Globe until 1999.

References


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