Roland Worthington

Worthington was born on September 22, 1817, in Agawam, Massachusetts (then part of Springfield) to Jonathan and Fannie (Smith) Worthington.[1] He attended public school until the age of 12, when he went to work and continued his education in various ways. In March 1837 he moved to Boston, where he worked in the counting room of the Boston Daily Advertiser. Worthington remained in the business department of the Daily Advertiser until 1843, when he moved to Europe, as it was believed the Mediterranean climate would improve his poor health. After leaving Europe, Worthington spent one winter in the southern United States before returning to Boston in June 1845. Upon his return, Worthington took control of the Boston Evening Traveller. Under Worthington's management, the Evening Traveller became the first Boston paper to employ Newspaper hawkers to sell papers in the streets rather than rely solely on subscriptions. After learning of the overthrow of Louis Philippe I in the French Revolution of 1848, the Evening Traveller became the first Boston paper to report the news, as Worthington elected to have special editions published while his competitors waited until the following day because they were subscription only. The Evening Traveller also became the first paper in Boston to use headline posters to advertise their papers. In April 1852, Worthington relocated the Evening Traveller's office from 47 Court Street to the Old State House. In 1854 the paper moved into its own building on the corner of State and Congress, which became known as the Traveller Building.[2] Following Worthington's purchase of the building, it became known as the Worthington Building.[3]

When Worthington joined the Republican Party, the Evening Traveller became a Republican paper. This put Worthington in conflict with his editor, Ferdinand Andrews, who supported Daniel Webster and the Cotton Whigs. Worthington replaced Andrews with twenty-two year old Manton Marble. In 1857, Samuel Bowles joined the paper. Marble and Bowles were unable to work together and Marble left for New York City. Bowles took over as managing editor on April 13, 1857, and merged the Evening Traveller with the Boston Atlas, Boston Bee, and the Independent Chronicle. The merger was a failure and placed Worthington and his partners in debt. Bowles left the paper without notice on August 10, 1857, and returned to Springfield.[3]

Worthington was one of the first members of the Free Soil Party. Throughout his association with the paper, Worthington managed the political course of the Evening Traveler. When he joined the Republican Party, the Evening Traveller became a Republican paper.[3]

On April 26, 1854, Worthington married Abbie Bartlett Adams. They had four children (two sons and two daughters). Worthington was a member of the First Religious Society of Roxbury. He died at his home in Roxbury on March 20, 1898, and was buried at Forest Hills Cemetery.[1][6][7]