Charles H. Taylor (publisher)

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General Charles Taylor redirects here, but may also refer to President Charles Taylor of Liberia.

Charles H. Taylor (Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1846 - 1921) or General Charles H. Taylor created the modern Boston Globe as its publisher starting in 1873.

Taylor enlisted in the Union Army at the age of 16 and was badly wounded at the Battle of Port Hudson.[1] He was private secretary to the Governor of Massachusetts.[2] He was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1872.[3]

He was hired by the Boston Globe in 1873, after stints at the Boston Traveler and New York Tribune. [4] He became publisher at age 27. [5]The Globe was badly in debt. Taylor is credited with turning it around and making it a profitable, large-circulation newspaper. He reduced the price form three to two cents and "laid down a strict rule that all news should be given impartially." the most important innovation, however, was to turn the Globe into a modern, family newspaper, adding stock quotations, women's pages, and sports coverage to the previous menu of political, national and foreign news. Within three weeks of his advent as publisher, the circulation climbed from 8,000 to 30,000.[6]

His title, General Taylor, was his rank in the Massachusetts state militia.[7]