6/4 WORTHINGTON. WORTHINGTON. office he held eight years. He continued the practice of law in Dedham until 1866, when he was nominated and elected the clerk of courts for Norfolk county, and entered upon the duties of that office, which he still holds, in January, 1867. Besides attending to duties strictly per- taining to his office, Mr. Worthington has been frequently selected by members of the bar, and appointed by the court, as auditor and master to hear cases pend- ing in the courts. He also has been the public administrator of the county since 1882. Mr. Worthington was a member of the school committee of Dedham for eight years, and has taken an active part in town affairs. He was selected to deliver the address at the dedication of memorial hall, Dedham, September 19, 1868, and he also delivered the historical address at the cele- bration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of Ded- ham, September 21, 1S86, both of which addresses were ordered to be printed. He also wrote a short history of Dedham, pub- lished in the " History of Norfolk County" in 1884. Mr. Worthington is much interested in historical and antiquarian researches, es- pecially such as refer to the local history of Dedham. He was one of the original corporators of the Dedham Historical Society, of which he has always been an active member, and for many years has been curator, and is now its vice-president. In politics Mr. Worthington has been a Republican since the formation of that party. He is now a warden of St. Paul's (Episcopal) church, Dedham. Mr. Worthington married, November 25, 1861, Elizabeth Foster, daughter of the late Robert Briggs, of Boston. He has a family consisting of one daughter and five sons : Caroline Morton, Erastus, Jr., Rob- ert Briggs, Alvan Fisher, Arthur Morton, and John VVinthrop Worthington. WORTHINGTON, ROLAND, son of Jonathan and Fanny Worthington, was born in Agawam, Hampden county, Sep- tember 22, 1 81 7. He received his early education at the district schools, and after the manner of the farmer's son of the period, began the real labors of life at the early age of twelve. From that time till he was twenty he supported himself, gathering an edu- cation as he could by the way. In 1837 he removed to Boston and found employ- ment in the office of the "Daily Adver- tiser." In 1843 impaired health obliged him to go abroad, and upon his return he spent a winter at the South, returning to Boston in 1845 to take charge of the " Daily Evening Traveller." The first number appeared April 1, 1845, and the history of the " Daily Traveller " and Mr. Worthington have since been inseparable. Not only the " Traveller," but the entire newspaper life of Boston, owes much to the courage, foresight, and energy of Mr. Worthington. When he introduced the innovation of newsboys crying the paper upon the streets, it was frowned upon by everyone, but he persisted until it be- came a feature of newspaper life, and the day of sales " by subscription only " disappeared. At this time was inaugur- ated also another feature common enough now, but a radical change from the older conservative custom — the use of bulletin boards for the display of the news of the day. Mr. Worthington was one of the first Free Soilers of Massachusetts, and upon the establishment of the Republican party he at once entered its ranks, and has made his paper a fearless and able supporter of its creed. Mr. Marble, the distinguished editor of the " New York World," Mr. Bowles, well known as the founder of the " Springfield Republican," and many other prominent writers have passed through the editorial rooms of the " Traveller " on their way to distinction, while Mr. Worthington has gained for himself and his paper an en- viable reputation for political foresight and accuracy. In 1S60 his was the first paper to sug- gest as successor to Governor Banks the man who became the great " war gover- nor " of the Commonwealth. In 1879 he brought forward the name of Hon. John D. Long as a standard-bearer against the formidable candidacy of General Butler. In 1883 he emphatically urged the nomina- tion of George D. Robinson for a like ser- vice. Mr. Worthington's prediction against the fears of many of his cotemporaries of the press of the conservative, capable and patriotic administration by President Ar- thur were abundantly realized. In April, 1882, President Arthur appointed Mr. Worthington collector of the port of Bos- ton, and while the appointment was op- posed by Senator Hoar and others on po- litical grounds, it is generally conceded that Mr. Worthington proved a most effi- cient officer, and amply justified the selec- tion made by the chief executive.
