Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-04-26
PASADENA PIONEER.
fhiiander G. Wooster, who Has
Made His Mark.

/ VI EesAucuAn8 IN P0G0deH0
| star.
many sterling character was found in
the ranks OF the Pasadena pioneers. Just
looking over the pioneer section Of the
city planning exhibit, will show what these
men and women have done in Pasadena. Tor
they built town here when town build
ing was not easy. In this section will be
found pictures Of p. G. Wooster as he
looked many years ago, and OF some Of the
notable buildings he built in the early
days. His biggest building is now incor-
porated as part of the west wing OF Hotel
Green, and made to conform to the bal
nee OF the structure.
| Mr.. Wooster was far from being in the
class with those who are born with a sill
yer spoon in their mouths. He was born
on rocky farm near Hancock, Maine, on
November 3, 1S47, the fifth OF nine chill
dren. His father was John B. Wooster
and his mother, Matilda B. Wooster, and
they were having a hard time to make
both ends meet. He was born into
world OF hard work, and hard work was
his portion for many years years which
came before and after he settled in Pasa-
dena.
| The young man drove an OK team to
help make living, and he labored about
the family farm, q rather unproductive
place, where lots Of hard work had to be
done to get even small results. Three
seasons he went to fish in the Bay of
Fundy, for by the time he had reached
twenty years of age, he hoped to COM
mand fishing vessel of his own. He had
been promised such position, and then
| i'll health caused him to abandon that plan
and hope.
Young Wooster had attended the COM
mon schools. Here as elsewhere he was
q hard worker and learned rapidly. FL
nally he was able to teach school in win
ter, and he sold patent medicines in the
summer, taking up this work because his
health would not permit OF his doing any
thing requiring greater physical exertion
] He was ambitious and knew the value Of
an education, and while he had to fight
for every educational privilege, yet he did
succeed in attending the normal school at
Pennington, Maine, and later was grad
uated from the business college at Pough-
keepsie, n. Y.
| In 1873 the first brighter promise the
young man had received, came when a
| big stationery firm in Boston offered him
place. He was destined to occupy this
place but briefly, for his brother George
was taken seriously i'll and MIR. Wooster
| gave up his position to nurse the sick
man. After the death OF his brother he
returned to Boston, but his own physical
| condition became so serious that he de-
| termined 1t a matter OF life or death to
| find q milder climate, and so set out for
San Francisco. This trip he made by way
OF the Isthmus OF Panama. 1t was ter
ribie journey for the sufferer, filled with
hardships, and he reached San Francisco
in very poor health. However, the eli
matte change helped him wonderfully and
he was able to secure work in the Bay
City.
MIR. Wooster heard so much OF southern
California he determined to go there for
the milder climate, and so in 1875 he came
south and bought lot 4 of block II in the
San Pasqual tract OF the Lake Vineyard
Land and Water Company, paying therefor
$50, which was practically all he had in
the world.
Then commenced a struggle such as pi-
oneers only experience. He built small
shack on the ground, and for five years
he "bached" on his land. In spite OF his
weakness he set out ten acres to fruit and
thus got his start in the new settlement.
For time Mr.. Wooster acted as local
salesman for Brown & Mathews, OF Los
Angeles, then q prominent hardware firm.
This place he held for year, and then he
became travelling salesman for the Gordon
Hardware Company, OF Los Angeles. In
the meantime he kept his eye on Pasadena
and speculsted in real estate here. Finally
he gave up selling goods and took to SELL
ing Pasadena land and insurance to Pasa-
dens people, and so successful was he that
before long he had become one Of the city
substantial citizens. Then he built the
Wooster block, big undertaking for
those days. His building cost him s6O, 900
and stood, in fact, still stands, at Fair
Oaks and Green street.
Mr.. Wooster was always prominent and
enterprising. In pioneer days there was
no worthy local enterprise which did not
have his support. He was, for example, q
moving spirit in the formation OF street
railway system and was long secretary OF
the Pasadena Street Railway Company.
He built many houses ranging from small
bungalows to large residences, and helped
in many lines OF good work.
Now for many years retired from active
business, MIR. Wooster holds the respect OF
all who know him, for the manhood which
ena bled him to survive and overcome such
obstacles as few encounter and as still
fewer ever pass.