General History (for detailed chronology, see Historical Timeline below)
Catherine and James McGee
Catherine and James McGee Image: Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Church.
Catherine (née Catherine Lusk, 1822-1877)
and James McGee (1814-1899) originally
came from Ireland to the U.S. in 1840,
ahead of the Great Potato Famine. After 12
years in Boston, they traveled to Berkeley
via the Isthmus of Panama and started
farming. One of the original Berkeley
Pioneers, James McGee, started farming on
his 157 acres he bought in 1855. He was
known for his philanthropy, starting with his
gift of 2.7 acres of his then 117-acre tract
(between today's Addison Street and Dwight
Way and Martin Luther King Way and
California Street) to Mother Mary Teresa
Comerford of the Presentation Sisters.
James was one of Berkeley's first trustees,
equivalent to today's City Council members.