San Francisco County
Biographies
GEORGE T.
KERR
George T. Kerr, one of the successful attorneys of San Francisco, is also now engaged as an assistant public defender of this city. He is a native of Johnsville, Plumas county, California, where his birth occurred December 10, 1881.
Mr. Kerr is a son of the late Michael A. and Mary E. (Cain) Kerr, both of whom were born in Ireland. Michael A. Kerr’s birthplace was in County Tipperary, and he came to the United States about 1852. In the year following he made the overland trip to California, first settled in Lake county, and then moved to Plumas county, where he resided until his death in June, 1925, when he was in his eighty-seventh year. He followed mining all of his active life. He was a strong supporter of the democratic party, and was a member of the Roman Catholic Church, although later he became a Mason. His wife was born in Galway, Ireland, in 1844, and in 1860 came alone to the United States, first settling in New Haven, Connecticut. In 1870, she came to California for the purpose of marrying Mr. Kerr, and in this state she continued to live until her death in 1910, at the age of sixty-six. By her marriage she was the mother of three sons and one daughter, as follows: M. C. Kerr, who is an expert in diamond drill work, and is now in Mexico; Lily Kerr, who lives in San Jose, California; and George T. Kerr, of this review.
The last named was educated in the public schools and at Santa Clara College. His ambition was to be a lawyer, and he took up his legal studies in the law office of his brother, M. C. Kerr, where he labored assiduously until 1907, when he was admitted to the state bar of California. He established himself in practice first in Santa Clara county, and there remained until 1917, in which year he removed to San Francisco, which has been his residence city ever since. From 1909 until 1913, Mr. Kerr served as clerk of the court in Santa Clara county, and since 1930 he has held the position of assistant public defender in San Francisco. His work before the bar has been most creditable, and his reputation has been laid upon a foundation of real accomplishment in matters of litigation. He holds membership in the San Francisco Bar Association, the California State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Mr. Kerr also gave his professional services to his country during the World war period, when he acted upon the legal advisory board of Santa Clara county.
In Santa Clara county, California, August 7, 1915, Mr. Kerr was united in marriage to Miss Anna Davies, who was born in Boston, Masschusetts. They have become the parents of a son, George T., Jr., who was born September 8, 1917. Mrs. Kerr has taken an active interest in social, religious and political affairs of San Francisco. The family home is at 1201 Thirty-ninth avenue.
The political allegiance of Mr. Kerr is with the republican party, and his church is the Roman Catholic, in which faith he was reared. In fraternal life, he belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Loyal Order of Moose, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Aside from his work and the pleasure of his own home and family, he has found much diversion in hunting, fishing and outdoor life. He deserves much commendation for the success he has attained for the reason that he has acquired it entirely through his own efforts. From the time he labored in the Shasta county mines to get money to pay his educational expenses, he has made his own way.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 2 Pages 443-445.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
FRANCISCO BIOGRAPIES