Berkeley, George

(Mar. 12, 1684-Jan. 12, 1753). Priest and educator. He was born in Kilcrin, near Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was ordained in 1707, and in 1724 he became dean of Derry, where he became very interested in supporting the churches in colonial America and in converting the Native American tribes to Christianity. He persuaded the English government to give him a grant of money to establish the proposed college of St. Paul's in the Bermudas. In 1728 he sailed for America, and reached Newport, Rhode Island, on Jan. 23, 1729. Later he bought a farm which he named Whitehall. His plans for a college did not work out, so he returned to Ireland. He eventually gave Whitehall to Yale College, along with a fine collection of books. Berkeley College at Yale, the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, and Berkeley, California, are named in his honor.