Britt, Peter, 1819-1905

Person

Staff Only

Biography

Born in Obslalden, Switzerland, Peter (1819-1905) was the second son of Jacob Britt. At the age of 27 he went to America and became a citizen in 1850 in Indiana. He studied daguerreotyping in St. Louis under an early-day photographer, J.H. Fitzgibbon. Britt crossed the plains in 1852 with his camera to settle in Jacksonville.

He opened a studio (see photo 24-21) in 1854 to become one of the first studio daguerreographers in Oregon. W.H. Jennings of Oregon City was first in 1851. Although best known as the leading northwest photographer, Britt was a civic minded person. He owned land (almost 2,000 acres at one time), became a leading horticulturist, a mine owner, a money lender, and a good friend of Chinese laborers.

He retired in 1900 to spend more of his time with oil painting and in the greenhouse. In 1861, he married Amalia Grob (1822-1871), a widow with one son, Jacob (1854-1896). They had three children, Emil (1862-1950), Arnold (1864, aged three months), Amalia (1865-1954). None were ever married. Peter Britt attended the 1905 Lewis and Clark Expedition and there contracted a cold that led to pneumonia and his death later that year.

Found in 790 Collections and/or Records:

Amalia Britt at various locations, July 1913-September 1939

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 06, Object: 07

Identifier: MSS003:01.06.07

Scope and Contents

Eleven photographs.

Dates: July 1913-September 1939

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Amalia (Mollie) Britt d. 1954

Amalia Britt, cars, May 1914, June 1919, December 1927, 1934

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 06, Object: 03

Identifier: MSS003:01.06.03

Scope and Contents

Seven photographs.

Dates: May 1914, June 1919, December 1927, 1934

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Amalia (Mollie) Britt d. 1954

Amalia Britt, group, June 1937

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 06, Object: 06

Identifier: MSS003:01.06.06

Scope and Contents

Five photographs.

Dates: June 1937

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Amalia (Mollie) Britt d. 1954

Amalia (Mollie) Britt d. 1954, bulk: 1910-1939

Sub-Series — Box: 01, Folder: 06

Identifier: MSS003:01.06

Scope and Contents From the Collection: Most of the prints are portraits taken by Peter Britt. After 1883, Emil Britt was also in the studio. Nearly half the portraits are unidentified. Peter Britt did take photographs outside the studio infrequently. His most well-known effort occurred in 1874 at Crater Lake. He created what is probably the only wet-process photo of Crater Lake. William Gladstone Steel used the photograph in his successful effort to have Crater Lake designated a National Park. This collection includes the...

Dates: Majority of material found within 1910-1939

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families

Amalia (Mollie) Britt d. 1954, bulk: 1910-1929

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 06, Object: 01

Identifier: MSS003:01.06.01

Scope and Contents

Twenty one photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1910-1929

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Amalia (Mollie) Britt d. 1954

Amelia Muller, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box: 03, Folder: 08, Object: 17

Identifier: MSS003:01.35.17

Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Mo - My

Ana Benner, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 21

Identifier: MSS003:01.02.21

Scope and Contents

Ana Benner, seated on window ledge with plants.

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Ba - Be

Ankeny girl, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 01, Object: 08

Identifier: MSS003:01.01.08

Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / A

Anna Helms, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box: 02, Folder: 13, Object: 01

Identifier: MSS003:01.25.01

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Fourteen photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Helms

Anna Plymale, May 1886

Sub-Group — Box: 03, Folder: 13, Object: 05

Identifier: MSS003:01.40.05

Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: May 1886

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / MSS-003, Peter Britt photographs / Families / Pi - Pu

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Type: Archival Object X

Britt, Peter, 1819-1905

Biography

Found in 790 Collections and/or Records:

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