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Britt, Peter, 1819-1905

 Person

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:

Atta Wade, April 1887

 Sub-Group — Box: 04, Folder: 08, Object: 01
Identifier: MSS003:01.48.01
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty nine photographs.

Dates: April 1887

August Weidman, June 1884

 Sub-Group — Box: 04, Folder: 08, Object: 11
Identifier: MSS003:01.48.11
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty nine photographs.

Dates: June 1884

Automobile, bulk: 1914-1925

 Sub-Series — Box: 06, Folder: 03
Identifier: MSS003:02.03
Scope and Contents

Seven photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1914-1925

B. Hobson, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 02, Folder: 14, Object: 02
Identifier: MSS003:01.26.02
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirteen photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Ba - Be, bulk: 1880-1926

 Sub-Series — Box: 01, Folder: 02
Identifier: MSS003:01.02
Scope and Contents

Thirty six photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1880-1926

Backgrounds

 Sub-Series — Box: 07, Folder: 18
Identifier: MSS003:03.01

Beach woman, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 28
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.28
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty six photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Beehives

 Sub-Series — Box: 06, Folder: 04
Identifier: MSS003:02.04
Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1874-1939

Beekman Bank, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 13
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.13
Scope and Contents

Beekman Bank

Dates: 18uu

Beekman family – Cemetery Plot, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 11
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.11
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty six photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Filtered By

  • Type: Archival Object X

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Subject
Photographs 789
Individuals -- Portraits -- Southern Oregon 592
Children -- portraits -- Southern Oregon 151
Homes and haunts 27
Photography of painting 10