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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:

Beekman house, 1926

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 12
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.12
Scope and Contents

Three photographs.

Dates: 1926

Bell Canton, December 1885

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 14
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.14
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty six photographs.

Dates: December 1885

Bellinger boy, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 18
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.18
Scope and Contents

Bellinger youth.

Dates: 18uu

Bellinger girls, December 1886

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 19
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.19
Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: December 1886

Bellinger twins, bulk: December 1886, June 1887

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 20
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.20
Scope and Contents

Three photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within December 1886, June 1887

Ben J. Saohs, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 04, Folder: 03, Object: 02
Identifier: MSS003:01.43.02
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Twenty six photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Berg family – Cemetery Plot, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 02, Object: 25
Identifier: MSS003:01.02.25
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty six photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Bertha Schultz, 1893

 Sub-Group — Box: 04, Folder: 03, Object: 09
Identifier: MSS003:01.43.09
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Twenty six photographs.

Dates: 1893

Bessie Hammond, 18uu

 Sub-Group — Box: 02, Folder: 10, Object: 03
Identifier: MSS003:01.22.03
Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Twenty seven photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Bessie Nickell, 1884-1885

 Sub-Group — Box: 03, Folder: 10, Object: 10
Identifier: MSS003:01.37.10
Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: 1884-1885

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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