Britt, Peter, 1819-1905
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:
Unidentified – Women portraits, bulk: 18uu
Unidentified – Women portraits, bulk: 18uu
Thirty two photographs.
Unidentified – Women portraits, bulk: 18uu
Twenty two photographs.
Unidentified – Women sitting, bulk: 18uu
Thirty three photographs.
Unidentified – Women standing, bulk: 18uu
Thirty three photographs.
Urban landscapes
Twenty five photographs.
Valine Kubli, March 1888
Fifteen photographs.
Valine Kubli Metsham, 18uu
Nineteen photographs.
Vest Smith girl, 1889
Fourteen photographs.
Victor Bursall house, 18uu
House is in the background. Two photographs.
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- Photographs 789
- Individuals -- Portraits -- Southern Oregon 592
- Children -- portraits -- Southern Oregon 151
- Homes and haunts 27
- Photography of painting 10
- Jacksonville (Or.) 8
- Clergy 6
- Historic buildings 5
- Rivers 5
- Chinese Americans 3
- Historic hotels 3
- Mountains 3
- Oregon, Southern 3
- Agriculture 2
- Automobiles 2
- California, Northern 2
- Camping 2
- Carriages and carts 2
- Crater Lake (Or.) 2
- Mines and mineral resources 2
- Photography of interiors 2
- Railroads 2
- Wells 2
- Almshouses 1
- Applegate River (Or.) 1
- Ashland (Or.) 1
- Catholic Church 1
- Cemeteries 1
- Church schools 1
- Clubs 1
- Clubs and Societies 1
- Historic bridges 1
- Indians of North America 1
- Klamath Falls (Or.) 1
- Mills and mill-work 1
- Outdoor photography 1
- Parades 1
- Picnics 1
- Roads 1
- Steamboats 1
- Still-life photography 1
- Tututni Indians 1
- Viticulture 1
- Wagons 1 ∧ less