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:

Brad Dean and bride, 1886

Sub-Group — Box: 02, Folder: 04, Object: 08

Identifier: MSS003:01.16.08

Scope and Contents

Sheriff. Two photographs.

Dates: 1886

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

Britt – Cemetery Plot, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 05, Object: 01

Identifier: MSS003:01.05.01

Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: 18uu

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

Britt family, 18uu

Sub-Series — Box: 01, Folder: 05

Identifier: MSS003:01.05

Scope and Contents

Ten photographs.

Dates: 18uu

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

Britt family, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 05, Object: 04

Identifier: MSS003:01.05.05

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Ten photographs.

Dates: 18uu

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

Britt garden, bulk: 1908-1919

Sub-Series — Box: 01, Folder: 09

Identifier: MSS003:01.09

Scope and Contents

Thrity nine photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1908-1919

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

Britt house, bulk: 1882-1919

Sub-Series — Box: 01, Folder: 10

Identifier: MSS003:01.10

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 1882-1919

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

Britt house - exterior, bulk: 1882-1919

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 10, Object: 01

Identifier: MSS003:01.10.01

Scope and Contents

Twenty four photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1882-1919

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

Britt house - interior, bulk: 1882-1919

Sub-Group — Box: 01, Folder: 10, Object: 02

Identifier: MSS003:01.10.02

Scope and Contents

Eleven photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1882-1919

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

Britt - Miscellaneous, bulk: 1909-1930

Sub-Series — Box: 01, Folder: 12

Identifier: MSS003:01.12

Scope and Contents

Eight photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1909-1930

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

Britt outings, bulk: 1913-1929

Sub-Series — Box: 01, Folder: 11

Identifier: MSS003:01.11

Scope and Contents

Twenty photographs.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1913-1929

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

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Type: Archival Object X

Britt, Peter, 1819-1905

Biography

Found in 790 Collections and/or Records:

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