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 1569 Collections and/or Records:

Mrs. Isaac (Lucinda) Constant (early settler), portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/59

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

Mrs. J. B. Wrisley, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box 04: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008115534], Folder: 08, Object: 29

Identifier: MSS003:01.48.29

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty nine photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Peter Britt photographs / Families / W-Z

Mrs. J. B. Wrisley, portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/464

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

Mrs. J. E. Harvey, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box 02: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229194], Folder: 10, Object: 17

Identifier: MSS003:01.22.17

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Twenty seven photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Peter Britt photographs / Families / Ha

Mrs. J. E. Harvey, portrait with photo of children

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/262

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

Mrs. Jackson, April 1885

Sub-Group — Box 02: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229194], Folder: 15, Object: 08

Identifier: MSS003:01.27.08

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thrity two photographs.

Dates: April 1885

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Peter Britt photographs / Families / I - J

Mrs. James Miller and children, 1887

Sub-Group — Box 03: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229202], Folder: 09, Object: 13

Identifier: MSS003:01.36.13

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Nineteen photographs.

Dates: 1887

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Peter Britt photographs / Families / Miller

Mrs. Jane Deane, February 1887

Sub-Group — Box 02: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229194], Folder: 04, Object: 10

Identifier: MSS003:01.16.10

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Twenty two photographs.

Dates: February 1887

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

Mrs. Jane Deane, portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/365

Dates: 1887

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

Mrs. Jay Bradley, portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/615

Dates: 1891

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

Britt, Peter, 1819-1905

Biography

Found in 1569 Collections and/or Records:

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