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:

John Murphy, portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/139

Dates: 1885

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

John Ocander (Oslander?), September 1888

Sub-Group — Box 03: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229202], Folder: 11, Object: 08

Identifier: MSS003:01.38.08

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Twenty two photographs.

Dates: September 1888

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

John Ocander (Oslander?), portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/437

Dates: 1888

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

John Orth Jr., October 1886

Sub-Group — Box 03: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229202], Folder: 11, Object: 04

Identifier: MSS003:01.38.04

Scope and Contents

Two photographs.

Dates: October 1886

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

John Orth, Jr., portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/323

Dates: 1886

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

John Orth's children, March 1884

Sub-Group — Box 03: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229202], Folder: 11, Object: 05

Identifier: MSS003:01.38.05

Scope and Contents

Three photographs.

Dates: March 1884

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

John Schumpf and boys, 18uu

Sub-Group — Box 04: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008115534], Folder: 03, Object: 13

Identifier: MSS003:01.43.13

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Twenty six photographs.

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Peter Britt photographs / Families / Sa - Sc

John Schumpf with two boys, portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/499

Dates: 18uu

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

John W. Curry, June 1886

Sub-Group — Box 02: Series MSS003:01 [Barcode: 35138008229194], Folder: 03, Object: 19

Identifier: MSS003:01.15.19

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Thirty four photographs.

Dates: June 1886

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Peter Britt photographs / Families / Con - Cu

John W. Curry, portrait

Digital Image

Identifier: https://cdm16085.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15013coll1/id/343

Dates: 1886

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library

Britt, Peter, 1819-1905

Biography

Found in 1569 Collections and/or Records:

Additional filters: