Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Britt, Edward F. May 16, 1845 - January 24, 1901
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Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

EDWARD F. BRITT, deceased, for many years a well known 
personality in the business circles of Philadelphia, having 
been endowed with rare business genius, keen discernment, 
sound judgment and executive ability, was born at Guelph, 
Wellington county, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, 
May 16, 1845, a son of Benjamin and Leonora (Nooman) Britt, 
and a descendant of an English lineage. Edward Britt 
(grandfather) was born in county Tipperary, Ireland. He 
obtained his education in the schools of his native county, 
and for many years thereafter was engaged in linen weaving, 
thus being enabled to provide a comfortable home for his 
family, which consisted of his wife, Mary (Wright) Britt, 
and twelve children.

Benjamin Britt (father), youngest child of Edward and Mary 
(Wright) Britt, was a native of county Tipperary, Ireland. 
After completing his education he became a shoe 
manufacturer, continuing as such until 1835, when he 
emigrated with his wife and one child to Guelph, Dominion of 
Canada, where he engaged in the same line of work up to the 
time of his death in the year 1856. He was a man of 
education and culture, and possessed excellent business 
ability. His wife, Leonora (Nooman) Britt, bore him two sons 
and three daughters, as follows: Catharine, deceased, who 
was the wife of John Shea; Dennis, deceased; Sarah, wife of 
Michael Kelly, of Carthage, Missouri; Edward F., mentioned 
hereinafter; Mary, wife of James B. Hallohan, an electrician 
of Chicago, Illinois.

Edward F. Britt obtained a good education in the schools of 
Guelph, and after laying aside his school books learned the 
trade of dyer, which he followed for some years in Illinois, 
Ohio and Pennsylvania. 

In 1871 he located in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, where 
he had secured employment with George Bullock & Company as 
manager of the dyeing department of their extensive works, a 
position which he held twelve years. In 1883, having decided 
to engage in business on his own account, he formed a 
partnership with James M. Kennedy, under the firm name of 
Kennedy & Britt, and they located their establishment at the 
corner of Mascher and Jefferson streets, Philadelphia. In 
1889 Mr. Kennedy died and Mr. Britt purchased the interest 
of his partner in the establishment from his heirs, and 
conducted the same until his demise, it being one of the 
largest of its kind in the city. His business was that of a 
general finisher and dyer, taking the goods direct from the 
mills and manufactories and shipping them according to 
directions after they were dyed and finished.

Mr. Britt was preeminently a self-made man, of strong 
convictions, which he defended with the utmost confidence in 
their final triumph. He was ever alert in behalf of the 
interests of the community in which he lived, and enjoyed 
the confidence and esteem of all his neighbors, without 
reference to their party or church affiliations. He served 
twenty-one years as school director, and several of his 
terms as president of the board. He was untiring in his 
efforts to improve the schools. He was burgess of the 
borough for three successive terms, in the last being 
elected by the unanimous vote of both parties. He endeavored 
for many years to have a bridge built over the Reading 
Railroad tracks at that place during his official connection 
therewith, and it was owing to his sturdy fight that the 
trolley franchise was refused to a company who did not offer 
an equivalent for its value. He was president of the Rising 
Sun Building and Loan Association, treasurer of the 
Tradesmen's Saving Fund and Loan Association, and a director 
of the First National Bank of Conshohocken.
 
His financial ability brought him in contact with many 
institutions in which his advice was sought and accepted. He 
was uniformly successful in his undertakings, his sound 
sense and good judgment aiding him materially on every 
subject to which he gave his attention.

Mr. Britt married, at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, March 10, 
1867, Mary Kelly, who was born at Cavendish, Vermont, 
November 2, 1845, the only daughter in a family of six 
children born to James and Elizabeth (Highland) Kelly, of 
Pittsfield, Massachusetts. 

The children of Edward F. and Mary (Kelly) Britt are: Edward 
D., a prominent member of the Norristown and Philadelphia 
bars, and for several years burgess of West Conshohocken; 
Benjamin T.; Dr. Albert J., a graduate of Jefferson Medical 
College, Philadelphia, who was resident physician of Charity 
Hospital, Norristown, for a time, and is now located at No, 
1614 North Sixth street, Philadelphia; Grace, deceased; 
Charles C., William K., Rose A., and Walter F. Mr. Britt was 
an affectionate husband and loving parent, in disposition 
kindly and benevolent. 

The family are members of St. Gertrude's Catholic church, in 
which Mr. Britt also held membership. Mr. Britt died at his 
home in West Conshohocken, January 24, 1901. His death was 
due to pneumonia, and his end was sudden, he having been 
confined to his bed but one week.

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