Jean “John” Baptiste Richard – Trader and Entrepreneur
Jean “John” Baptiste Richard, a figure etched in the annals of the American West, was more than just a man; he was an embodiment of the frontier spirit. His life, spanning the early to mid-19th century, was a tapestry woven with threads of trapping, trading, interpreting, scouting, and entrepreneurial endeavors. He navigated the complexities of a rapidly changing landscape, leaving an indelible mark on the territories that would eventually become the states of Colorado and Wyoming.
Richard’s story is one of adaptation and resilience, a testament to the individuals who dared to venture into the untamed wilderness and carve out a living amidst its challenges. He was a bridge between cultures, a facilitator of commerce, and a builder of infrastructure in a land where such things were scarce and desperately needed.
Born around 1810 in St. Charles, Missouri, Jean “John” Baptiste Richard‘s origins were rooted in French ancestry. Details of his formative years remain shrouded in the mists of time, but by 1840, the lure of the West had drawn him westward. He embraced the life of a trapper and trader, immersing himself in the rugged realities of the frontier. It was in this vast expanse that he became widely known as "Reshaw," a testament to the French pronunciation of his surname that stuck with those he interacted with.
Around 1841, Jean “John” Baptiste Richard solidified his connection to the land and its people by marrying Mary Gardiner. Mary was of mixed heritage, the daughter of trapper William Gardiner and White Thunder Woman, an Oglala Sioux woman belonging to Chief Red Cloud’s band. Their union produced six children, further cementing Richard’s ties to the Native American community. The Sioux, recognizing his presence and influence, bestowed upon him the name Owasakala.
Richard’s early trading activities included a stint at Fort Platte, Wyoming, in the early 1840s. This period of his life is marked by whispers and rumors, tales of him allegedly transporting liquor from Taos, New Mexico, a hub of trade and cultural exchange, to sell to the local Indigenous populations. Such practices, while common at the time, highlight the complex and often fraught relationship between traders and Native Americans.
In 1845, Jean “John” Baptiste Richard partnered with Joseph Bissonette, another trader, to establish a new trading post called Fort Bernard. Situated on the banks of the North Platte River in Wyoming, the fort became a crucial hub for commerce and interaction. During their partnership, Richard managed the daily operations of the post, while Bissonette traveled among the Indian camps, fostering relationships and facilitating trade. The fort was often referred to as Richard’s Post, a clear indication of his central role in its establishment and management.
However, their partnership and the prosperity of Fort Bernard were short-lived. In August 1846, while Richard was away in Pueblo, Colorado, procuring supplies, and Bissonette was engaged in trade with the Native American communities, tragedy struck. Fort Bernard was consumed by fire, reduced to ashes in a blaze of unknown origin. Suspicion fell upon rivals from Fort John, later known as Fort Laramie, but concrete evidence never emerged. Bissonette eventually rebuilt the fort, but Jean “John” Baptiste Richard moved on, continuing to trade in the surrounding area for the next six years, undeterred by the setback.
The year 1846 also marked an encounter that would offer a glimpse into Richard’s persona through the eyes of an outsider. Author and historian Francis Parkman, renowned for his chronicles of the American West, met John Richard and offered a vivid description of the man. Parkman described him as a "little, swarthy, black-eyed Frenchman," whose "black curling Hair parted in the middle of his head, fell below his shoulders." He wore a "frock of smoked deerskin, gaily ornamented with porcupine quills and leggings with long fringes down their sides." Despite his small stature, Parkman noted that Richard’s frame was "in the highest degree athletic and vigorous." This description paints a picture of a man adapted to the harsh environment, a figure both rugged and refined, a true embodiment of the frontier trader.
In 1850, Jean “John” Baptiste Richard constructed the Ash Point Post, a small, single-room trading house located about ten miles downriver from Fort Bernard. However, this venture proved to be short-lived, as Richard sold the post in April 1851, foreshadowing his next ambitious undertaking.
That same year, Richard, ever the entrepreneur, partnered with several others to construct two bridge crossings on the Platte River, one at the mouth of Deer Creek and the other near Fort Laramie. These bridges, intended to facilitate the flow of traffic and commerce, were ultimately unsuccessful, washing away in 1852. However, Richard’s determination remained unshaken.
In the fall of 1852, Jean “John” Baptiste Richard established a trading post several miles downriver from the Platte River crossing near present-day Casper, Wyoming. Recognizing the strategic importance of the location, he embarked on a project that would solidify his legacy: the construction of a bridge across the North Platte River. Situated a short distance east of the Mormon Ferry, Richard’s bridge aimed to capitalize on the burgeoning traffic along the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails.
In partnership with Joseph Bissonette, Seth Ward, William Guerrier, Charles Bordeaux, Louis Guinard, and William Kenceleur, Richard built the first successful bridge to span the North Platte River. Opening in 1853, the bridge quickly became a vital artery for westward migration. That year, traffic along the trails reached its peak, with an estimated 50,000 emigrants utilizing the bridge. It became widely known as Reshaw’s Bridge, effectively rendering the Mormon Ferry obsolete.
Constructed from lumber transported from the Casper Mountains and held together with iron bolts, the structure was a marvel of engineering for its time. Spanning over 800 feet in length and 18 feet in width, the bridge required 23 piers filled with large rocks to withstand the river’s currents. Richard also constructed several log buildings on the south end of the bridge, which served as residences, a trading house, a grocery, a dry goods store, and a blacksmith shop, creating a small but thriving community around the crossing. By 1854, he had bought out his partners, becoming the sole owner of this lucrative enterprise.
The mid-1850s were marked by increasing Indian unrest, prompting the establishment of Fort Clay approximately 750 feet from the south end of the bridge. The military presence provided some security, but the fort was abandoned in November 1856, despite Richard’s pleas for them to stay. However, the army returned in July 1858, establishing Camp Payne to maintain a route to supply troops involved in the Mormon War. This post, too, was short-lived, closing in May 1859.
As the tide of westward expansion continued to surge, gold was discovered in Colorado, igniting a new wave of migration and opportunity. In 1858, Jean “John” Baptiste Richard and his brother Joseph established a trading post near Cherry Creek, Colorado. This post was one of the first permanent buildings constructed in the settlement that would eventually develop into Denver, Colorado. However, Richard’s Cherry Creek Post closed in 1859, and he returned to Wyoming, drawn back to the familiar landscape of the North Platte River.
That same year, Richard’s old partner, Louis Guinard, began constructing a newer and better bridge at the old Mormon Ferry crossing site. Completed in the spring of 1860, Guinard’s bridge and the accompanying trading post became a crucial stop on the Pony Express route and, later, a station for the Overland Mail Company. When the transcontinental telegraph line was extended through the area in 1861, it crossed the North Platte River on Guinard’s bridge, further solidifying its importance. Guinard’s trading post now included a Pacific Telegraph Company Office.
Guinard’s Bridge became known as the Upper Platte Bridge, while Richard’s bridge was referred to as the Lower Platte Bridge. Despite the increased competition, Richard diversified his interests and continued to work in the fur trade. However, the constant threat of native hostilities, coupled with the tragic loss of Louis Guinard’s son in an Indian attack, prompted Guinard to sell his bridge to Richard by 1864.
In the meantime, U.S. troops had occupied Guinard’s buildings for three years during the Civil War, transforming the site into Platte Bridge Station. The soldiers were tasked with protecting emigrants along the trails and the newly established telegraph lines from raids by Lakota and Cheyenne tribes.
By 1865, facing increased native hostilities and legal challenges from the United States military, Richard made the difficult decision to sell his post and bridges to the military. He and his family then relocated to Rock Creek on the new Overland Trail, where the majority of transcontinental traffic was now flowing.
Richard had departed the Platte Bridge area before the Battle of Platte Bridge occurred on July 26, 1865, a fierce engagement between soldiers and Native American warriors. During the battle, the Reshaw Bridge was partially burned. Shortly afterward, Fort Caspar was established at the site of Platte Bridge Station. During the severe winter of 1866-1867, soldiers at the fort dismantled Richard’s Bridge and many nearby buildings for firewood and building materials. Fort Caspar was abandoned in 1867, and the Indians burned the remaining buildings and bridge almost immediately after the troops departed.
Richard eventually settled on a ranch near Bordeaux, Wyoming, where he raised horses and cattle, embracing a new chapter in his life. In November 1875, tragedy struck once more. While on a trading trip to the Sioux with a man named Alfred Palladay, both men were killed at the Niobrara River crossing. Suspicion initially fell upon California Joe Milner, but it was soon determined that Cheyenne Indians were responsible for the killings.
The life of Jean “John” Baptiste Richard came to an end, but his contributions to the development of the American West remain significant. He was a trapper, a trader, an interpreter, a bridge builder, and an entrepreneur, a man who left an enduring legacy on the landscape and the history of the region.