Old West Lifestyle & Stories

Old West Book Review: Reshaw

ReshawA Frenchman, his surname Richard was pronounced Reshaw by those who knew him, and this 1850s Old West character crisscrossed the frontier in what is now known as Wyoming and Colorado.  While reading the book, it occurs to us that perhaps Reshaw was the inspiration for the Pasquinel character featured in James Michener’s Centennial.

Richard was a contradiction who could be at one time very generous and at other times confrontational.  The Indian tribesmen gave him a name in Sioux that meant “Always has plenty of meat” because he was willing to share with those in need.  On the other hand, he could display a vicious temper and it was said that during a whiskey-drinking spree, he wildly drove his carriage into an emigrant train causing a stampede that killed several people.

Richard bought and sold commodities such as bacon in St. Louis, and sold it at highly inflated prices to the miners and travelers.  He was a fur trapper, buffalo hide trader, whiskey peddler, livestock dealer and all around opportunist who always looked for ways to make money.  By the time he was fifty years old the 1860 Colorado census records show his personal estate was worth $50,000, a huge sum for those days.

He married an Indian woman, and some of their children were eventually sent to St. Louis to be educated.  This book goes into great detail about the lives of Richard’s children as well as his many business associates, as well as information about the history of Wyoming and Colorado, fights between the U.S. military and Indian tribes, attacks at stage stations and the numerous depredations that took place.

One of Richard’s most lucrative business ventures had to do with a toll bridge he constructed across the North Platte River near present day Casper, Wyoming.  Richard was quick to see the advantage of charging the emigrant trains to cross their wagons, livestock and equipment over his bridge as they made their way west.  He ran this operation for many years, but around 1865 he departed from his toll bridge business on the North Platte.  It was suggested that due to his family connections with the Sioux Indians and other tribesmen, he was warned that big trouble was coming between the Indians and the U.S. government, and he would be wise to make himself scarce before it was too late.  The Plains Indians were on the prod following the Sand Creek Massacre, and retribution would be forthcoming.

Even without his toll bridge business, Richard continued to be involved in various business ventures.  He died a violent death where he camped along the banks of the Niobrara River.  Supposedly he was transporting a large quantity of gold.  While his body was recovered, it was never known for sure who the killers were.  Both boot prints and moccasin tracks were found at the murder scene.  Some men were suspected, one was arrested, but due to lack of evidence the murder of John Baptiste Richard remains an unsolved mystery.

This man was kind, he was clever, he was mean, he was generous, he was complicated.  A husband, father, trail blazer, entrepreneur, he was a fascinating character that history has mostly overlooked until now.

The author has done a huge amount of careful research, presenting here not only the life of John Baptiste Richard but including a great deal of Wyoming and Colorado history.  One photo in the book may or may not be that of John Baptiste Richard.  It was labeled differently by several different historians.  We might never know exactly what he looked like which only adds to his mystique. Grab your copy of this interesting book HERE.

Editor’s Note:  The reviewer Phyllis Morreale-de la Garza is the author of numerous books about the Old West including Hell Horse Winter of the Apache Kid, published by Silk Label Books, P.O. Box 700, Unionville, New York. 10988-0700. Www.silklabelbooks.com

*Courtesy of Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, for more click HERE.

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