Jean Baptiste Casmiere Breschard

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John Bill Ricketts, aka, Breschard, the Circus Rider by Gilbert Stuart
John Bill Ricketts, aka, Breschard, the Circus Rider by Gilbert Stuart

Circus owner and equestrian performer in The Circus of Pepin and Breschard.

Frenchman Breschard reintroduced the Circus clown to the United States in 1807. Mrs. Breschard, wife of Jean Baptiste, was a premier equestrienne and is described in numerous sources as being one of the early business women in the USA. Both are documented as performing in the United States between 1807 and 1817. Their son, Phillippe, is mentioned as performing as a street acrobat in New Orleans around 1823.

George Washington Riggs identified a Gilbert Stuart portrait's subject as being Breschard in 1880.


Breschard's place and date of birth and death are unknown.