Brichta went into business with his father in Texas and in 1846 joined a Texas regiment under Gen. Zachary Taylor and served during the War with Mexico. He later joined the gold rush to California, found little gold and established residence in Prescott three months before the First Territorial Legislature, which convened September 26, 1864. Brichta served with the Legislature as enrolling clerk and moved with it to Tucson when the Capitol was moved. Probably because of his educational background, Brichta was asked to become the first teacher by the School Committee. The location of Brichta's school is in some dispute.
All sources agree that the school had a dirt floor and roof and was furnished with benches.
It was 25 by 40 feet in size. There was an enrollment of 55 Mexican boys. Brichta, after the school closed, became a hotel clerk, assistant postmaster, enrolling clerk again in the 7th and 8th Territorial Legislatures, clerk in the commissary department, County Recorder, Constable and first Justice of the Peace in Nogales. In 1872, he married Maria Franco of Sonora, Mexico, whose three sons he adopted. He spent his later years in mining ventures in the Tucson Mountains and in acquiring real estate in Tucson.