Philip Courchene

  General Notes:

article in Billings Gazette 1962

one of many men whose names are never heard nor seen in print yet who are as essential as the rider or the horse, is Phil Courchene. Old Phil, now over 70 years of age, worked for a good 25 years as a "saddle jerker" as he calls it. He spent his time in the chutes removing the saddles from the broncs that had been ridden. He tells of the time when two running horses got to running around the arena. They met head on, one received a broken neck, and both animals had to be disposed of. Phil also relates one about on e of the outstanding bucking horses throughout the years, Reservation Red. His owner, Bill Weeks, could harness and drive this creature on a wagon, but put a saddle on him, and that was a different story. One of his humorous narrations include the one about a young fellow that managed to hange on to a bucking horse. "I can't say much for the ride," says Phil, "but it was the best job of hanging on I ever did see."

He was the school disciplinarian at Fort Shaw Indian School


Aug 16, 1963 the Poplar Standard

RITES SLATED FRIDAY FOR P.COURCHENE
Rosary was recited for Philip Courchene, 77, Wolf Point, at 7 p.m., Thursday, at Clayton Memorial Chapel, Rev. Fr. Patrick J. O'Reilly in charge.Mr. Courchene died at Poplar Community Hospital. August 13. He was born Dec. 10, 1885 in Augusta, Montana. In 1907 he married Sarah Mitchell in Great Falls. Following their marriage, the young couple came to Wolf Point, making their home here from 1907 until the time of his death. Mr. Courchene was a farmer and rancher. His wife, three sons and a daughter preced ed him in death.
Surviving are two sons, Richard and Charles. Wolf Point; five daughters, Mrs. James (Rosemary) Holden, Phoenix, Ariz.; Louise Courchene, Glendale, Calif.; Mrs. Esther Appelgate, Anderson, Calif.; Mrs. John (Dorothy) Smith, Amarillo, Tex.; Mrs. Marian Hoffman, Reno, Nev.; a sister, Mrs. Rebecca Jamison, Portland, Ore.; a brother, Louis, Wenatchee, Wash.; 28 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Philip married Sarah Mitchell Courchene, daughter of Joseph aka Dave or David Indian name: Bloody Knife Mitchell and Isabelle St. Germain, on 31 Dec 1908 in Great Falls, MT. (Sarah Mitchell Courchene was born in 1889 in Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana and died on 25 Feb 1933.). The cause of her death was inflammatory rheumatism.