Phoebe Ann Fleming
Delo, Phoebe A. – September 4, 1913 – Mrs. Phoebe A. Delo,
wife of Rev. Benj. F. Delo of Clarion, passed the bounds of time and passed
through the door to the eternal world last Saturday, August 30, 1913 at 6:30
p.m. after al long illness extending over a period of 25 years of more, from a
nervous disease which wrecked her physical strength. Up until within a few days of her demise no
apparent change in her condition was visible, but then a general failure seemed
to set in and the strength and vitality which had been drawn upon so long
seemed to be exhausted and she gradually sank into the last long sleep. Mrs. Delo possessed a really brilliant mind,
keen, accurate and quick, and had it not been for the serious disorder which
seized and preyed upon her nervous system, she would have been in many respects
a remarkable personage. It is
unfortunate that during her residence in Clarion her condition has been that people
did not get to know her when she was at her best, when she was naturally
herself. Phoebe Ann Fleming was born May
11, 1836 at West Hickory, Venango, now Forest County,
the daughter of Daniel and Phoebe Ann (King) Fleming. The years of her life up till her marriage
were spent in the family home at West Hickory. January 1, 1857 she was untied in marriage
with the Rev. Benjamin F. Delo who was then a local preacher in the Methodist
Episcopal Church have been licensed to preach in 1855 and when he became
aquainted with the future Mrs. Delo he was serving on the Pleasantville circuit. For 36 years she shard the burdens of and
itinerant minister’s life with her husband, moving from place to place until
she was overtaken with nervous prostration from which she never fully
recovered. Mrs. Delo was the mother of
three children, two sons and one daughter, only one of whom survives: Mr.
William Chester Delo who lives in the family home in Clarion. She is survived by her husband and by a
granddaughter, Miss. Flora W. Delo, a daughter of her deceased son, Daniel F.
Delo, whom she tenderly reared and who was a companion and comfort to her to
the end. She is also survived by two
brothers, Rev. A.L. Fleming who resides in Oklahoma,
and Mr. Grant Fleming of Iowa. In January 1856 Mrs. Delo was converted and
united with the Methodist Episcopal church in which she held membership ever
since. Prior to her sickness she was a
great reader of the Bible and was very familiar with it. If one should quote a text of scripture she
would frequently take up the passage and complete it or quote another of like
meaning. She enjoyed the visits and
association of fellow Christians. In all
her conversations she invariably held to and supported the highest Christian
standards and seemed always to be able to give scripture in support of her
position. She was always loyal to her
church in thought and practice supporting it up to the last. The funeral was held from her late home
Tuesday afternoon. There amid the
profuse tributes of beautiful flowers her body lay in calm repose while her
spirit returned to God who gave it. The
services were conducted by her pastor, Rev. Dr. Frank S. Neigh, assisted by
Rev. Glenn M Shafer, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, and they were full of
comfort for the bereaved ones. The
interment was made in the family lot in the Clarion cemetery in the full hope
of a glorious resurrection.