Newspaper Article with Obituary on Passing of Phoebe (Ward) Chesley

From the Arnold (NE) Sentinel, March 7, 1928 --

GRANDMA CHESLEY IS LAID TO REST 

In the passing of Mrs Phoebe Chesley the Arnold Community sustained the loss of it's oldest resident.  On February 6, 1928 she celebrated the ninety-eighth anniversary of her birth and received many flowers, other gifts, also numerous messages both my telephone and mail.  To make this event complete, a son and daughter, Charles E. Chesley and Ida E. Barnes respectively came from Prosser, Washington to be with their mother.  They with Mrs. W.D. Copeland are the surviving three children from a family of eight.  Mr. Chesley remained only a short time but Mrs Barnes remained for a longer visit and she with her sister, Mrs. Copeland at whose home Grandma lived were with her when the end came. 

Grandma Chesley leaves a long line of descendants, besides her three children.  There are twenty-six grand-children, eighty-four great-grand-children and thirteen great-great-grand-children. Her going also breaks up five living generations namely, Mrs. Phoebe Chesley, Mrs. Ida Barnes, Mrs. Maud Conely, Mrs Fay Sesrood and Mrs. Genevieve Stevens.  A very interesting feature of the ages of four generations of these good people. 

Mrs. Phoebe Chesley is exactly twenty-six years older than her youngest daughter, Mrs Ida Barnes who is seventy-two, she (Mrs. Barnes) is exactly twenty-six years the senior of her youngest daugher, Mrs. Blanche Winslow who is forty-six.  Mrs Winslow has a daughter Zelpha who is twenty-six years of age. 

Grandma Chesley was paralyzed in the lower limbs making it necessary for her to remain in a wheel chair, but she could use her hands freely, doing all kinds of fine handwork. 

She could read without the aid of glasses, few people are as familiar with Scripture as she, for she read and discussed the Bible frequently.  Her mind remained intact to the end.  Many of her friends quoted her as a very clever conversationalist.

Funeral services were held at the M. E. Church on thursday March 1. Rev. L.S. Burnham officiating.  Interment beside her husband in Powell Canyon Cemetery. 

The floral tributes were many.

Note about the above, Phoebe was twenty-six years older than Ida, but her youngest daughter was Lucy (Chesley) Walker Copeland, not Ida.

OBITUARY 

Phoebe C. Ward was born February 6, 1830 at Plattsburg, N. Y.  In 1848 she was united in marriage to Charles Chesley and from this union were born eight children, three of whom survive their mother: Charles Chesley and Mrs. Ida E. Barnes both of Prosser Washington; and Mrs Lucy M. Copeland of Arnold, Neb: five children preceded their mother to that better land, one of them passing away in infancy, the others growing to manhood and womanhood. 

Grandma Chelsey, as she was known to everyone, has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Copeland for many years as she was practically and invalid for a long time.  Her husband preceded her in death twenty-three years ago. 

Grandma Chesley united with the M. E. Church when she was eighteen years of age and has retained her membership ever since and during the final years especially, she devoted much of her time to reading the Bible and in prayer.  She has made her home near Arnold for the past forty-three years, being one of the real early settlers here. 

Besides her three children, she leaves several grandchildren, a number of great-grandchildren, and a host of friends.  At the time of her passing on February 28, 1928 she had reached to advanced age of 98 years and 22 days.

Copyright © 2015 by Kevin W. Walker