Phoebe E. Emery was born on September 8, 1884, and died in November of 1977. She was the daughter of John L. Emery and Mary Frances Wilkinson, the 8th in a family of 12 children. Phoebe Emery graduated from Baker University in 1916 with an A.B. degree. While there, she was elected to the sorority Alpha Delta Sigma.

Upon graduation, Emery went to India to serve as a missionary. At an unspecified date she attended Boston University where she earned an M.A. Phoebe Emery's missionary work consisted of village evangelism and teaching Christians to read and write. She was instrumental in the organization of 50 village schools and at one time directed the Christian operations in over 1,000 villages.

Phoebe Emery raised money in the United States to help build two churches. The Indian Christians in the Budaun district combined their own funds with those raised in the US to build the Phoebe Emery Church in Baudewn City.

After spending 30 years in India as a Methodist missionary, Emery returned to the United States in 1946. She served as a member of the board of evangelism of the Kansas Conference of the Methodist Church. She was also a supply secretary for the Women's Society of Christian Service of the Ottawa district. Emery received a citation from Baker University for her outstanding contributions to society (approximately 1956?).