Maria (Mary) was born on October 10, 1867 in French Lake, MN. She died June 17, 1938 in Shell Lake Twp., MN. She was married on August 1, 1903 to Eli Yoki born on July 24, 1885 near Sault saint Marie, MI. Eli died January 28, 1948 in Wolf Lake, MN.
Maria was 15 and Eli was 18 when they married. John Mursu performed the ceremony in New York Mills, MN.
Maria and Eli homesteaded 120 acres of brush in Shell Lake Twp., Becker County, MN where they lived all their married life. With much toil, fields were brushed out and cultivated.
In spite of all the hardships, they prospered. Maria and Eli were able to buy new cars some years. Maria had running water in the house before she died. Eleven children were born to the union. Maria died at the age of 50, just before they would have celebrated their 35th anniversary.