Eli Wirtanen was born Elias Vertanen in Karstula, Finland on July 17, 1870. Being the 3rd son in line, he had no hopes of owning the family farm. As a teen, Eli immigrated to Thunder Bay, Ontario to live with his brother David. When David died, Eli wanted to come to the United States to apply for citizenship. In 1904, Eli Homesteaded 40 acres alone the Old Vermilion Trail in Markham, Minnesota.

Eli worked in logging camps and assisted local famrers with harvest. Because therewere no roads but only trails in the early 1900's, Eli helped to build and maintain roads by using horse drawn power.

Eli never married and never owned a car. Most everything Eli needed in life, his food and materials for farm buildings, he got from his own land.

Finnish people are refered to as "People from the Forest." Eli understood the forest and how to use it. A Finnish proverb says, "The forest gives what the forest has." Nearly everything necessary for life is provided by the earth.

Eli was a pretty healthy man and lived to be 87 years old. He died in 1957 and is interred at the Markham Cemetery in Colvin Township.