View source for Plett, Maria Koop (1868-1918)

Maria Koop Plett, Mennonite pioneer and diarist, was born on 10 June 1864 in the village of [[Muntau (Molotschna Settlement, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Muntau]], [[Molotschna Mennonite Settlement (Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Molotschna Colony]], South Russia. She was the seventh of ten children born to Johann M. Koop (1831-1897) and Katharina K. Barkman (1832-1923). As a young woman Maria was baptized into the membership of the [[Kleine Gemeinde|Kleine Gemeinde]]. She then followed the example of three older sisters and married one of the sons of Cornelius S. Plett (1820-1900). Maria and Jakob L. Plett (1864-1931) were married on 14 November 1885. They had 15 children together of which 12 survived to adulthood --two sons and ten daughters. Maria died of the Spanish Flu on 13 September 1918 in Blumenhof, Manitoba.

Maria came to [[Canada|Canada]] from [[Russia|Russia]] in 1874 with her parents as a ten year old child. At first they lived in Blumenort, Manitoba but later moved to Neuanlage. After marrying, Maria and her husband Jakob L. Plett moved onto a 160-acre farm in the village of Blumenhof which he owned jointly with his brother David L. Plett (1863-1953). Here they raised their family and over the years developed a large prosperous farm operation. Maria was a hard working, organized, practical person, well loved by her husband and children. She was also one of the very few Mennonite women during this time who kept a journal. Started in 1905 and continued until her tragic death in 1918, Maria kept a journal which she entitled "noteworthy events." Although her journal tells little about Maria’s own character, it does provide an unusually detailed account of life in a Mennonite farm community during the early years of the 20th century in rural Manitoba. As such it is historically significant.
= Bibliography =
Plett, Delbert F. "Maria Koop Plett 1868-1918 Journal." <em class="gameo_bibliography">Preservings </em>No. 10 Part II (June 1997): 33-35.
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