From the San Francisco Examiner, Thursday, April 25, 1912, page 7

Little Russian Girl Startles the Buddhists
Advent on Sacred Isle Breaks Traditions
Mihajima in Japan had Suffered Dearth of Vital Statistics for Centuries

Emelian Noshkin and Family

Vera Noshkin enjoys a unique distinction which marks her as an epoch maker in the history of Japanese religious rites.
Vera is the twenty days’ old daughter of Emelian and Mrs. Noshkin, a Russian merchant and his wife, who arrived here from the Orient yesterday on the liner Persia.
The Noshkin family left Amur, Siberia, some weeks ago for San Francisco, where the wealthy merchant hopes to start a flour factory. While enroute from Kobi to Yokohama on the Japanese steamer Amucusa, the ship stopped at Miyajima, the famous sacred island of the Inland sea.
Mr. and Mrs. Noshkin landed at the island and while there the baby, Vera, was born
As far as history relates, no one has been born and no one has died on this sacred island. For countless centuries the island has been regarded as enchanted by the Japanese. But little Vera has broken all rules of tradition by making her first appearance in the world amid the sunny groves of Miyajima.
Noshkin brings with him to San Francisco eleven children, the eldest of whom is a beautiful girl of twenty summers. The boys are healthy and strong.