August 16,1857 John Benjamin-1823 to Elizabeth Benjamin

Hutchinson, M.L.

August 16, 1857

My Dear Elizabeth,

Your very welcome letter of the 30^th inst. came to hand on Monday last .  I am sorry to hear of you and the children being sick.  I hope ___ this you have all got quite well ere this & are preparing to come to this place next month, when I expect to have things as good a shape as is possible in this new country, although we shall have to suffer privations and inconveniences for a short time.   However, we are no better than other folks.  I expect we can do so for a while until we have a railroad to this place, which we expect to get before long.  I have not, as yet, done any more to my house since I wrote you the other day but expect to attend to it soon.  I have been plowing for the last four days for the man that is putting up the dam.  Am going to make a wheel for him tomorrow or to commence his water wheel which I have to make.

I am surprised at Edwin’s conduct, especially for not paying Mr. Babcock as he faithfully promised to do so.  Am very much much surprised too at this going to Belvidere.  What he went there for I can’t imagine unless it was to notify the Albrights.  However, if he don’t want to come here he can stay there, for I should never try to help him after this, for this will be my last effort  to do anything for him, for he has always did better to strangers than he has toward me or my family.  I hope that he will sometime see the error of his ways.  I hope that he has sent me those things for me from Rockford, and that I shall hear from him soon.  You had better sell Babcock something out of the house for the rent, for he wants a bureau.  Sell him the bookcase if he wants it, but sell him some one of the others if you [can]. 

In regard to my coming home, I don’t know that I shall be able to come.  In the meantime you can be disposing of the things as fast as you can, for I don’t want to but of little to get rid of as possible, if I come, which I am unable to say as yet until the latter part of next week.

It is going to be pretty busy times with us for some time now in putting in the home & this golden opportunity.  I certainly must not lose for it is life or death for me at present.  As far as my circumstances are concerned, never mind, there is good land here & I have got a pretty good slice of it, which I mean to cultivate some of these days for the benefit of my family (God willing).  

Perhaps Robert will assist you to dispose of some of the things by finding out who wants any furniture.  Sell them cheap for it is of no use to ship them here.  I shall not be able to pay the freight on them.  If I come home, which is doubtful, I shall have to leave here in a week & walk to St. Paul, sixty miles from here.  My ink has run out.  I have no means to come home without – present - only earned enough to pay my board so far.  The Hutchinson’s have not treated me right.  Never mind, they are a no account here at all.  The town is better without them, so I hope that they will soon leave, which is the wish of most of the folks here.

[John]  [John either abruptly ended his letter here or I have lost it………..so far]

August 14,1857 Robert Benjamin-1795 to Edwin Benjamin-1833

 

Bagillt

August 14, 1857

Dear Edwin,

I for once more take the opportunity of sending a few lines to you in hopes of finding you all enjoying the best of health as these leaves both your mother and myself but very indifferent indeed, for I myself have been laid up for about eighteen or nineteen weeks with a very bad leg as we should suppose as Robert Williams might of told you as he was here two or three times before he came to America.  And we are sadly surprised what have we done to you and your brother John, that we are gone that it is not worth your while to send a single letter to your father and mother, and I think that we are not deserving of being used in that way, for I have sent you 8 letters and we have never received an answer,  only to the first two of them atall, and we have never received one letter from you since the 19^th of November, 1855, and that is 21 months ago, and we told Robert Williams all about it, these things, before he came, and he would not allow me to write a few lines to take with him for he said that he could tell the things  better himself, and we have no doubt but he has told you all our conversations  as we told him and as he was well aware of them himself, and we have been ___ waiting to hear from you after his arrival until now thinking that you ere this would have sent something or other about yourselves , either your brother John or yourself .  We have never got nothing from him since January 1857 and that a small note in Mr. Gleave’s ___ and said in that that he had received a letter from cousin Jones the watchmaker in Holywell and that he would be sending to him soon, and that he could send one in that again, and then he has never sent nothing to him atall and they can’t think what is to do with him as he don’t send to them, and we can find that Robert Williams has sent home two or three times since he has arrived in America and cannot find as nothing is said about us in any one of them atall.  Therefore, don’t you think that it makes us quite uneasy to think that as he is along with you must send home and you cannot send as much as a single line or other.  We think that it is a great shame for you and also your brother John that you can use your poor father and mother in the same way, and I do believe that it is a sin too for you to be so, and you making so many promises as you did and does not perform any of them atall.  We are quite ashamed to give people an answer when they ask us if we don’t hear from you and have to tell them that we don’t hear atall.  And we have to tell you that you said you would send our rent in your last, that you would send it by the first of January 1856 and never heard from you since, and Mr. Faulks is without the money ever since and none besides, and he often threatens us to upset us upon the account that he can’t see that you send us anything  atall, that it is too much expense and trouble for to write a few lines home, let alone send any money.  He was here last week saying the same, therefore we don’t know what to say to him for I can assure you when he turns us from here we have nowhere to go to but to the union workhouse , and that is a true fact for you as I am  sorry that I have it for Robert to you and I am sorryer [sic] to tell you as you well know that yourselves before you went away to America that I cannot work myself, to my sorrow, in these days .

Therefore your brothers and sisters sends their kind respects to you all , and this from your dutyful father and mother,

Robert & Sarah Benjamin

August 3,1857 John Benjamin-1823 to Elizabeth Benjamin

Hutchinson

August 3, 1857

My Dear Elizabeth,

I now once more embrace the opportunity to write you a line, hoping it may find you & my dear little ones all enjoying the blessing of health as I am happy to say that I am at present, thanks be to God for it.

I wrote to you & to Edwin & Robert last Wednesday, which I hope you will receive in due time.  I did not, as I expected last week, get my cellar dug for I was busy lazing for three days after writing you.  I shall begin this afternoon if it stops raining, for we are having a little rain for a rarity this morning. 

I hope that you have not wanted for anything since I have been gone & that you will be able to get along, for it is impossible for me to send you anything from here, for I have only earned seven dollars since I have been here as yet.  However, I am in hopes that we shall be better off by and by.  Ask Edwin to let you see his letter.  Don’t lose a chanced to sell anything out of the house, for I only want a few things brought out here, for it costs so much for freight.  I wish you could sell the lounge to Mr. Albright or to someone else for 18 or 20 dollars, or even less if you can’t get that for it, & the bureaus & bedsteads.  Keep the clock & the stove & tin ware & your carpet too, and my bookcase, which Edwin can pack in one of Ballard’s old boxes.  Save all you can from the sales of the things, for we shall want it all to pay freight, as I don’t know that I shall have a single dollar myself.  I am living in a log cabin with the man’s family that is putting up the dam, & am writing this on my knees & sitting on the bed, so you see we have some inconveniences to continue with.  Never mind, we shall be over these difficulties after a while for these are, at times, such things to contend with in a new country.

This place is filling up very fast.   For the last week every day there are teams coming in with large droves of cattle.  Yesterday there came in about 20 families, 7 of which have gone this morning to take claim out here about 3 miles from town.  There came in here last night 19 teams of half-breeds, or 19 teams loaded with furs from the Red River of the north.  They left this morning for Henderson, 40 miles from here, where they had sold all of their furs.

Write me all the news when you get this for I feel very anxious to hear from you, not having heard a word since I left 3 weeks this morning, which looks to me more like 3 months than weeks. 

Well, cheer up.  I must, for we eventually will do well here after a while.  I shall write to Dr. Lane to see if he can’t recommend someone to come here to take hold with me & Edwin, for we must have some better means from somewhere for a short time to enable us to start, & then we shall do well, undoubtedly.

The rain has cleared off so I shall go & dig at my cellar now like a tiger.  Am bound to have things as comfortable for my Lizzy as things will __ __ of.   This must be a very healthy climate, for where I sleep is next to being out of doors & I have not taken the least cold as yet.  The doctors will have a poor living here, that is, unless they till the soil.

My love to Robert.  Hope to hear from all ____.  Kiss the children for me.

Faithfully yours,

John

August 2, 1857 Edwin Benjamin-1833 to Elizabeth Benjamin

Belvidere

August 2, 1857

Dear Elizabeth,

I have been expecting to hear from you every day since I left Beloit.  We haven’t got to keeping house yet, but we expect to next Wednesday and I should like to know what you thought about them chairs and other things that we shall want.  And if you conclude to let me have them, you will please to write as soon as you receive this.

I hope you have heard from John before this.  You can tell Robert Williams to take the bedstead down and tell Whipple & Ballard to send for it and let the money they owe me go to what I owe Mr. Garrison & C.

Yours affectionately,

Edwin

PS – If you see Mr. Garrison’s folks you can tell them that I shall write to them this next week.

E

July 30,1857 Elizabeth Benjamin to John Benjamin-1823

Beloit

July 30, 1857

My Dearest John,

It is now most three weeks since you have gone from home and I have been anxiously waiting to hear from you, but I have waited in vain.  I know you must of written if all is right.  Oh! what thoughts have racked my brain thinking that something might of happened to my dear dear husband.   But Oh! I think that all is well and that you have things in your favor.  If you have, just be through and come home as soon as you can before the six weeks is up if you can possibly.   

Bobby has had the dysentery, but is all right again.  Anne has had it some but I took it at the first onset.  I am afraid Bobby has the hooping [sic] cough for he coughs very bad, but he don’t hoop any as yet anyhow.  But he coughs for about an hour every night about the middle of the night.  I keep bandages on him and change them in the night.  He frets a great deal after you more and more every day.   The little dear, he wants to go out to play with the other children but goes by himself.  He comes to me about fifty times a day and puts his arm around my neck and ___ me and says Pa is coming home by and by, Ma.  He won’t have it said tomorrow and the tears will start in his eyes and he tries to hide it, and laughs and says that Pa’s going to bring some figs and oranges.  Sis is as much as ever for play, but when she comes to her meals she says Oh! I wish Pa would come home.  He is a long time.  I want him to sit by me.  The baby grows like everything.  You will be quite surprised to see him.  He takes so much notice of things.  He is as good as can be.  If it was not for him, I should see the time as long again and see it long enough now. 

Robert has not worked but a very little since you have gone.  He was taken sick that same day as you went away, but sickness has not kept him all the time for Edwin has behaved rather shabby to him in taking his job from him, but now Edwin and his wife has gone to Belvidere again.  He (Edwin) has gone to work to the same old mill again. I hope he won’t repent it, but I don’t know.  I am not sorry that she has gone but we got along first rate, but if it had of been ___ they would of ___ all the time, but I was determined that I would not say a word but get along the best way I could.  She never did a night of the cooking and only wash the dishes but I won’t say no more now, I shant tell you all my troubles till I see you, and I have had some I tell you.   But I must look the bright side of things.

Edwin has not paid but five dollars for the rent.  That has been my greatest trouble for I used to get five or six ___ every day, up from Babcock and his wife.  She has behaved as hateful as she possibly could do.  You would hardly believe me if I were to tell you.  But enough of this I will tell you again.   Lizzy had no John to fight for her.  She had to fight her own battles.  Edwin only paid the five dollars last night. Before he went away he only gave me three dollars atall.  I am going to __ to see him soon.  It will be ___ to get along.   I have not been well myself or I should of done it before.

I hope and trust that you have been quite well.  If you are not well, come right home.   I don’t suppose I shall be able to have an answer to this before you get home for it takes so long for the letters to come from there.  I got the one from Saint Paul a week after you wrote it, but I hope to get another from you from Hutchinson before long or else I shall have fits.  I thought I would write this so you might feel easier about how I ___ cheerful.  I try all I can but it comes hard for me.  I miss my dear John so much.  No one can tell I have not had a paper or anything in post office since you been gone.

(The rest of this letter is written sideways.)

July 29,1857 John Benjamin-1823 to Elizabeth Benjamin

Hutchinson, M. L.

July 29, 1857

My Dear Elizabeth,

Cheer up, cheer up for glad tidings of great joy has come at last.  As I have but a short time this morning to write so you will, I know, excuse me if I am very brief. 

Well, now for the good news. You must make up your mind to come here this fall, for I have at last concluded to stay here.  I am having to put up the dam across the river for the water power & I am trying to put up the machinery for a grist mill & a cabinet shop, which I expect to get ready by some time in October.   I was out all day yesterday hunting up a claim of one hundred & sixty acres of land which I found but a little ways out of town.  The town company have given me one acre of land or lot in the city to build me a house on.  They give me a chance to pick out of about 10 most beautiful lots overlooking the whole town & close to the mill, where the mill is going to be, so that I shall have but very little to walk home to meals.  I shall commence to dig my cellar tomorrow ……..should do so today but I am going to lazing this afternoon. 

You can sell all of the furniture out of the home as fast as you have a chance to do so, for it will not pay to bring it out here at all, for it cost as much to get it from St. Paul, only sixty miles, as it will from Beloit to St. Paul.  Do not lose a chance to sell anything if you can.   Sell all but my bookcase.  Edwin can make enquiries at the depot as to what freight costs from there to St. Paul, for I may have the stove sent out too.  However, I shall have as little as possible for it cost so like everything.  So you must get rid of all your old rags & tags.  It will not do to pay freight on them. 

I am going to have Edwin to come out here along with you & also his wife for they can take up a claim of 160 acres, which I have picked out for them, & one for France’s brother, I. L. Albright, & one for Robert Williams, but I can’t say that they (the claims) are not liable to be jumped for the county is filling up very fast indeed.  I wish I had of come here last spring, however, there are just as good a chance now as then, only we have to go a little farther out of town. 

There are hundreds going through here all the time to settle in some part of the territory.  While I am writing in view of my window I can count seven teams going through, all of them covered wagons from east westward.  The Star of Empire moves & no mistake.  I must not forget to tell you to bring all your tin ware or that that is good & some of your best crockery too.  Well, I suppose is all best of course, and the feather bed which I liked so well last winter when it was so cold.  Your ___ can be emptied out, so don’t bring nothing but the ticking. 

I may not be able to come down before I send for you to come out, so I shall expect that Edwin, as a brother, will do all he can to assist you & the children as far as St. Paul where I shall meet you with a team.  I hope and trust to God  that the move will prove a blessing to us both & our dear little ones, which I hope are all well, as well as yourself, which I trust enjoy the same blessings as I am happy to say that I am at present.

My love to Edwin, Frances & Robert.  Kiss my children from me.

Yours faithfully,

John

July 23,1857 John Benjamin-1823 to Elizabeth Benjamin

Hutchinson

July 23, 1857

My dear Elizabeth,

As a young man from here is going to Saint Paul today, I thought I would drop you a line to inform you of my prospects here so far, which I am sorry to say are not very encouraging so far.  However, I hope to be better suited by & by as the Hutchinson’s are off & will not be at home for two or three days. 

The mill here is rented out since the thirteenth of this month.   However I am going to take a claim of one hundred & sixty acres of land before I leave & then perhaps I shall come home to stay this winter & stay until the spring.  I have been lazing this last two days rather have work.   For a green horn I did not rush here as soon as I expected for I did not get here until Monday night after a very tedious journey on the Minnesota River & then by land for 4 miles by foot from Henderson following an ox team over a most beautiful prairie.  I like the look & location of this town very much. 

Tell Edwin to have his eye open for something for me to do for the winter, although I may not want any better than to stay here.  I shall have to live on my claim a few weeks in some kind of a cabin which I shall have to build.

As I have but a few minutes to write and the mosquitoes are as thick as bees about my head & hands all the time, a most infernal plague I do assure you.  Hoping that this may find you and my dear little ones in the full enjoyment of health as it leaves me quite well, only very tired.  Give my love to Edwin & his wife & to Robert.  Shall write you again soon.  Don’t write to me until you hear from me again.

Yours most affectionately,

John

In haste……..

July 5,1857 John Benjamin-1823 to Elizabeth Benjamin

Saint Paul, Minnesota

July 5, 1857

My Dear Elizabeth,

You will most likely be looking for a line from me sometime this week as I am detained here until tomorrow __ __ at 10 o’clock.  I embrace the opportunity to drop a line to you hoping that it will find you and the children all quite well.  I have had a most ___ passage this far.  Arrived here at 1 o’clock today.  As to giving you any description of the country I have passed through, I shall reserve until I get to my journey’s end, which I expect to reach about Friday ___ if nothing happens.   I expect to right through from Henderson to Hutchinson with a man that is going there with a team from Henderson & whom I have met here on board of the boat.  He has lived there for three months back.  He likes there very much.  He came down here for something and is going up tomorrow on this boat. 

Tell Edwin that I did not go to Harvard for there was not certainty of my finding Judge Agers at home so Hawk thought I had better not go there.   I have been trying to hunt up Mr. Webb of south Dedham who Ballard told me was here in the furniture business.  I have not found him.  They (the other furniture dealers) tell me he is not here so I give it up.  This town is built upon a rock about 70 ft. above the river & has the appearance of being a very thriving town.

Give my love to the children, Mr. Robert & Edwin & his wife.

Affectionately yours,

John 

in haste

On board steamer leaving Miss River, St Paul

 

June 14,1857 George Macbeth to John Benjamin-1823

Rockford

June 14th, 1857

Mr. Benjamin,

Dear sir, I send you today the deed which I have just got from Derrick.  The charge is one dollar.  I have sold the stamp for $2.50 to Mr. Smith and paid Dickerman $1.45, which you bid, keeping the $1.05.  You can collect the charge on the deed and keep the amt., which will make all square and I will give you the five cents when I see you.  This will avoid sending money either way. Day Breasted & Co. are now in the corner & some hurry bought the back building at $75, agreeing to replace everything  as we sent it from Robertson. Taking all our responsibilities on ­­­­____, we are well rid of that.  The turning is all sold.  The machinery and lumber remain yet.  I’m out since Monday doing nothing and __ come to do much.

Ballard has not been over yet.  His bill must be looked up soon and also Edwin’s.   Dickerman was questioning me about it the other day.   Are you still at work at the mill in Beloit?  I thought of going to Chicago, but after paying Robertson, what ____ have been paid in April, I haven’t enough to go there with.  Besides, I am too lame.  You must try and be _____ for me in July as I shall be completely under ____.  I must pay something or else he won’t extend as one note has been extended already.

Your box of tools are at my house.  Dickerman has the key to the ___ house so that I can’t get the other things.  And he is such a damn jackass that I can’t get anything from him.  He is mighty religious about our business except when he wants something himself.   He has the books at the bank.

Write me in receipt of this that I may know that the deed has been received, and also how you are getting along.  If Robert Williams wants any of that machinery, he had better come over and see it and select.  Hurry up Ballard.

Yours best,

Geo. W. Macbeth

June 2,1857 Elizabeth Benjamin to John Benjamin-1823

Belvidere

June 2, 1857

My Dearest John,

I now sit me down to drop a line to you in hopes they will find you in good health as I am happy to say that we are all pretty well.  Bobby has got some diarrhea and so have I.  If I had taken some pie, I should of said that it was that, but I did not taste it, but we shall all get better after a while, I hope.    Sis has been quite lively today.  I don’t know how she will be tomorrow but I hope she will not be sick again.  I feel encouraged today for she has seemed more like herself than she has before since she was taken sick.  The woman was here today washing.    I like her work; first rate.  She had a good large wash.  She is coming here tomorrow to help me iron the street clothes for I can get along with the others myself, for I want to save all I can, dear John.  

Cheer up…….I am trying all I can to keep a stiff upper lip for there is not much more of this week yet.  Have you written to Dr. Lane?  Find out as soon as you can, for if you don’t go into business again you will get that job at Murray’s, and then we must save all we can to get ahead.  I will do my share and I am sure you will do yours, for there is nothing in this world but what I would do for my John.   I wish I could do a great deal more than I do to make you feel happier, but we must try to cheer one another up.  This world would be a dreary wilderness if it was not love for each other that cheers one on.

I don’t know how you will make this out for I have written it most all with baby on my knee.  The other children are in bed this hour or more.  My head feels a good deal better today.  My nose bled about a tea cup full this afternoon.  The woman was scared some but I don’t think it did any harm for my head has felt very bad for the last fortnight or more.  I shall leave this to finish in the morning.  Good night, dear John.

Wednesday morning, 6 o’clock.  Sis has the ague again.   How hard she will have it I don’t know.  I was in hopes she would not have it again.  I am all alone.  Rich’s girl can’t come here again.   Her mother is sewing so she has to help her and get up in the mornings. 

You write as soon as you can to me and let me know how you are getting along.

Believe me to remain your ever fond wife,

Elizabeth

The baby has a head cold.

May 28,1857 George Macbeth to John Benjamin-1823

Rockford

May 28, 1857

Mr. Benjamin,

I enclose some new bills.  Our sale is to be on the 30^th.  Show the bill to Ballard and hurry him up about the pay for those lounges I sent him.  The quicker the money comes in the less expense there will be.  I will try and get the deed to send with this letter.   You had better be here as there will be no postponement and the machinery is to be sold.  Try and get some bidders  ____ from Beloit.

Yours resp.,

Geo W. Macbeth

Where are Wells & Palmer?

May 28,1857 Elizabeth Benjamin to John Benjamin-1823

Belvidere

May, 28, 1857

My Dear John,

I received your letter this afternoon & see by it that you had not received mine when I wrote that Sis was sick and she had been very sick since, but last night she rested pretty well and this morning she seems better.  But Oh! dear John she is quite sick again tonight.  What to do I don’t know.  She ought to go into a bath but how to do it alone I don’t know for she seems so sick and I am most worn out myself losing my rest so night’s.   Tonight is no use my undressing for I shall get no sleep for she is quite out of her head.  She don’t know what you say to her atall.  It is now ½ past ten and we have managed to put her in a bath but she is burning up again and is quite crazy at times. Oh! how I wish you were here.  I am all alone, no one to stay by me this lonely night, only Rich’s girl and she is snoring away on the lounge for I sent her to bed for she was no good to me. 

Be sure to come tomorrow night.  Bring something with you, for if Robert Williams is coming, for perhaps I shall not have time to prepare anything.

If you make up your mind to live in Rockford right away you had better stay at home next week and put Sis through a course of water treatments, if she lives, dear child.  Oh! you don’t know how sick she has been and is.  She looks awful sick.

I shall have this to finish tomorrow morning so that you might know how Sis really is.  Bobby is well and so is the baby but I have had to neglect him to see to Sis.  The little dear, he has slept most all day today.  Bring a lemon for Sis and an orange.

Mr. Albright was here yesterday.  He wanted to see you.  I told him you would be at home Friday or Saturday, so he said he would come on Saturday.  Mrs. Rich happened to be in the time he was here so he did not say what he wanted nor I did not ask him.  Perhaps he came about the lounge, I don’t know. 

This is Friday morning and what a night I have had of it.  I had to bathe Sis’s head about every five minutes and apply something to her feet to keep them warm, but she is better a little today, not much though.  Bobby is awful cross today.  I don’t know what is the matter with him, but Sis kept him awake last night so I suppose that is one reason. 

Fetch some crackers with you.  I am just going to put Sis in a bath.  I don’t know how you will make this out for I have been in great haste.  Hoping this will find you, my dear husband, quite well, I remain your ever fond wife,

Elizabeth

….be sure and come tonight………..

…..Sis’s hearing is no better……….

May 27,1857 Ad for Sale of John's Rockford Furniture Business

May 19,1857 John Benjamin-1823 to Elizabeth Benjamin

Beloit, Wisconsin

May 19, 1857

My Dear Elizabeth,

I received yours last evening by Edwin & also two letters from Rockford, one from Greggs and one from Macbeth.   It seems that our stock in trade there is going to be sold by auction on Saturday next.   I shall be at home on Friday night & shall go to Rockford on Saturday.  You can let Mrs. Howard have ten dollars & I will call & pay her the balance on Saturday when I go to Rockford.

I shall most likely get through here this week.  Greggs tells me that – they expect the doctor home this week.

Am glad to hear that you & the children are all well.

Yours faithfully,

John

May 19,1857 Elizabeth Benjamin to John Benjamin-1823

Belvidere

May 19, 1857

Dear John,

I received your welcome letter yesterday.  I was glad to hear from you, but I should much rather of seen you, but I hope we shall not be separated but a few days longer, for this being away from you is all but killing.  I would rather live on bread and water than be in the way I am now.  You don’t know how __ lonesome the time does seem to me, every hour seems a day.  I was disappointed again last night for I expected you home. 

Mrs. Howard wants to go home tomorrow.  So she will have been here five weeks.  She asked me if I thought five shillings a week too much for the three weeks before I was sick, and 4 dollars a week after.  It will make 11 dollars and a half, so I think 4 dollars a week too much to pay her since I was sick, for she has not earned it, far from it.  But I did not say anything to her.  She said if I thought it too much I might let her hear what I thought was enough.  So I will leave it to you; you know what an easy time she has had here. 

You will have to let ___ know if she is to come here, for I have no way of sending for her here.   The neighbors said they have found out that we are going away, don’t seem to call in atall, for old Mrs. Smedley has not been in but once, and then she just looked in at the ___, but I don’t care much. 

I felt quite provoked at Edwin for staying up to Albright’s instead of coming to take your dear things up, for I know you must of been dreadful lonesome there alone, dear John. I got your things ready to send on Friday night but he did not come.  I was surprised at him staying.   So did he tell you he was going to be married in three weeks?  Well, well, he thinks he knows all I suppose.  I almost thought by the way she spoke when she was down here, but I did not think it would be so soon.  What do you think about it?

___________ the wood is getting quite low and I don’t want to get any more here.  If it holds so cold we shant have enough for to last two days, but Mrs. Howard would rather have the money than a draft she says. Come home before she goes, now be sure no snow.

The children are well except with the exception of Anne.  She coughs at night very bad.  On Friday night I thought she would suffocate, and she had such flem in her throat.  The baby was not very well yesterday morning, but he’s better now.   He grows and is quite good. 

Be sure to come home now – do in haste.  I remain your ever fond wife,

Elizabeth

Bobby is in a great way to see you.  He has not seen you for this six days he says.  E.

May 13,1857 Elizabeth Benjamin to John Benjamin-1823

Belvidere

May 13, 1857

My Dear John,

As I felt quite lonesome this afternoon I thought I would employ a few moments in writing a few lines to you, hoping you are quite well.  The children are well, only Bobby is rather cross yet.  He has not quite gotten over his sickness yet. 

Mrs. Howard went to the post office this afternoon, but got no letter.  She got the Tribune and an Albian, and Edwin’s paper.  I have seen nothing of Edwin as yet.  I hope he has wrote back before this.I shall look for a letter from you tomorrow. 

Mrs. Howard would like to go home next week so she says for she thinks I’m so smart.  Well I would do if you were at home.  How would it do for you to go to Rockford on the Friday night train and get here on the Saturday noon train and remain over Sunday.  Then we could talk matters over and see what we were going to do, for I can’t live this way.  I don’t know what on earth has got over me for I am awful low spirited some way or the other .  The more I try to get over it, the worse it seems.

Dear John, I bought you two pretty neckties and two thin bosoms.  I should like to have got more of them for I got them cheap, only I had not the time to spare.    I was out some in the garden today.  Mr. Rick has not gone away yet.

Baby sleeps all the time.  I have done a good deal of sewing today and taken care of him too.  The children are in bed since 7 o’clock.  Sissy coughs a good deal tonight.  I have put a ___ on her last night and tonight but it don’t seem to do much good yet.

I shall leave this to finish  tomorrow morning so good night.  Dear John, I would far rather see you than be writing this.

Wednesday morning, 8 o’clock.  We have had a good deal of rain this morning but it is clearing off again.  I think Sissy has coughed a great deal in the night .  I shall send this by one of the ____’s children  when they go to school.  I thought I would not send Mrs. Howard for it is raining .

Write soon, dear John, and believe me to remain your ever fond wife,

Elizabeth