John Benjamin was born in England in 1823. In 1849, at the age of 26, he immigrated to America with the goal of seeking opportunities in the new world and improving the life of his family. During his immigration and eventual settlement in Hutchinson, Minnesota, John saved many personal letters that were written by and to him. These letters, the subject of this web site, bring to life his immigration and the life of others during this courageous adventure. The most recent letters posted on this sight are on this front page. To see all the earlier letters, keep pressing the “Older Posts” button on the bottom of this page. The earliest letter recorded here is June 20, 1849. The letters…………









April 14,1854 Robert Benjamin-1795 to John Benjamin-1823

Bagillt
April 14, 1854
Dear J. & Eth,
We take the pleasure of sending these few lines to you in hopes to find you in good state of health as they leave us but indifferent, for it has been such a winter this last winter that it has taken a great many just about our age to their last resting place, and as we may be well aware that we shall not be here long.  Everybody getting cold one time after another and a great many dying very sudden without getting one minute of notice that you would hardly believe.  Therefore we have a great occasion for to prepare and be ready at all times, and we were very glad to hear that you were all enjoying the best of health, which both you and we ought to be very thankful.
I have to inform you that your sister Louisa has been confirmed of very fine boy on Saturday evening about eleven o’clock the first of April, and your mother was sent for on Sunday morning and she goes and comes every day with the coach for she is not let to be there at all, but thanks be to God your sister is getting on as well as can be expected, and we have your sister Charlotte here from Chester for little Harriet and myself could not do at home.
Another thing we were very glad to hear that we have to expect the likeness so soon , but your mother should of wished as you can praise little M. A. Ellen so much at the present time that if her likeness had not been taken so soon as it has been for she would of liked to have seen her as she is just now, and another thing, your sister Charlotte was here when we received the letter on Sunday morning and heard the whole of them read, and she says that as her sister Elizabeth can praise so much on her daughter M A Ellen as she does, your sister Charlotte thinks she can praise so much on her little Mary Ellen, for she can run about everywhere and talk everything, but all English mind you, not a word of Welsh at all, and as you challenge so much, she says you can bring her over here as soon as you like that she will ___ ready against you .  Come enough on this subject for the present and as you were talking of us doing some other business, we cannot settle our minds at all.  We should be very glad if we could but it is so unsettled here and so sorry keeping altogether that you would not believe.  Therefore we cannot say anything for the present for there is a power of families here nearly clamoring, and we have not been baking so much barley bread  sine the colliery’s here got drowned ___ as we do now find people cannot hardly get that not as much as they should have for it has been such a hard winter that we cannot hardly can recollect, and another thing, both your mother and myself are very thankful to you and Elizabeth for being so kind to your brother Edwin, and am in great hopes that he strives his best for to please you in all ways, that is our greatest of wishes, and indeed for the truth we should be very glad to see that day that you should send for your brother James again, for as you may well know that he is only eating us up entirely, for he gets nothing of no worth for his work hardly, and I can understand that he is a very good workman and he should like to have the word of Saturday tomorrow if it was possible, and he says if all is well that he will write a long letter the next time to you all.  He keeps walking home altogether now.
I must give up for the present.  You must excuse for the present for you can see how it is with us some here and there.   So your brothers and sisters sends their kind respects to you and except the same from your dutyful father and mother,
Robert & Sarah Benjamin
PS - Your mother’s receipt and she should of been very glad if she should have the pleasure of never sending you again as soon as she would of done with your sister.

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