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…………









Dec. 28,1849 Robert Benjamin-1795 to John Benjamin-1823

Bagillt
December 28, 1849
Dear John,
We send these few lines to you in hopes that they will find you in a good state of health as it leaves us at   ___ excepting your Mother.  She is but very indifferent altogether indeed and we were very glad to hear that you and Price are both well and that you have had him to your ___.  So __ for me to think that you are happier a good deal more than as it was, and we should be very glad to hear what place of worship you get to go for you made complaints in one of your letters that there was no church in the town you were in and if it was impossible for you to know you would be sadly surprised for to see so many that goes to all places of worship have none since the fever was about.  Some of the drunkest men in the place and indeed by all appearances that they will __ __.  And to inform you that we have buried a good many of our neighbors since you went away.  There is E. Taylor, the Smith, by Col--, and John Williams, shoe maker by Col--, and John Barker after some lingering illness.  Old John Hughes the Confectioner died after been ill sometime.  Harriet Williams John __ __ his wife died after been ill some time.  Also Mary Hughes the wife of Enon Hughes the blacksmith buried her on Christmas day.  And there is a great number of grown up people as well as children been buried that I cannot mention them at present. 
Dear John I am beginning to complain to you about myself for we had notice lately about the poor rates and I went to the meeting myself and they start charging me of three pounds with cost and all, and little before that I had paid one pound ten shillings and they would not allow me only a week for to pay them and we did not know what to do about them.  And Jane Parry came to our house and we told her of these things and she went to her mother and she borrowed some money from her for us and ever since the __ __ that we never can make them up and we should be very glad if you would be so good as to help us a little for we never have such times as it is with everybody here.  They have turned the poor in the work house to eat barley bread, all of them, and they do not get enough of poor rates.
Mary Ellen is at home ever since you went away and we can’t get a place for her nowhere and you wanted to know about her, and Edwin   been at the night school.  There is no night school here at Flint and to inform you about our house.  There has been a sale on it in Holywell often but it was bought in again the same as at ___.  And about my cousin Will Jones he sailed on the ___ out of Liverpool for New Orleans and you might receive a letter before you have this for he said that he would write to you and to us as soon as he would get his feet on land, and I am informing you that your old friend William Pierce has got married last Saturday and they took their flight for their honey moon on Sunday to London and returned on Wednesday.  I have no more news at present so I conclude with our kind love to you both.  Likewise your brothers and sisters all join in love to you and very glad to hear that you are well and happy at all times.  Also William ___ and his sisters send their kind respects to you and he is very much surprised that he has not has never had an answer to his letter to you.   
Love from your affectionate Father and Mother,
Robert and Sarah Benjamin
Send a letter as soon as you can. 
Tom Jones ___ sends his kind respects to you and wishes very much he was with you.  Edwin Benjamin, James Benjamin, Little Harriet, Charlotte,   Mary E. Benjamin, they send their names to you so you can see their handwriting.  Also your mother and she sends you a lock of your hair and that you must keep it until she sees you again.


No comments:

Post a Comment