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, 8,1854 Robert Benjamin-1795 to John Benjamin-1823

December 8, 1854
Dear J. & Elizabeth,
I take the pleasure of dropping a few lines to you in answer to Edwin’s of which he sent without a date to it, which I believe must be the 21 ult. by the Dedham postmark, and was very glad to hear that you was all well in health as it leaves us pretty well at present, thanks be to God for it, for when I wrote last your mother had been very ill indeed, but thank God she has recovered pretty well.  I should think that you had not received our letter when Edwin sent his last, and we received the ten pounds as they sent to William Pierce all right, and he was very glad to have them, and I thanked him most kindly for what he had done, and dear John I must tell you that your mother is a deal easier as you are not leaving your brother, for she was very uneasy to think of you leaving them, and as we told you in our last that we were in great hopes that you would get them to bear in mind of what they promised to us both of them before they came over, they would never forget us and that they would be certain and think of sending us out rent, and as I sent in our last that there is a twelve month’s rent due on us now on the thirty first of December, and we have one half year six pounds and the other half twelve pounds that is eighteen pounds, and as I have told you before that Mr. Faulks is so kind with us since he has commenced on the place that we should not wish to disappoint him in no way whatsomever, and he has given us notice against the time that he hopes that we would not disappoint him in the time, and if in case that they did that now they would have some quiet for some time after, as James well knows that Mr. Faulks was so kind as to lend some money for us to get our license with, and other things beside, and he expects to have them also, and when I told him we had a letter this week he could ask how you all were, and in a moment he could ask us if the lads had sent us anything, and dear John we are in great hopes to get to hear from you that you are getting your brother James up to your hand and that he will try and strive his best to please you and Elizabeth, and we are always very thankful to her for her kindness towards them at all times, and you must tell her from your mother that she does not write to her according to promises beforehand.
PS – I told you in my last letter about Mr. Gardner of Holywell that he was so ill but thanks he is a great deal better.  He is coming down to his business now altogether but as I told you he has been very bad.  Mr. & Mrs. Jones the old ___ of Flint sends their kind respects to you and that they are doing business there like winking, and also all your brothers and sisters sends their kind regards to you and also to little R. G. Benjamin and also little M.A.E. Benjamin and all the royal family and except the same from your dutyful father and mother,
Robert & Sarah Benjamin
PS – We were sadly surprised to hear of Price facing you again and we don’t know he could either after all as he did to you, and sending a letter to Mr. Gleave that he had got married to a woman as was worth a thousand pounds and everything, and nothing in it.  At last I could not help thinking about all his mischief if I was you.


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