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…………









Feb. 10,1854 Robert Benjamin-1795 to John Benjamin-1823

Bagillt
February 10, 1854
Dear J & Elizabeth,
I take the pleasure of dropping these few lines to you in answer to yours as I received on Tuesday last, and was glad to hear of you all been well, and also that the little girl had got better, as you was saying, as this leaves us pretty well at present, and your mother was a little time back that she lost her voice entirely for about a fortnight that she could not speak at all, but she has come to herself by this, and as your brother Edwin was complaining in his last letter that he had the headache so much by going through the cold wind that was the coldest as he ever felt, well I believe if in case he had of been here in his own country that he could not give an account of such a winter as we have had this winter, for there has different reports been present how they had found both grownup people and children covered and ___ to death under the snow.  It has made a very hard winter to have indeed and a power of people clamoring in all the country round as I am sorry to relate to you, and another thing as I am glad to relate to you that I received the money all right and very thankful to you both for your kindness to us at all times. 
It is very hard here with the lower class of people for we have only four pounds of flour for a shilling and everything, and everything else is as high according to that people cannot get it, and we hardly bake anything in these days, none hardly beside barley altogether now. 
Your mother desires very much to have a few lines from Elizabeth very soon about herself and the little girl, and she says that you don’t say anything about the likeness this long time, and afraid that you don’t mean to send this but in hopes to have them, and also that she expects to have Edwin’s likeness along with them now as he is with you, and am in great hopes that he is to your mind in every respect.  You must, as you say, excuse this short epistle this time, and this from your dutyful father and mother,
Robert & Sarah Benjamin
PS – All your brothers and sisters sends their respects to you and little cousin of Chester sends her cousin to America kisses oooooo, and if she was near she would run a race with her.
Robert Benjamin - born 30 June 1795
Sarah Parry - born 12 May 1796
Elizabeth Benjamin - born 27 Oct 1819
Elizabeth Benjamin - born 14 Oct 1820
John Benjamin – born January 5 1823
Sophia Benjamin – born 20 December 1824
Louisa Benjamin – born 1 August 1827
Charlotte Benjamin – born 27 May 1829
Mary Ellen Benjamin – born 1 July 1831
Edwin Benjamin – born 3 Oct 1833
Harriet Benjamin – born 9 Oct 1835
James Benjamin – born 4 April 1837
Harriet Benjamin – born 13 May 1839
 
Dear John, as you desired me to send you a current list of the day of the month and the year that we and all of you children was born, I have at last sent you it in full and would sent sooner only I could not get the age of your mother from Caerwys until lately.  I sent you likewise the time as we was married so that was on the 5th of April 1819.
 
PS – Your brothers and sisters sends their kindest respects to you all and would be very glad to see you and are very glad to hear from you.
PS – You must tell Elizabeth that we are very thankful to her for her kindness to send those ___ and all the ___ as has been altogether and we hope the Lord will provide and double prepay you both, for we have but a poor sight to pay you, and all our best of wishes that the Lord will bestow his greatest of blessings on you every day and night, so God be with you.  Another thing I nearly forgot to inform you of is that we lost Fanny our ass yesterday.  She died and left a young colt about three weeks old. We find it a great loss for we do not know how to get another instead of her, and we had only her now for we was obliged to sell the donkey before for to pay something or other.


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