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…………









June 3,1855 Edwin Benjamin-1833 to John Benjamin-1823

Dedham, Mass
June 3rd, 1855
Dear John,
I once more take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you and that in sorrow as I don’t doubt that you hear that James met with a severe accident on the 28th as he was going to bed.  He made a mess up when he got to the top of the stairs and fell down and broke his arm in the same place as he did before.  He has been down here ever since.  Dr. Fog set his arm and now he is doing well.  We kept ___ it all the time he has been down here and I hope he won’t be too long before he’ll be to work again.
I was up to south Dedham last Wednesday to see Price and Everett, both of whom was very sorry of James because he does a great deal of work for them now.  Price was telling me that he could take a common leg and finish it all through now.  And he said that he (James) has got too far ahead to stop now until he can do all the work they have up there, and then he can go anywhere he is a mind to or maybe you will want him out in the west. 
Price has had an addition to his family last week when I was up there.  He is a boy.  Price is going to write you soon and will tell you all about James up there, how he is getting along.  (I can write with my pens, they are all bad ones.  I have chaing [sic] it on this page.)
I received a letter from home this week and they were all well at that time.  This is the first letter I received from them since I sent them money and they received it all right.  Father said that trade was very poor there at present and he expects to hear from you soon and wishes you all success in this world and to world eternal, and all sends their kind respects to you all that hopes you’ll do well at all times.
Father says in his letter that to say James from Pentre Mills is coming here.  He shipt from Liverpool the same week that he wrote to me.  He is come to New York and from there, here.  It is very dull times for him to come here now.  We don’t have much of anything to do and they talk of stopping the whole month of July as I am sorry to say, and if he comes I shall do my best for him to get him work here or south Dedham.   Mr. Lambert thinks of starting for the west soon.  He is coming to Rockford and see what he can do there.  Macbeth received a letter from you last Friday and he said you spoke very encouraging to him.  He is coming out as soon as he can.  And this from your affectionate brother,
E. Benjamin
James sends his kind respects to you and Elizabeth and accept the same from me all of you and Mr. & Mrs. Bird.

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