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…………









Nov. 14,1850 Robert Benjamin-1795 to John Benjamin-1823

Bagillt
Nov 14, 1850
Dear John,
We received your letter on the 5th inst.  and we were very sorry to hear that you had not received our letter for we had received your letter on the 1st of October and we wrote an answer to it on the 3rd of October, and I cannot think where the mistake must be for we did use to post our letters on Fridays, but __ any mistake might take place, we all together post them on Thursday evening at all times, therefore I do not know how it is.  I would wish if I could and heard Elizabeth Garner happened to be going to Flint the very day and I was writing when I was __ at it and she wrote a bit of a note and put it in it at the same time , but I hope everything you have received the both and If you have received them I gived you all the intelligence about the money , that I had no trouble at all about them , only paying the same as usual , and we were both of us very thankful to you for your kindness towards us at all times, and I went to Flint to pay Thomas Edwards, he was telling me that the A____ had got tired of waiting on me for they were so very ___ , and I was two pounds short in paying , and he told me he did not know what they would say, but he knew they would grumble, and I persuaded your mother to go to King Seal, to Mr. John Eyton to speak to him about it, and Mr. Eyton was so kind as to write a note with her back to Edwards for him to send to them for to wait a little,  and they would happen come to their place again , and he questioned you mother about if we need any arrears, and your mother told him we had no arrears and he was quite surprised and very glad to hear, and your mother told him you was out in America and that you assisted us in paying our rent, he was so glad to hear as possible and ordered your mother for to not to take on her to nobody , but __ upon herself entirely , and I sorry I have to inform you that we have buried poor George Angely about a month back with a four days illness.  Your mother was in Caerwys Fair with fanny , and she bought her a pig there  , and they all send their kind respects to you there, your Uncle John was very bad, he was in bed when she was there and he was very glad to see her , and wanting her very much to come soon and see him again , and she means to go towards next week if all is well with her, so your brothers and sisters send love to you all of them and they are pretty well in health all of them, thank God for that.  Louise and family was to see us last Sunday and the little girl could mention your name in a moment as soon as we shared you likeness to her.  She called out there’s Uncle John as soon as she saw it, therefore you must be so kind as to give our warmest respects to Thomas Price, all of the family,  and __ the same yourself, from your affectionate father and mother, Robert & Sarah Benjamin, and we are both of us in tolerable health , thank God for it , only we got a very bad cold last week as made us a little worse than usual , you would not believe how sorry it has gone here, the Colliers has stopped working only every other day upon account of the railway delivering coal to the smelting works cheaper than they can rise it here , and this fortnight they have not worked only four and some five days , and people is __ __ a great many , Thomas Jones the watch maker, and family sends their kind respects to you, and were glad to hear and the two cousins(?) is coming in first rate, we should be very glad if we could say the same , and Mr. Jones likewise complains that it is very sorry in Holywell , much talk of coming to America sometimes , so goodbye and God bless you at all times.

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