Dedham, Mass
United States, America
November 25, 1850
My Dearest Elizabeth,
I dare say that you will be surprised to hear from me so
soon. I am sorry to be sender the
troublesome necessity of informing you of the great conflagration that happened
here on Monday night last between 12 & 1 o’clock when our workshop &
the house where we boarded at was totally destroyed by fire which began in a
house that joined our baseroom, which was the first part of the shop to take
fire. It was quite full of finished furniture
of various kinds which was all ___ with the shop varnish shop & two stables,
one on each side of the turning establishment, which was all burnt to ashes in
a very short time. The alarm was first
given to the inmates of the house, where it originated, who one all of them had
to run for the lives without saving anything save the clothes on their backs or
their night clothes, thus losing their house & home & all of their
furniture & clothing in 8 or 10 minutes; from the time we first heard the
alarm our house was all in a blaze. I am
happy to say that we saved about all of the clothing with the best part of the
furniture in the house, but I regret to say that T. Price & myself will
lose about 10 or 12£ if not more by this fire, but it behooves us to be thankful
to the almighty that we got off without losing our lives. I might of gone to work to Dorchester and
Price to Milton to work where I worked before I came here but our employers
here desired us not to leave them as they have commenced building a new shop
today which will be ready for us to go to work in in the course of a few weeks,
therefore we have concluded to remain with them as they have asked us here in
best way that has it in their power.
I have to tell you that I regret very much after that
beautiful little knife which you made me a present of was on the dressing table
in my bedroom where I had left it before going to bed on the night the fire
occurred, & I suppose that someone either stole it in taking the things out
or it has got burnt in the fire. I
offered a reward for it but it has not as yet turned up to the light and I
doubt it ever will.
I have nothing more to add this time but hope to be able to
write you a long letter next time. I
hope that when you will receive this that I shall have a letter from you in
answer to the last. I hope that my
sister has quite recovered by this. I
wrote home last week in a small note in a letter of T. Price to be reposted for
father. I have received some very
interesting newspapers from my cousin Jones of Holywell today & have sent
him some in return, which I have no doubt he will be highly delighted with. I continue to send you a paper every week
which I hope you duly receive as they are very interesting to read I
think. I hope that your father has quite
recovered to health again. Remember me
most kindly to him & to your brother & sister hoping that they are all
well and accept of my best love for yourself,
& believe me my dearest
to remain yours most faithfully,
John Benjamin
PS Please to pardon the hasty way this is wrote being as I
am in great haste.
Well, here is another letter from John that is out of sequence, but it is not my fault! The Historical Society said it was written in 1851, but clearly it was written a year earlier. In it, John gives a much more detailed description of the fire that happened at his workplace.
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