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. 26, 1852 Robert Benjamin-1795 to John Benjamin-1823

Bagillt
November 26, 1852
 
Dear John & Elizabeth,
 
I hasten to write a few lines to you in answer to your letter which we have received some time since, but it was owing to both your sister Louisa and your sister Charlotte been very ill.  Your sister Charlotte has been confirmed of a fine girl, I believe it was on the 6th of October, and she was getting on pretty well, but she caught a very bad cold and everybody thought she would not come through it, but thank God she is getting on again pretty well again, and your sister Louisa is getting better.  She had a very bad cold, and we hope that these few lines will find you and Elizabeth and the little girl ___ the best of health ____. 
 
And another thing that we could not send back to you greatly for the lack of knowledge about the settling of that money by Robert Evans, for after loosing [sic] Mr. Maurice we cannot get to know anything.  I have been engineering a good deal and I sent to Denbigh to Mr. Williams, the solicitor, as we understand as owns the place now, and as I sent a letter to him this week thinking to have an answer for to send to you, but I have never had it and as far as I can understand by Mr. Faulks, the shop that he had been there on some business the week before and he could not get to see him for he was ill, and perhaps I may hear from him in the next week.  He used to call with us by going to Flint to see Mr. Maurice when he was ill, and the last time he called I asked him when was the date of the bill up, and he could not tell me, but he promised to me then that I should know in writing, but however he got ill on something I have never got to know yet, but that he has put it in the bank, and he then asked me how I was going to pay the twelve months rent as would be due on the first of January next, and indeed we do not know what to do, but we hope and trust that you will not leave us in distress for this time again until these lads come a little better again, and indeed it is very slack with them and has been for some time, and as you are well aware that if the twenty pounds is settled that there will be but two pounds towards the twelve month rent, and as we are sorry to relate to you it is still worse here altogether, and as we might be sorrier still that both your mother and myself is growing a good deal worse to [sic], for the death of your sister has caused us a great deal of trouble, more so than anyone would think.
 
I have to inform you that Mr. Gleave and family sends their kind respects to you and that he has no particular news to send to you now, but you see in the newspapers, and all the men in the mill send their respects to you, and as you are sending wanting to know whether I receive the journals, I receive them every month and I have only one in the house at once altogether.  Mr. Gleave has them all and he has fixed a shower both in his room since he has receives them, and if in case that you should want to send something home at any time, there is a young man from Caerwys as is fine man with one of the mails that is the Uropa Robert Ellis, son to William Ellis, opposite your uncle John’s house in Caerwys, and he has been talking about sending you with some of his relations, you can easily find out when it will come to Boston for it is on its way to New York this time, and if you could send some of you old castoffs with him they would be very acceptable, and the likeness of Elizabeth and your little girl we should be very glad to receive them, and as you was saying that you had not heard from your cousin Jones for such a length of time, he is still in the same place when he last wrote home, and as for Robert Billis I cannot tell you anything for he has not wrote home this good while, for his twelve months was nearly up when he last wrote and he thought of shifting for there, but they don’t know, so I must conclude for the time of the postman drawing near. 
 
So your brothers and sisters writes in love to you and family and that they are all well excepting as I told you above.  Send us a letter as soon as you can do so. 
 
More from your dutyful father and mother,
 
Robert & Sarah Benjamin
 
You must excuse this short letter this time for I am not very well.   

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