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 12,1850 John Benjamiin-1823 to Elizabeth Garner

Boston, Mass
United States, America
June 12, 1850
My dearest Elizabeth,
I am now taking this opportunity to write these few lines to you in hopes to find you enjoying perfect heath as I am happy to say that I am at present thanks be to God for it.  I have this day forwarded to father my likeness which I have had taken some time since but could not until __ day could find an opportunity to send it.  I have also sent a gold locket with my likeness inside of it, which I had taken at the same time, to be forwarded to you, which will be in compliance with your request in your last letter which I received this week.  I hope that you can recover my last letter which I wrote to you and enclosed in father’s letter.  I have, as you will observe by that letter, left Nashua and am expecting a situation in or near Boston in a few days. 
I told you in my last that I might be coming home this summer but I have given up the thought of it for the present.   I shall endeavor to write to you again by the next mail that is in answer to your last letter for I have only a very few minutes to write this time & am sending the letter by a Welsh friend of myne  on board of the mail trans packet.  I was very sorry to hear of the long indispositions of your father.  I hope that he may soon recover again.  Please to give my kind regards to him in return for his many kind wishes towards me all times. 
T. Price desires to be kindly remembered to you.  He came to Boston to see me on Saturday & he is returning home this afternoon.  I shall direct this to Holywell which I suppose you will be able to get it better than if I was to send it Flint.  I forgot to tell you that you could have your likeness taken and place it on the opposite side as you will see after you have opened the case. 
So no more at present in my great haste.  Believe me dear Elizabeth to remain yours most affectionately.
J. Benjamin

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