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…………









May 28,1857 Elizabeth Benjamin to John Benjamin-1823

Belvidere
May, 28, 1857
My Dear John,
I received your letter this afternoon & see by it that you had not received mine when I wrote that Sis was sick and she had been very sick since, but last night she rested pretty well and this morning she seems better.  But Oh! dear John she is quite sick again tonight.  What to do I don’t know.  She ought to go into a bath but how to do it alone I don’t know for she seems so sick and I am most worn out myself losing my rest so night’s.   Tonight is no use my undressing for I shall get no sleep for she is quite out of her head.  She don’t know what you say to her atall.  It is now ½ past ten and we have managed to put her in a bath but she is burning up again and is quite crazy at times. Oh! how I wish you were here.  I am all alone, no one to stay by me this lonely night, only Rich’s girl and she is snoring away on the lounge for I sent her to bed for she was no good to me. 
Be sure to come tomorrow night.  Bring something with you, for if Robert Williams is coming, for perhaps I shall not have time to prepare anything.
If you make up your mind to live in Rockford right away you had better stay at home next week and put Sis through a course of water treatments, if she lives, dear child.  Oh! you don’t know how sick she has been and is.  She looks awful sick.
I shall have this to finish tomorrow morning so that you might know how Sis really is.  Bobby is well and so is the baby but I have had to neglect him to see to Sis.  The little dear, he has slept most all day today.  Bring a lemon for Sis and an orange.
Mr. Albright was here yesterday.  He wanted to see you.  I told him you would be at home Friday or Saturday, so he said he would come on Saturday.  Mrs. Rich happened to be in the time he was here so he did not say what he wanted nor I did not ask him.  Perhaps he came about the lounge, I don’t know. 
This is Friday morning and what a night I have had of it.  I had to bathe Sis’s head about every five minutes and apply something to her feet to keep them warm, but she is better a little today, not much though.  Bobby is awful cross today.  I don’t know what is the matter with him, but Sis kept him awake last night so I suppose that is one reason. 
Fetch some crackers with you.  I am just going to put Sis in a bath.  I don’t know how you will make this out for I have been in great haste.  Hoping this will find you, my dear husband, quite well, I remain your ever fond wife,
Elizabeth
….be sure and come tonight………..
…..Sis’s hearing is no better……….


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