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…………









March 4, 1866 Richard Jones to John Benjamin-1823

Chicago
March 4th, 1866
Dear Uncle,
I received your letter dated Feb. 18 and was glad to hear that you all enjoy good health as I am glad to say that I am very well at present. 
You wished to know what I was doing.  Well, I am to work in a box factory and planing mill.  I file most of their saws and do most of all their matching and halfing for boxes, but I have only worked a eight hours per day lately but I am going to commence working ten hours tomorrow.  You wished me to write to you and tell you how Uncle Edwin is getting along.   We hear from him often and he says that he is well in heath and is doing well that is in the line of business. 
I received a letter from home last week and was glad to hear that they are all pretty well in health but they say that the time is pretty dull there now.  I had a letter from sister Mary Ellen and one from Sarah and they said that grandfather and grandmother are not very well, but they do not say anything about Uncle James, whether he ever writes to them or not, but I suppose he don’t.  But they wrote once that he had come to New York to take charge of a saw mill and turning shop; £20 per month in gold, but I have not heard anything about him since. 
I have no news to tell you so I must conclude for the present with best respects to you all.  I am going to write home today.
This from yours,
Richard B. Jones
Dear Sister,
As Richard was writing to John I will try to write a few lines to you.  We are all fine as usual.  I keep Hattie at home from school since her Papa has gone away and she learns at home, for you must know that I am very lonesome in his absence and his welfare causes me a great deal of trouble, although I always wish to be where he is.  I cannot say that I really wish to go there but I suppose that I shall have to go either this spring or next fall.  I should like very much to see you all before we go away from here.  I can assure you that I have anything else but leisure now, for I have Richard, the two children, and a gentleman and his wife boarding with me and it keeps me pretty busy.  It is very pleasant here now.  The streets are all dry and it looks like summer.  You will meet wagon loads of flowers in the streets and the windows are full of them.  There is lettuce, radishes, pie plant and other green stuff in the market by the bushel. 
I must close hoping to hear from you soon.
From your affectionate sister,
F.W. Benjamin

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