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…………

August 25, 1857 Edwin Benjamin-1833 to Elizabeth Benjamin-1830

Belvidere, Ill
August 25, 1857
Dear Elizabeth,
Yours of the 24th Frances brought from the post office this afternoon.   I am sorry to hear you say what you did in the letter, but I suppose you thought that I had gone away and without doing a thing for you.  But I can assure you it is not so.  I have a feeling towards you and all the gamily.  I mean an affectionate feeling. 
I sent you a letter last Sunday with one dollar in it and an order for $3.00 of Mr. Allen.  If I had more I should certainly send it to you.  As to butter we haven’t any to send.  I don’t know what to do about your furniture.  I don’t think you will get half what it is worth.  And if you think it best, I will take some of it down here and sell it for you as I think I could get more for it than you will get at Beloit. 
I shall come up next week.  I can’t come up this week because the men that furnishes power for me here are going to stop the mill next week to do some repairs on the boiler and the saw mill.  I think of going to Rockford next week too and get the things for John.  But I don’t know where I am going to have money to get the things that he wants.  I sent a letter to Ballard the same time as yours and told him to come and get the bedhead and I suppose he will.  
I don’t think I can go out west with you now, but I may go by and by as I am so situated that I can’t at present.  The lathe I can’t get now because I have no money to get it for him.  And I don’t know what to do about the machine in Rockford, whether to send that without the lathe or not.  And I think it would be best to hear from him first and then I should know what to do about it.  The lathe is mortgaged for $50.00 and if John sends $35, the same as I paid him at Rockford, and the Boland, I will pay myself. 
Yours affectionately,
Edwin
Dear Elizabeth,
I hope you will excuse me for not answering your letter before, for I have been very busy.   I have often thought of you and spoken to Edwin about you but that is about all that we could do for we are just beginning to keep house and we __ our furniture buy and everything to pay for so that it takes all that we can get.
Believe me to be your affectionate sister,
Frances

1 comment:

  1. UnknownMarch 24, 2014 at 10:29 PM

    This letter is out of order. The blog will not let the letter be put in the correct order.....sorry.

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