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…………









Jan. 3, 1889 Friend to Sarah Louise Benjamin Cook-1862

South Cucamonga
Jan. 3rd, 1889
Dear Louise,
It was with great pleasure we received your kind letter and presents and I now hasten to acknowledge them before it gets put off to a more convenient season.  
Marion was not at home.   She is spending the Christmas and New Years in Cucamonga and I do not expect her home till Sunday but I will answer for her.  She will be very much pleased as we all are.  There is a letter from Arthur here so he must not expect an answer very soon.
I was very sorry to hear of Olive sickness.  I hope her trip east has done her good.  It seems so strange that she should make the first move to leave home and then go so far.  I hope you all will be able to get settled in a warmer climate soon not but what you will have something to contend with.  Go where you will, it is not all smooth sailing.   I am content with this climate but yet there are many drawbacks.  It is expensive starting and there is no return till the third or fourth year.  If we can fight for the time in the fifth year we will be able to clear 150 dollars an acre on vines alone and then we shall be able to make our friends a visit.  We have not made much headway because Mr. G. has done all himself: cleared the land, lakes bush and wood off without a team.  You know he never was a good horseman.  He has cleared about 12 nacres.   Now that we are going to put in vines this spring we want a new wire fence and he will be writing to you ___ soon to see about property selling in H.   I am afraid we are too late with that.  We should have sold when the boom was on but then we had no idea of your thinking of leaving your homestead and now I want to. 
That Arthur mentioned about some photographs that was taken at the wedding.  We have not received them and if we knew when they were sent we could make enquires for them. If you cannot send us any to keep send us them to look at and we will return them.  We have not heard from Olive since she was married but when you write tell her I should like to know how she likes and are the mosquitoes bigger than in Minn.   And she may as well correspond with two families in Cal as one.   
We are going to send the folks a few raisons as soon as we can.  Mr. Wall sent some to Pen and when he gets time Luke is going to send some and they will be both in one package ___ ___ a hundred weight between us.  I hope you will get them all right.  They have not gone yet. 
Mr. W is getting up potatoes and he is building a new house for two bachelors that have settled about two miles from here, so it keeps him busy. 
We are having a splendid winter.  We have had more rain this season than any before since we came, and very little wind.  We had a heavy front last week.  Killed the tomato vines but we have plenty to be going.   I think in the south you will have earlier vegetables and fruit than we have.   I fancy we are only a month earlier than you are in many things.  We have a neighbor here.  He thinks he would like to go to LA.   He wants to be where there is green grass all the year and you might send us a Louisiana paper sometimes.  He would come to see the place first.  He would have some means.   He is very hard working and no bad habits – but more about that when you go there and see how you like it. 
Tell your Pa that we receive the papers very regularly and they do me a world of good.   I hope they will still continue to come.  I hope he does not suffer with his leg as much as he used to.  If so, gather up the sticks and take your chances in a warmer place.   I have got so much to say that it is impossible for me to write any way decent.  If I live to see you all once more you will have to prepare yourselves for a volcano for my tongue will rattle on faster than my pen.
How does Frank like being left all alone as he got a girl __.  Tell him they are very scarce in this part – but there is luck in leisure and did no one like the chance of Leap Year.  I think for all I hear, Arthur has got me.  Is that so?  Well, Winfred, I suppose he has grown so much I would not know him.  Oh, I am sure I will forget Robbie and his son.  Give my love to him and kiss the boy from me. 
I must now conclude with best love to all, Ma, George and ___. 
From your ____,
M A _____





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