The first known letter from North America is sent by John Rut while at St. John's, Newfoundland.

John Rut was an English mariner, born in Essex, who was chosen by Henry VIII to command an expedition to North America in search of the Northwest Passage. On 10 June 1527 he set sail from Plymouth with two ships, Samson and Mary Guilford. The voyage was arranged by Cardinal Wolsey at the wishes of Robert Thorne, a Bristol merchant. Samson was commanded by Master Grube and Mary Guilford was commanded by Rut.

St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans 446.04 km² (172.22 sq mi) and is the easternmost city in North America. The closest European settlement is Fajã Grande, Azores, Portugal, about 2,000 kilometres away.