- Folder 1: Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad, 1863-1874
- Correspondence and documents pertaining to the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western railroad as well as the Kansas Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. The majority of this material appears to relate to litigation involving John C. Fremont, Samuel Hallett, and the board of directors of the Union Pacific, Eastern Division as well as some correspondence relating to the Delaware Indians, the Colorado Central Pacific Railway, and day to day business operations. It includes a copy of Fremont's Amended Supplemental Complaint to the Supreme Court dated 25 Jan 1864. (51 documents)
- Folder 2: Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad, 1863
- Correspondence and documents pertaining to the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western railroad as well as the Kansas Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. Some of these documents pertain to John McDowell's resignation from the presidency as well as John C. Fremont giving up the right to hold stock in the company of the railroad in 1863. The letters shed light on the relationship between McDowell and Samuel Hallett in their bid to take control of the Union Pacific, Western Division away from Fremont. (42 documents)
- Folder 3: Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad, 1863
- Correspondence and documents pertaining to the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western, and the Union Pacific, Eastern Division Railroads. Includes an interesting letter from Samuel Stinson, an attorney in Leavenworth, describing Quantrill's Lawrence, Kansas, raid in 1863, the use of African-American (negro) laborers on the railroad and the use of police to hunt for workers with the motto "Either go to work or be a vagabond." (56 documents; transcript and notes for letter dated 27 Aug 1863, 2pp.)
- Folder 4: Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad, 1852-1860
- Correspondence and documents pertaining to the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western, and the Union Pacific, Eastern Division Railroads. Includes a list of the original stockholders of the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad Co. and several letters regarding the Delaware lands. (14 documents)
- Folder 5: Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad, n.d.
- Letters, inventories, stock certificates and notes pertaining to the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western, and the Union Pacific, Eastern Division Railroads. Includes a ca.1861 copy of the 1855 articles of incorporation for the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad. (42 documents)
- Folder 6: Kansas Pacific Railroad Company, 1873
- Correspondence and notes relating to McDowell's testimony against the Kansas Pacific Railroad Company. Includes documentation about the amount of money that exchanged hands and when it was paid to those involved in the buy out. Correspondence is between McDowell and St. Louis Circuit Court Judge John M. Krum. (4 documents)
- Folder 7: Union Pacific Railroad Company, 1864-1871
- Correspondence pertaining to the settlement with Jonathan Percy and Durant, men who purchased stock in the Union Pacific Railroad Company. This correspondence shows the process McDowell went through to obtain payment for work rendered and official recognition of his purchases. (16 documents)
- Folder 8: Clark Bell, 1863-1872
- Correspondence with his attorney Clark Bell (Bell was also Samuel Hallett's attorney). This correspondences shows not only the professional relationship McDowell had with his attorney but the personal relationship they shared. Such news as the birth of a new child to Bell and his wife are shared along with bills that need to be paid by Bell for McDowell. (23 documents)
- Folder 9: Mariposa Estate, 1863
- Report on the cost and conditions for purchase of the Mariposa Estate. (3 documents)
- Folder 10: McMiken Company, 1853-1857
- Records of debts, that had been paid to the McMiken Company and accounts held by the public. (12 documents)
- Folder 11: Gutta Percha Company, 1867
- Gutta Percha Company stock certificate. (1 document and photocopy of original.) [Ed. note: Gutta?percha is a rubbery substance made from the sap of several southeast Asian trees. A variety of items were displayed by the Gutta?Percha Company at the Crystal Palace Exposition in 1851; the substance was, and still is, used for dental fillings, jewelry, decorative objects and golf balls.]
- Folder 12: News clippings, 1861-1864
- Newspaper clippings (4 regarding the Union Pacific Railroad, 5 about the Mariposa Company and one that appears to be advice to an aspiring attorney) and a campaign circular listing the "Republican Ticket" for Kansas in 1861. (10 clippings and 1 circular)
- Folder 13: Correspondence, 1858-1867
- Correspondence pertaining to information of hiring foreign help and purchasing the Hallett home after Samuel Hallett's death, receipts, and certificates. Some correspondents request McDowell's presence in Kansas for the 1864 election and others contain requests for him to claim the property left to him by the late Samuel Hallett. (24 documents)
- Folder 14: Correspondence, 1858-1864
- Correspondence, reports, receipts and calculations regarding land purchases. The letters cover topics such as renting property for other people and purchasing land in Kansas. (15 documents)
- Folder 15: Estate Papers, 1884
- 1884, copy of petition for administrative right over the McDowell Estate, and a document granting Belle McDowell guardianship of her minor children after John H. McDowell's death. Correspondence instructing Belle on how to sign the papers to become the legal guardian of the minor children and to receive the money from his estate in Kansas. (4 documents)
- Folder 16: Deeds, 1862, 1872
- 1862; 1872, deeds for lands in Kansas. (2 documents)
- Folder 17: Background
- Background and research information compiled to write the biographical sketch. Contains biographical or historical information on John C. Fremont, the Pacific Railway Act, the Leavenworth, Pawnee & Western Railroad Co., John M. Krum and the Kansas Pacific Railway Co. and collection separation record. From the Ohio Historical Society website, there are copies of pages from Rutherford B. Hayes