Formerly chief engineer for the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, John Van Nortwick was president of CB&Q from 1857-1865. Primarily outgoing correspondence from Van Nortwick, with some incoming letters and the contents of a “special file” donated separately to the Newberry in 1951. Special file items are primarily correspondence between van Nortwick and other railroad executives regarding CB&Q business and operations, and include much back and forth concerning a CB&Q stockyard, as well as some family letters about Van Nortwick’s career, his resignation letter, and a collection of Van Nortwick’s passes. These items are not separated out from other Van Nortwick materials, but a detailed list and catalog cards are included in folder 57.