Longtime historian John Hockaday, known as ‘Mr. Cajon Pass,’ dies
During my years researching San Bernardino County’s colorful past, several prominent historians have inspired me immensely. One of these individuals who helped make local history exciting through his amazing work was John Hockaday.
John was born Nov.
28, 1933, in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and later arrived in Pomona at age 3 with his parents.
After graduating from Pomona High and marrying his first wife, Brunilda, he started a plastering career as a “hod-carrier.”
After working his way up to plasterer and then plasterer contractor, he started his own company, Tri City Plastering and contracted jobs in Denver, San Diego, and around Los Angeles.
A multi-talented man, over the years John worked as a carpenter, rancher, boat builder, gardener, beekeeper, and antique collector.
As a young man, Hockaday also developed a strong interest in history and this became his passion. Having no formal training, he humbly explained to me that he was just a former construction worker who loves history and became interested when a neighbor told him the original wagon road into the San Bernardino Valley crossed his property, which was at the mouth of Lytle Creek Canyon.
John’s second wife, Sandy, helped blaze the trail for John’s writing. She spent time researching at the San Bernardino County Archives and at the Feldheym Library’s California Room for information involving William Bristol, a Highland citrus rancher who created the Cajon Pass rest stop for early day motorists called Camp Cajon.
He and Sandy dug through collections as far away as UC Berkeley, gathering copies of documents and historical photographs. He gathered material from swap meets, garage sales and donations from friends. He took his own photographs, including a series of aerial views, some of which reveal today’s 15 Freeway, but also its predecessors from Route 66 to the first wagon road.
John may have started out as “just an old construction worker who loves history,” but he evolved into a wonderful photographer and a passionate historical researcher. He became enthralled with the Cajon Pass — early trails, pioneer ranches, the arrival
John Hockaday, a longtime historian in San Bernardino County — among his many talents — celebrates his 85th birthday in 2018. Hockaday died in February.
of the automobile along the National Old Trails Road and Route 66, talking with old-time residents.
John studied the history of the Cajon Pass for more than 50 years and became a renowned resource on this important gateway into Southern California. In fact,
history buffs and fellow researchers — including me — started calling him “Mr. Cajon Pass” and “King of the Cajon Pass”.
When Sandy died in 1997, John was determined to finish what she started. Computer technology was a bit challenging for him, but fortunately after a few years he met Deanna LaCava. Deanna not only became a great friend but also helped John get back on track by doing the typing to finish the book, and also a second book.
That first book was, “The Man Who Built Camp Cajon,” and the second, “From Indian Footpath to Modern Highway,” are selfpublished by Buckthorn Publishing.
The Buckthorn name came from the native plant, the buckthorn, which John and Sandy loved so much.
With help from LaCava, John wrote articles for magazines and journals including The Sun, Route 66 Magazine, and the publication in Lytle Creek, “The Canyon.”
John loved his family roots and was a wonderful storyteller and used to talk about some interesting anecdotes about the Loofbourrow and Hockaday families. His most recent book, “Just Something I did Once,” is an amazing collection of those stories and history.
When not researching, John loved joining his friends like “Rail Road Bob” watching the trains in the Cajon Pass, attending Mule Days in Bishop, the steam locomotive shows in Vista and post card shows in Glendale and Pasadena.
An interesting man and quite a character to say the least, John was interviewed on the national news in 2016 while in the process of saving his home in the Cajon Pass from flames during the Blue Cut fire.
While living with his daughter, Frankie, in Pomona, the 88-yearold historian died Feb. 19, and became part of the history he loved so much.
John was preceded in death by his father, Walter John Hockaday I; his mother, Eva G. (Loofbourrow) Hockaday; his son, John Hockaday III, who died from cystic fibrosis at age 17; and his second wife, Sandy Hockaday.
He is survived by his daughter, Frankie Hockaday; sister, Margie Kinnaman and husband, Gordon; first wife, Brunilda Hockaday; and granddaughter, Jesse Fowler; his two stepsons, Steven and Rick Hays; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
John Hockaday will be inurned with his second wife in Guthrie, Oklahoma.