John Howard Midkiff, Jr.
Year Inducted: 2007
Moloka`i Ranch | Moloka'i
McCandless Ranch | Hawai'i
Princeville Ranch | Kaua'i
Jack was born in 1923 on Kaua`i. When he was very young his family moved to Waialua on Oahu. His father ran the sugar plantation there. When he was 7 or 8 he started hanging out with the cowboys of Waialua Ranch. Jack Robello and Dutch Reyer (he thought that was his last name) were his mentors. He decided at this age that he wanted to be a cowboy. His first job was working for Waialua Ranch for a dollar a day.
Jack was in the last cavalry class at the University of Arizona. He was drafted his junior year of college. Jack was a flight instructor during WWII at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona.
He was assistant manager of Molokai Ranch from 1948 to 1950. Sonny Joao at Molokai Ranch Jack felt had taught him a lot. One of his memorable experiences was on Molokai when he was chasing a heifer down a hill and his horse threw him on his head. He suffered a severe concussion from the fall. The first person to drive by and help him turned out to be the only doctor on the Island.
Jack was manager of McCandless Ranch from 1951 to 1955 and served as a consultant for them in the 1970’s and 80’s.
He was manager of Princeville Ranch from 1960 to 1972 (when it was sold).
He retired in 1988. Jack thought his ranching years were the most enjoyable of his life.