Don Adolfo, scion of one of California's oldest families, at the age of 16 embarked on the gigantic ranching project to which he devoted his life - the 10,632-acre Rancho Calleguas, which had been bequeathed to him and his younger brother Juan (1867-1936) by their father, Juan Camarillo (1812-1880). In 1888 Adolfo Camarillo married Isabella Menchaca and they raised seven children together. Don Adolfo, founder of the city of Camarillo, was famous for his generosity in donating thousands of acres of land for such things as the first High School, land for the Southern Pacific Railroad to go through Camarillo, land to have U.S. Route 101 stretch through the Conejo Grade, and land for the extension of St. John's Seminary to include St. John's College. He was also well-known for his civic activities and his long public service, which included: Native Sons of the Golden West member, 70 yrs; Trustee of Pleasant Valley School District, 57 yrs; Director of the Bank of A. Levy of Oxnard, over 50 yrs; Knight of Columbus, over 50 yrs; Elk member, 50 yrs; Active Director of Ventura County Fair, 38 yrs; Director of the California State Fair, 12 yrs; Supervisor of Ventura County, 8 yrs; and member of the State Board of Agriculture. And, as if that impressive list of accomplishments weren't enough, on October 26, 1950, Pope Pius XII bestowed upon him the decoration of Knight of St. Gregory. Don Adolfo, fondly referred to as the "Last Spanish Don", was admitted to St. John's Hospital in Oxnard on November 11, 1958, suffering from pneumonia. He died on December 10, 1958 at the age of 94. At the time of his death, he left 4 daughters, 8 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. Two portraits of Don Adolfo Camarillo (1864-1958), one shows him as a young boy and the other as a young man.
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