Adolfo Camarillo

Adolfo Camarillo (October 28, 1864 – December 10, 1958) was a prominent land owner, horse breeder, rancher, and philanthropist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Ventura County area of California in the United States. Adolfo, along with his brother Juan, Jr., owned much of what later became the town known by their family name, Camarillo. Adolfo also donated the land for Adolfo Camarillo High School. The horse breed Camarillo White Horse was named for Camarillo. He began breeding them in 1921 and the line continues today. Because of Adolfo’s philanthropy in 1950, Pope Pius XII named Adolfo a Knight of St. Gregory the Great.

Adolfo was born to Juan Camarillo (1812–1880) and Martina Camarillo (1826–1898). He had four sisters and one brother. When Juan Camarillo died in 1880, one of the last remaining Mexican land grants, Rancho Calleguas, was purchased from the Ruiz family in 1875 and was later willed to his wife. Upon Juan’s death, Adolfo took over operations of the family ranch at age 16. His brother Juan was more interested in religion. The ranch is almost 10,000 acres.

In 1885 Adolfo graduated from International Business College at (Woodbury University). After that he took over full-time management of the ranch at age 21. In 1888 Adolfo married Isabella Menchaca (1861–1936). He and Isabel raised seven children: Frank, Isabel, Minerva, Rosa, Carmen, Ave Marie, and Martina. Upon the death of Martina Camarillo, she bequeathed Rancho Calleguas to her sons, Adolfo and Juan, Jr. This would later go on to become Camarillo Ranch and later the city of Camarillo. Adolfo ran the Camarillo Ranch until his death in 1958.

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