California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


CAMILLO R. LEONI. � A rancher and dairyman who is to be depended 
upon is Camillo R. Leoni, one of the stockholders in the First National Rank 
at Riverdale and a leader among the Swiss-Americans in Southern Fresno 
County. He was born at Cerentino, Canton Ticino. Switzerland, on Novem- 
ber 8, 1874, the son of John and Madaline (Pedrazzi) Leoni, who had a family 
of eight children, among whom Camillo was the fourth in the order of birth. 
The elder Leoni owned land and was a farmer and dairyman. An older 
brother, James, came to America and California first, and the year after, in 
1888, Camillo followed, arriving in Marin County when he was only fourteen 
years of age. He worked for a year on the dairy ranches there, and then 
came to Fresno County. 

At first he engaged to work out by the month on J. W. Downing's ranch 
of 320 acres, doing dairying and general farm work, later taking up with 
other employers, among them being "Uncle" Job Malsbury, and R. S. Gobby 
and S. Zanolini when they ran the John's ranch west of Riverdale, where 
Lanare now stands. Having saved his earnings for five years, he made his 
first payment on his first purchase of 160 acres, where he has lived ever since, 
milking from thirty to sixty cows and prospering. 

When Mr. Leoni first bought his land and settled here, there were no 
levies and a great flood put all his buildings under water. His alfalfa was 
submerged, and he was compelled to take his family away in order to save 
them from drowning. He recalls also the Texas fever and the other cattle 
plagues, against which he has persisted and won out, so that now he is a 
well-to-do and influential man. 

At Fresno Mr. Leoni was married to Miss Zelina Leoni, a native of the 
same canton in Switzerland ; by whom he has had four children � Lillian, 
Henry, Milo and Roy. Mr. Leoni owns 160 acres two miles east, and a half 
mile south of Burrel, and 100 acres three-fourths of a mile west of that town. 
He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Riverdale, which he helped 
to organize.