Editing Glendora, California (section)

===Mexican period (1821–1848)===

After 11 years of struggle, Mexico gained [[Mexican War of Independence|independence from Spain]] on September 27, 1821. California remained a remote frontier territory with minimal oversight from the newly established Mexican government. Due to political instability and administrative difficulties, Mexico did not formally appoint a fully recognized governor for California until 1824, when [[Luis Antonio Argüello]] took office; however, his authority was initially limited by poor communication, political uncertainty across Mexico, and California’s geographic isolation, leaving local communities largely responsible for their own governance. The management of land and settlement remained informal, with boundaries defined loosely by natural landmarks, and taxation often fulfilled through contributions of livestock or goods rather than uniform cash payments. This informal governance set the stage for significant challenges when California later transitioned to American rule.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pitt|first=Leonard|title=The Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californians, 1846–1890|publisher=University of California Press|year=1999|pages=3–40}}</ref> [[File:Photos 2881 large WPA Federal Writers' Project map of ranchos of Los Angeles County California.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Map of ranchos in Los Angeles County (WPA Federal Writers' Project)]]

The lack of oversight and clear governance proved ominous for the prosperity of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, which presided over present-day Glendora. Controlling approximately 1.5 million acres of some of the richest land with the best water supplies in the region, it was one of the wealthiest of the California missions. Between 1829 and 1833, due to inadequate supervision, corruption among local authorities, and widespread cattle rustling, the Mission’s livestock declined dramatically from over 25,000 head of cattle to fewer than 15,000. Soldiers, ranchers, and settlers took advantage of the weakening authority of the Franciscan priests, who had few means to protect Mission resources without effective military support from the Mexican troops, many of whom participated in or overlooked the theft.<ref>{{cite book|last=Engelhardt|first=Zephyrin|title=San Gabriel Mission and the Beginnings of Los Angeles|publisher=Franciscan Herald Press|year=1927|pages=243–244}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/san-gabriel-arcangel.htm|title=Mission San Gabriel Arcángel|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=March 18, 2025}}</ref>

In August 1833, this deteriorating situation culminated in the [[Mexican Secularization Act of 1833|Decree for the Secularization of the Missions of California]]. Motivated by concerns that the missions, still operated by Spanish-born Franciscan clergy presumably loyal to Spain and the Catholic Church, could perpetuate Spanish influence and undermine independence, the Mexican government transferred control of Church land holdings to the territorial government in [[Monterey]]. The decree officially intended to emancipate Indigenous peoples from conditions resembling slavery and redistribute mission lands to them.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/secularization.htm|title=Secularization of the Missions|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=March 18, 2025}}{{cite book|last=Beebe|first=Rose Marie|author2=Robert M. Senkewicz|title=Testimonios: Early California Through the Eyes of Women, 1815–1848|publisher=Heyday Books|year=2006|pages=28–30}}</ref> However, in practice, very few Indigenous Californians received any land anywhere in the Alta California territory.<ref>{{cite book|last=Engelhardt|first=Zephyrin|title=San Gabriel Mission and the Beginnings of Los Angeles|publisher=Franciscan Herald Press|year=1927|pages=243–244}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/san-gabriel-arcangel.htm|title=Mission San Gabriel Arcángel|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=March 18, 2025}}</ref> The Mexican government allowed the padres to keep only the church, priests' quarters, and priests' garden. The army troops guarding the Mission were dismissed.

With the Franciscans' oversight removed, Mission San Gabriel’s remaining herds of cattle rapidly disappeared, taken by local rancheros, settlers, soldiers, and even former mission administrators. The few remaining priests were powerless to stop them as they now lacked both the authority and manpower to enforce control.<ref>{{cite book|last=Engelhardt|first=Zephyrin|title=San Gabriel Mission and the Beginnings of Los Angeles|publisher=Franciscan Herald Press|year=1927|pages=200–211}}</ref> This chaotic transition facilitated the ambitions of influential settlers, soldiers, and rancheros with connections to the Mexican authorities in Monterey, resulting in large ranchos owned by a few powerful families.<ref>{{cite book|last=Beebe|first=Rose Marie|author2=Robert M. Senkewicz|title=Testimonios: Early California Through the Eyes of Women, 1815–1848|year=2006|publisher=Heyday Books|location=Berkeley, California|pages=28–30}}</ref>

In 1837, Governor [[Juan Bautista Alvarado]] granted the [[Rancho San Jose (Palomares)|Rancho San José]] (approximately 22,000 acres) to Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Vejar, encompassing southern portions of present-day Glendora as well as areas now known as Pomona and San Dimas. In 1841, another tract including the western parts of present-day Glendora, [[Rancho Azusa de Dalton|Rancho El Susa]], was granted to Luis Arenas. In 1844, English immigrant Henry Dalton purchased Rancho El Susa from Arenas and acquired a one-third stake in Rancho San José. Dalton renamed his property Rancho Azusa de Dalton, establishing vineyards, orchards, and livestock herds. Central and northern Glendora remained public land for [[open range]] cattle grazing.<ref>{{cite book|last=Robinson|first=W.W.|title=Land in California|publisher=University of California Press|year=1948|pages=119–123}}</ref>

By the end of the Mexican period in 1848, the Tongva population in the entire Los Angeles Basin, including the San Gabriel Valley, had further declined to approximately 800 individuals, reflecting continued displacement, harsh labor conditions on ranchos, epidemics, and marginalization under Mexican governance.<ref>{{cite book|last=McCawley|first=William|title=The First Angelinos: The Gabrielino Indians of Los Angeles|year=1996|publisher=Malki Museum Press|location=Banning, California|pages=198–199}}{{cite book|last=Phillips|first=George Harwood|title=Chiefs and Challengers: Indian Resistance and Cooperation in Southern California, 1769–1906|year=2014|publisher=University of Oklahoma Press|pages=109–111}}</ref>