With the passing of former Nevada Governor and U.S. Senator, Paul Laxalt on Monday August 6, 2018, many may not realize that family is part of the heritage of the Madeline Plains. Dominique was the youngest of the three Laxalt brothers who had various interactions on the Madeline Plains. Unlike his brothers, Dominique was a true tramp sheepman (though many today use the term itinerant instead of tramp). Dominique would take his band of sheep and move them place to place in search of feed and water. Other Basque sheepman, like his brother, Pete, eventually acquired a home place. During World War I when sheep and wool price went soaring, Dominique and fellow Basque sheepman, Pete Etchecopar formed a partnership. It was during this time when Dominique married Therese Alphetche in Reno, where he moved. In the early 1920s, when wool prices crashed Dominique, Therese and their infant son, Paul, returned to the Madeline Plains. While residing there, the second son, was born, Robert, who became the well known author of Sweet Promised Land. Things did not work out well on the Madeline Plains and Dominique moved his family to Carson City, and started a new chapter in his life.