His management of the Rancho lands brought him into contact with American traders and he became fluent in English. Manuel was the only one of his siblings who was able to read and write. This was very important, as many Rancheros lost all of their lands during this period due to poor record keeping and the lack of documentation declaring ownership of the land. In 1826, the Dominguez family received confirmation that the Mexican government recognized the Spanish re-grant of the Rancho to Cristobal Dominguez and his heirs.
All of the families who had received land grants under Spanish rule were required to present proof of land ownership to the Mexican government in order to keep their land. At this time, California was changing from Spanish to Mexican control.
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