"and the need for close cooperation made that impossible" The close cooperation in Rehoboth was also English in inspiration. The stewardship of land in England always had a communal aspect i.e. after crops were harvested everyone availed themselves of the "commons" which was the open land that all parishes had. Everyone took turns tending to the sheep and cattle on the commons and everyone shared the responsibility of paths and field divisions. They all sat together on the manor court etc. I have the book in Japan, but cannot remember the title now. How did Mr. Redaway become a yeoman? My point was that there was really no yeomen class in Massachusetts, but rather people acted in various ways due to the class society they left behind. It would be interesting to do a kind of class analysis of the the eldest son's wife if that is possible. Samuel who married a Redaway was last in the pecking order. BC