, claiming that Dewitt had failed to fill his end
of the bargain, despite the fact that Eleanor Coldren gave evidence to
the contrary. When challenged for selling Dewitt's land, McElhattan
responded in a fashion which demonstrates the independent spirit of this
lessee. He said "that he only sold his Right to Dunn and if Dunn would
be such a fool as to give him forty or fifty pounds for Nothing He
McIlhatton would be a greater fool for not taking it--for that Dunn knew
what Right he (McIlhatton) had."[17] Obviously, if this case is
indicative, and there were others, share-cropping did not induce
attitudes of subservience.

Religious freedom, in which Pennsylvania ranked second only to Rhode
Island in colonial America, was enjoyed by the frontiersmen of the West
Branch. It might, however, be better described as a freedom from
religion rather than a freedom of religion. With no system of local
taxation and no regular church, there was no establishment of religion.
Nevertheless, this is not to suggest that religious qualifications were
not applied to prospective landowners, potential voters, or members of
the Fair Play community. Religious liberty had been guaranteed to
Pennsylvanians in the Charter of Privileges of 1701, and no religious
test was required for suffrage in the new State constitution in 1776.
Belief in one God and in the inspiration of the Scriptures was required
for members of the assembly, but bona fide Fair Play settlers were
disqualified on geographic grounds anyhow.[18]

There is no record of religious discrimination among the Fair Play
settlers. In addition to the absence of a regular church, this was
probably due, in part, to the religious composition of the population.
The pioneers of the West Branch were Protestant Christians, and if
denominational in their approach, either Presbyterian or Methodist. The
friction between Methodists and Presbyterians appears to have been
doctrinal rather than political or social.[19]

The comparative economic equality in an area of free land had a
democratizing influence on the social class structure. This three-class
stratification, composed of property owners distinguished by their
morality, other property owners, and tenants, was an open-class system
marked by a noticeable degree of mobility. Fair Play settlers who began
as tenants could, and did, become property owners.

Since no one in the Fair Play territory could claim more than 300 acres
under the Pre-Empt