In this country the relative position of the representatives of each is about that which they occupied in the old; this finds its reason chiefly in the time at which the different states were opened up to settlers. Natives from Stavanger, Ryfylke and Söndhordland are found chiefly in Illinois and in the settlements of Central Iowa (Benton and Story Counties). In Illinois are located also in large numbers natives of Hardanger (Lee County), and Voss (Chicago), but only to a very limited extent those of other districts. In Southern Wisconsin and to a slight extent in the adjacent parts of Illinois have located especially the natives of Numedal, and to some extent those of Land and Sogn. Natives of Sogn have, however, found homes most extensively in the various settlements of Wisconsin and Minnesota and Northern Iowa.[442] Here they are present in all parts of the states but in largest numbers in the oldest settlements in Southern and Western Wisconsin and in Southeastern Minnesota. Natives of Telemarken are found well scattered, from their original center in Racine County, through Walworth and Dane Counties, thence to Central Wisconsin and Minnesota. The representatives of Valders are found in largest numbers in Western Dane County, in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, and in Goodhue County, Minnesota. [442] In Winneshiek and Worth Counties, where also natives of Hallingdal have settled in large numbers. It will not be possible to discuss here the later development of the various settlements that have been treated above or the increase of the Norwegian factor in the counties where these settlements were formed. Space forbids this, and these facts have, furthermore, been briefly indicated elsewhere in this volume. Thus in Chapter II we have outlined the extent of immigration from Norway and the geographical distribution of settlements, while the subsequent history of the special settlements has often been briefly indicated. It may here be added that the counties in Southern Wisconsin as a whole enjoyed a much more rapid development during the years 1840-1850 than those of Northern Illinois, and that this was due in a very large measure to the incoming of such a large number of settlers from Norway[443] in the best years of their life. [443] Similarly the "Norwegian" county of La Salle in Illinois was the leading county in that part of Illinois in the same period, its population in 1850 being 17,815, that of Grundy 3,023, and De Kalb, 7,540. In the year 1900 the principal Norwegian counties among those that fall within the scope of the discussion in this volume were in order: Cook County, Illinois; Dane County, Wisconsin; Winneshiek County, Iowa; Milwaukee County, Wisconsin; Rock County, Wisconsin; and La Salle County, Illinois.