Why the Settlers Came Early settlers came for the Dream Home and Land that they thought they would find in Southwest Kansas. Stevens County, a twenty-seven mile square of new soil and occupied by the denizens of the prairie. Antelopes range near the Cimmarron River and quials, meadowlarks, praire chickens, and small ground birds made their nests in the native grasses. There were many, many reasons why the early settlers came to this part of the country, but one of the most important reasons was free government land. This was quite an opportunity for the much dreamed of home that these settlers were looking for.