ðə nˈaɪntiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi sˈɔː ɪŋkɹˈiːsɪŋ sˈɛɾəlmənt, mˈeɪnli baɪ dʒˈɜːmənspˈiːkɪŋ fˈɑːɹmɚz fɹʌm ˈælseɪsləɹˈeɪn, swˈɪtsɚlənd, ænd ˈʌðɚ dʒˈɜːmən ɹˈiːdʒənz ɐtɹˈæktᵻd baɪ tʃˈiːp lˈænd æz wˈɛl æz fɹˈiːdəm sˈiːkɚz tɹˈævəlɪŋ ðɪ ˈʌndɚɡɹˌaʊnd ɹˈeɪlɹoʊd tʊ ɛskˈeɪp slˈeɪvɚɹi ɪnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts.
The 19th century saw increasing settlement, mainly by German-speaking farmers from Alsace-Lorraine, Switzerland, and other German regions attracted by cheap land as well as freedom seekers travelling the Underground Railroad to escape slavery in the United States.