Regan^ — Development of La Fayette County. 585 



Chapter III. 



POPULATION". 



A study of the population was made by taking the nativity 

 and occupations of all inhabitants of the county from the census 

 of the United States for 1850, 1860 and 1870.' The population 

 was then considered as divided into two parts, the native and 

 foreign bom.^ The native-born were again gi'ouped into sections, 

 namely, Xew England, Middle States, Southern States, South- 

 western States, Northwestern States and Western States. Wis- 

 consin is given in the table separately. Under the heading, 

 Western States, are included all the states not mentioned in the 

 other sections. 



In the foreign countries the following groups were made: 

 British America, Great Britain, the rest of Europe^ and miscel- 

 laneous. Under the latter were grouped such as were bom at 

 sea, on the lakes, in the United States and the like. 



Tables were made of the population of each section by nativi- 

 ties for the various towns. Comparisons can be made between 

 the census for 1850, 1860 and 1870, for such towns only as did 

 not change their boundary lines. These towns are Benton, New 

 Diggings, ShuUsburg, Wayne, White Oak Springs and Willow 

 Springs. 



By examining Table 1 in the Appendix it will be seen that 

 in native population Wisconsin leads for the entire period con- 

 sidered, that is, from 1850 to 1870 ; so it will not be considered 

 in the present comparison. Next to Wisconsin are the North- 

 western States, the towns of Belmont, Wayne, Fayette, Centre, 

 and Arg3^^1e leading. The Middle States are next, but with a 

 percentage almost one-third less. The number from New York 



1 United States Census, manuscript records, office of Secretary of State. 



2 Those who were horn in any part of the United States were consid- 

 ered native born, — the rest, foreign born. 



3 This division includes the countries not comprised in the other 

 groups of foreign countries. 



