Norwegians in Kansas

My Norwegian ancestors came from Talvik Norway in 1869 and I find them in the 1875 census of Grant, Lincoln Co., Kansas. In 1880 they are in Orange, Lincoln Co., Kansas. In 1885 they had moved to Blue, Pottowatomie, Kansas. By 1895 they were in Stanfold, Barron Co, Wisconsin. Question? What would have taken them to Kansas? I imagine free land had a lot to do with it, but I wonder if there was a Norwegian population in Kansas. I have not heard much about that. It seems that Minnesota and Wisconsin were the places that most Norwegians headed. Why Kansas? Those that were in Kansas were Lars Andersen and his wife Julia Aas. Lars anglized his name to Lewis and Julia's last name became Oas. Her parents, Lorents Oas/Aas and Louisa Ivarsdatter came from Norway with them and was in Kansas with them and then moved to Wisconsin with them. Thanks