before the kansas-nebraska act started, the idea of popular sovereignty gained interest in the territory. several groups with political interests promoted the idea of settlement by whites. one group who liked free-state settlement was the new england emigrant aid company. the first group of new england settlers created the city of lawrence, kansas. that city quickly became a place of abolitionist activity. the same year, the city of topeka, kansas was created by cyrus k. holliday and other anti-slavery advocates. missourians felt there was a plot by abolitionists to surround the state of missouri with free states. residents of missouri with an interest in kansas becoming pro-slavery flooded into the territory. the towns of atchison and leavenworth were both founded by pro-slavery missourians.