Russell Stopping Place
Joe Russell came to the U. S. from Canada and settled in Maine in 1857. Moved to Michigan in 1863. Settled at Grand Rapids, Wis. Where he lived for eleven years. Joe ran a stopping place on the Chippewa River about eleven miles south of the Raynor stopping place.
Russell first came to this section in 1873, and in 1875 bought the place on which he still lived in 1920. The original building burned a few years ago. Joe Russell said that in 1875 there were old Murray north to the Forks of the Chippewa river, – a distance of about thirty miles, – the following settlers: On the west side of the river, Adolph and Peter Lessard, the Hall brothers on what is now the Raynor farm, Old ONdag, a native American, a veteran of the civil war and married to a daughter of Belille, at the juncture of the Court Oreilles and Chippewa rivers, and Joe Russell.
On the east side of the river, Ackley and Bishop at Bishop’s bridge, old Belille, Wm. Waite, and his two son-in-law, Joe and Fred Villiard. Joe Galien, Eldronon what is now the Hochstetler farm, Joe Dupuis on the Arpin place, and George Miller who lived on back of Dupuis. Russell, a very old man was living alone at his place in 1920.
All these early settlers depended for their living either on the lumbering business, or else trade with the native peoples. Practically all were of French decent. IT was not until 1899 that settlers came into this section for the sole purpose of farming.
Sub-district No. 4, failed to elect a clerk at the annual meeting in 1899, and on the 10th day of July, 1899, the executive committee appointed Mr. Russell to serve as clerk of that sub-district until July 1900. His post office address is Wallace, Sawyer County, Wis.
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