Tucked away in the hills up Aeneas Creek in the Aeneas Valley, was a settlement called Russellville. The dreams prompted by a land developer named H. B. Russell proved to provide his clients with many disappointments. Mr. Russell, who ran his advertisements back "East," claimed to show magnificent homesteads with good water rights, excellent timber and promised possibilities of raising good fruit for the influx of mining people in Republic, great weather was promised. His fee to "locate" someone by his method was $50.00.

The Great Northern brought the newcomers into the country by a special car to Republic. The May 15, 1908 issue of the Chesaw News told of the arrival of 20 families that came from Kilbroun, Wisconsin, and drove stakes in the rich Aeneas Valley.

Russell, an active and capable leader of the community had many plans for the new settlement. Part of the scheme was to build a road from Riverside to Republic for hauling produce and supplies. His road, still called the Russell Road remained today. Another part of the plan was to build a sawmill for the settlers to market their timber. A dam was built on Aeneas Creek, and a mill site located downstream. This water powered sawmill was never completed, and the hand hewn timbers for the foundation were still in evidence a few years back. There was also a creamery which didn’t operate, and a flour mill which was later move to Republic.

It soon became evident to the community that their leader was a dreamer, and his promises were impossibilities. With some "persuasion" from the settler’s, scallowing Russell tucked his tail between his legs and left the country. A very small handful of these settlers remained for a time while the rest of the homesteads were soon absorbed into neighboring ranches.