VIENNA — The Vienna Historical Society has acquired an Ansel Merrell clock from the 1800s that will be among the first items displayed in an area set up for the society at the township hall.

Christine Novicky, president of the society, said the wooden works clock was made at the Vienna Ansel Merrell Clock Factory, which was a clock business located on Niles Vienna Road in the township from 1815 to 1835. A wooden works clock has wooden gears instead of brass gears.

She said the family for the estate of Gary Landis donated the clock to the historical society. Landis was a Vienna graduate who later moved to Pell City, Alabama, where he had an antique business that included the clocks. One went to the Vienna Historical Society, and the other went to the Trumbull County Historical Society.

“The wooden works are very unique and required basic carpentry skills to build. What is unique is the wooden gears were handmade and makes it very delicate. This is a working clock, but because it is so delicate we just don’t have it running as recommended to us by local historians. This clock was made in Vienna probably in the 1820s,” Novicky said.

Back in the 1800s there were clock factories in Brookfield, Warren, Howland and Hartford, as well as the one in Vienna. Novicky said the clock trade was brought to Vienna from Connecticut.

Read more in Monday’s Vindicator.