Buzzards Glory

“Buzzards Glory!” “What’s in a name?” Yet, names have a significance. Our old home town was first called by the name of “Buzzard’s Glory” from the fact that a man by the name of Rafe Mortimer, in the early days about 1812 or 1813, was running a tanyard in the part of town now known as Canada. While thus employed he became financially embarrassed and his stock was levied on. The hides were taken out of the vats preparatory to sale and hung on poles, where they remained for several days attracting an innumerable throng of buzzards, and while they were circling over this neglected tanyard, the place was called “Buzzards Glory.”

Two enthusiastic youths at that time, James Johnson and Ellis Nordyke, wishing to extol the virtues of their time, felt they could tell it best in a rhyme or so. They combined efforts and gave us the following:

“Come ye mechanics from afar,
And lend a helping hand,
From selling we will not debar
Come settle fertile land.

“Yea, Buzzards Glory is the place,
Where happiness doth reign.
Come, come mechanics, don’t delay,
We invite you once again.

“The invitation is to all
Ye sons of freedom, come!”

If you pass this way, I hope you’ll call
And make this place your home.

“Where oil doth run so clear and bright,
And the steam engine plays
If you were once to see the sight
Our noble works you’d praise.”

Buzzard

The invitation was accepted. “Mechanics from afar” answered the call and in the spring of 1827 the settlement was laid out as a village.

It seems at that time the settlers wanted a new name for their town having tired of the homely name of “Buzzards Glory.” Harkenss T. VanWinkle had the honor of giving the town its present name of New Vienna. He was born in Morris county, N.Y. February 21, 1792. In 1820 he settled in Leesburg, Ohio, coming to see New Vienna about the time it was laid out. He left for the west in 1844.