Hale Township in Mount Victory in Hardin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Mount Victory Historic District

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

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Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad

Mount Victory Historic District side of the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jason Irick, December 16, 2025

1. Mount Victory Historic District side of the marker

Inscription. Mount Victory Historic District
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places Mount Victory, Ohio was established by Ezra Dille in 1851. The name of the town came in this manner: in 1849 Ezra Dille went to auction hoping to purchase land for a new village. A competitor planned to outbid him and turn the land into a pasture. When Ezra’s friend, Thomas McCall learned Ezra would be able to procure the land, McCall exclaimed loudly “Victory! Victory! We shall name the town Mount Victory!”

This name was adopted by the proprietor of the town and by that name it has since been known.

Source: The History of Hardin County, Ohio by Henry Howe

Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad Obadiah & Sarah Williams operated a safe house south of Mt. Victory on SR 31 for escaped slaves heading north. One morning when a group of fugitives had spent the night, Sarah noticed federal agent slave hunters swiftly approaching on horseback. Obadiah quickly walked out to greet the men, answer questions and tell them his wife was preparing breakfast. All the while, Sarah quickly cleared evidence of the fugitives' breakfast, hid the

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fugitives out of sight then motioned for the agents to come into a freshly prepared breakfast. Obadiah and the agents discussed plans for searching the area. When the men left, Sarah loaded the fugitives onto a wagon, made her way to the next safe house in Mt. Victory, then went back home. That night, the agents returned to the Williams' home and slept in the same bed the escaped slaves had slept in the night before, never the wiser.

Many federal agents and slave hunters came to the Williams home. One agent was quoted as saying, 'Obadiah Williams is the best slave hunter in the territory.' It may have been Sarah's cooking that brought them back but not one fugitive was ever captured at the Williams' safe house.

Erected 2024 by Mount Victory Community Improvement Corp.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1851.

Location. 40° 32.078′ N, 83° 31.26′ W. Marker is in Mount Victory, Ohio, in Hardin County. It is in Hale Township. It is on North Main Street (Ohio Route 31) north of East Taylor Street ( Route

Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad side of the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, April 17, 2026

2. Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad side of the marker

273), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 106 North Main Street, Mount Victory OH 43340, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Till Plains.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Mount Victory United Methodist Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Mount Victory Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mount Victory (approx. 0.3 miles away); Hale Township Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.6 miles away); The Black and White Schoolhouse (approx. 3.7 miles away); Woodland Birds (approx. 5.7 miles away); Rhino Tree (approx. 5.9 miles away); Old Sandusky Trail and Shawnee Ford (approx. 6 miles away). Touch for a list and map

Mount Victory Historic District / Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jason Irick, December 16, 2025

3. Mount Victory Historic District / Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad Marker

of all markers in Mount Victory.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Mount Victory (was approx. 0.4 miles away but has been permanently removed).

Additional commentary.
1. New name of park
The park is now called Henry Martin Memorial Park.

— Submitted December 23, 2025, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2025, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 136 times since then and 94 times this year. Last updated on April 19, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1. submitted on December 17, 2025, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. 2. submitted on April 18, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 3. submitted on December 17, 2025, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

Mount Victory Historic District

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

⎯⎯⎯Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad

⎯⎯⎯
Mount Victory and the Underground Railroad