Mary Tapscott Dailey Crook, 1842 - 1895

Mary Dailey was born about 50 miles south of Allegany County in Moorefield, Hardy County, Virginia. This is now West Virginia which, during the Civil War, broke off from Virginia and was created as a separate state in 1863.

Mary's father, John Dailey, managed the Revere House in Cumberland during the Civil War. It was here, in February 1865, that Union General George Crook (1830-1890) was kidnapped during a
daring raid by a band of Confederates known as McNeill's Rangers. After the war George returned to Cumberland and married Mary on August 21, 1865. He went on to become quite famous in various American Indian campaigns involving the Sioux, Apache, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo.

The Crooks often vacationed at the Glades Hotel (also owned and operated by Mary's father) in Oakland, in Garrett County which until 1872 was a part of Allegany County. The Crooks' intention was to maintain a residence in Oakland upon the General's retirement, and as such construction began on a homesite today known as, "Crook's Crest". Unfortunately, Major General George Crook died before the house was completed. Buried in Oakland, his pallbearers included President William McKinley and "Buffalo Bill" Cody. Mary made "Crook's Crest" her permanent home until her death. In 1898 the Crooks' remains were relocated from Oakland and reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery.