Two veterans of the Civl War--one a Confederate and the other a Union man--are buried side by side in Alpine's Elm Grove Cemetery. Both men are the grandfathers of Mrs. Gertrude Davis of Alpine. The Rebel soldier was Isaax Martin Roark, the father of I. C. (Bud) Roark, owner of the Holland Hotel here and long-time Brewster County Rancher. Mrs. Davis is Bud Roark's niece.
The Yank was Milo Charles Bennett, Mrs. Davis' paternal grandfather, who served with Wisconsin's Iron Brigade. They fought on opposite sides in five battles of the Civil War, including Bull Run or Manassas.
Isaac Roark enlisted from Denton County, Texas and served in Hood's Brigade. He was musteed out in Austin in 1865. Years after the war the men met in Oklahoma Territory. Bud Roark's sister married one of Milo Bennett's sons, and Mrs. Davis was one of the children of that marriage.
In later years, after the deaths of their wives in Oklahoma, the two veterans retired in Alpine and spent many long hours on the front porch of the old Bennett home arguing over the battles of the Civil War.
When Isaac Roark died on Jan 17, 1926, Milo Bennett purchased adjoining lots in Elm Grove Cemetery and asked that they be buried side by side when the latter died. Mr. Bennett died October 30, 1926 at the age of 85.
Graves of the two Civil War veterans--along with those of all other wars in Elm Grove Cemetery-were decorated on Memorial Day members of the American Legion, Big Bend Post No 79, and the story of Mrs. Davis' grandfathers was recalled by Fritz Bill Weyerts.