William Clarence Claude Roberts, the son of Agnes Jane Hale and Charles Middleton Breaker Roberts, was born in Madisonville, Madison County, Texas. He relocated, along with his parents and Hale grandparents, to the Texas Gulf Coast in 1895. He lived in both Alvin and Galveston, Texas. He used his middle name, Claude.

Claude began his young adult life in Galveston, Texas, working on the Southern Pacific Railroad docks. Claude married Miss Katie Schinse on January 12, 1907 in Galveston. They had 2 children Henry C. and Frederick H. Roberts.
Katie and the children disappeared from Claude's life and he was divorced in 1917. They have never been located.

Claude Roberts moved to League City, Galveston County, Texas in 1917 and became close friends with Tom Turner. Tom and Claude operated an ice cream and confectionary store called the "Palace of Sweets". It was a popular spot for the residents of League City in the 1920's. At this time, Claude was known as "Roy", a nickname that followed him all of his life. They were also involved with another popular tourist spot, the Interurban Queen and Cigar Store in Galveston, Texas.

The US Census for 1940 enumerated William Roberts 55, Divorced, in Galveston, Galveston, Texas. He states his occupation as a Bartender in a Cafe. He is a lodger in a private household. He states that he was in the same house in 1935.

After the death of Tom Turner, Claude ("Roy") continued to work for the railroads. In his later years, he was with the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad, which traveled from Galveston as far north as Henderson, Texas. He was a member of a railroad organization, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees. Claude died in Rusk, Cherokee County, Texas, at the age of 75. His funeral arrangements were handled by Jack Rowe Funeral home in League City where he was transported for burial. Somehow the funeral home has no record of which cemetery "Roy" was buried in. For a number of reasons, it is assumed that he is in the Fairview Cemetery in League City, Texas.