Claude was born in Texas to Sloan and Katie Fortenberry. Katie's family were pioneer citizens of Slidell Texas which is located on the Denton/Wise county line. Many of Katie's descendants call Slidell home still to this day. Claude was born & raised there & maintained a residence even when work placed him elsewhere. In the 1900 census, Claude is 11 years old, living with his parents, three brothers and one border. It states his mother was born in Texas and his dad was born in Arkansas. 1909 brought a devastating tornado that claimed most of the towns structures & several life's. They lived in the same area in 1910. Sloan is 59 & Kate is 50. Everett lived in the home along with his wife Verna and his son Oren who was under one years old. Claude also lived at home & was 20. He married Veda May Gilliland sometime before 1917. In 1917 he filed for exemption from the draft due to needing to support a wife and one child. He is 27 years old & states he was born July 3 in Leo, Texas. He is farming and self-employed. In 1920 he lives in Greenwood Wise County Texas. He is 30 and owns his own home. Veda is 26 and his two daughters are 6 & 2. In 1930 he is in The same area, 41, married to Veda who is 34, his daughter Wadie is 16 and Clauda is 11. Both of his children were born in Texas. Wadie was born in Leo. Sometime between 1930 and 1940 Veda May passes away and Claude marries Vera Elva Murray. In the 1940 census Claude, Elva and Anita, his step daughter, live next door to his mother Kate who owns her property. Claude rents his home and his farming. There are two records for him in 1942, his WWII card and Selective service registration certificate. Both provide the same information: he resides in Greenwood Texas at R. F. D1, 52 years old, birthday is July 3, farmer. One described him as 5 foot 11, 170 pounds, gray eyes, gray hair and light complexion. In 1943, he was ran over by a Santa Fe train at 1:30am causing his death. There are several newspaper articles regarding this event (foul play was suspected) and the investigation that followed. In the end it was determined he had been visiting a nearby Tavern. After enjoying his activities at the roadhouse he headed home in the early hours of the morning. He had a flat tire and it is believed he began to walk home using the railroad. At some point he must've passed out or went to sleep on the railroad track. At that time he resided with his family on the Evans Farm in Thackerville Oklahoma.