Claude C. Priest

The following was related to me by my Aunt Caroline, his daughter...

The family lived in Bonham, TX (him, Grandma Priest, and the children. GP Claude worked at the local bottling plant. He learned they were going to open a Dr. Pepper bottling plant in Charleston, S. Carolina.[this is how the family ended up in the Sumter, S. Carolina area] He told his family he would travel to Charleston and get a job there, and after arrangements were made he would send for them. Time passed and he still hadn't sent for them, so my GM Elsie packed up the kids and chased him down in Charleston. She found him living with another woman. Aunt Caroline said GM moved to Sumter because she knew the Claude would not leave her alone if she remained accessible in the Charleston area. The children all grew up in the area with Uncle Billy beginning his law enforcement career there as a policeman.