Help...Brick Wall...

My grandmother started researching this years ago, she found nothing. If anyone can help I would be thrilled.

We do not know anything about the history of my great-grandfather. He never talked about his parents (just said he was an orphan), he talked a little about his childhood but nothing about his teenage/young adult years... we have always thought that something bad happened during that time. His wife once found a classified ad in the back of a women's magazine that had something to do with him, he got very upset and threw it away.

Lewis Clyde Sharpe Sr.

b. 19 Oct 1883 Dean, Iowa

d. 8 Jun 1977 Austin, Travis Co, Texas

married: Edith Elizabeth Nobles 19 Mar 1918

Census 1920: Eden, Concho Co, Texas

Census 1930: San Angelo, Tom Green Co, Texas

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.