Can you post a photo of the tree itself or at least of the bark? It is hard to ID trees based solely on foliage. The bark's appearance and the structure of the tree probably would help you get an ID.

I could be wrong, but it looks like a poplar tree. Grows through runners underground like strawberries.

the tree fell last night during the storm, and my dh wonder what kind because it could become fire wood if it were a hardwood. but a friend came over and said that it was a paper leaf mulberry. I looked it up and that is what it was. hate losing trees.

I thought it probably was a mulberry but wasn't positive. The birds plants them here all the time, so if there are any mulberries around that fruit, the birds probably will plant you another one at some point. The type of mulberry the birds tend to plant here in my flowerbeds and shrub beds is red mulberry.