This one is for you, Peggy Luther!
This is Trink's first son, Thomas Lee Queen (born
Billy M. Donaldson on March 30, 1922), who never
made it to any of the Donaldson reunions. He lived
his whole life without knowing that he was a member
of our family.
When his mother, Emma, died shortly after his birth
in 1922, Trink left him with Emma's brother, Jim, for
safekeeping. Virginia went to Aunt Cennie's. Later,
Trink came back for Virginia, then left her at Jim and
Hattie's, too.
Later, when Trink married (Elsie Mabe), he, apparently,
never returned for his children. Thomas grew up believing
that Jim and Hattie were his real parents. Though they
never formally adopted him, Jim and Hattie, apparently,
renamed him after Emma's father.
When Thomas retired from the Danville, VA Police Department
in 1979, he wrote to Raleigh, NC for a copy of his birth certificate.
That is when he discovered that he was really Billy M. Donaldson.
Then, Thomas had his name legally changed to Thomas Lee Queen.
