The Steinz family, of which I am a descendant, came to the United States from Hamburg Germany in the very early 1800’s. They settled mainly in the area of western North Carolina, specifically the area in and around Marshall, NC, fairly close to the state of Tennessee.

My great grandfather Jake Stines, (the name changed from Steinz to Stines over time because people started spelling it like it sounded), was born in 1830 in the town of Marshall, NC. He met and married Julia Wallen. Julia was actually born on the boat coming from Germany to the U.S.

They had four sons, Loy the oldest, Jake, the second son and my grandfather Wres, and his twin brother Wras. They were born in 1907. From what I understand they were called Wres and Wras because their mom couldn’t think of anything else to call them.

I have spoken to my aunt and uncle who are the only older living relatives that are still alive from either side of my grandparents’ family. My uncle who is 87 assures me that the whole family from my great grandfather to my grandfather and all of his brothers were staunch southern Democrats who were very religious, and it would have been looked at as being sinful to vote any other way than that.

The only exception to that might have been my great uncle Loy Stines who was not the type to support the government or its laws, especially the ones pertaining to the transportation of alcohol. He was a notorious moonshine maker/ runner, constantly running from revenuers out of North Carolina. That is how half of our family ended up in Tennessee.

Even though they were Democrats at that time, I believe they would be very far right-leaning Republicans today.