Kingsport Spirit

I’ve always taken pride in my Scots-Irish heritage, believing my ancestors’ lives mirrored the plot of Outlander, where Jamie and Claire settle in North Carolina, building a life among native tribes. As war with England looms, they fight to protect their home and loved ones—just as they did in Scotland. Their story closely parallels that of our region’s Overmountain Men, whose victory at King’s Mountain turned the tide of the American Revolution.

But when I took a DNA test, I discovered my heritage was far more complex than I had imagined.

I had always been told about my paternal Fleming side (though I recently learned that biologically, that wasn’t the case—but that’s a story for another day). My mom wasn’t as into genealogy, so her side of the family was often downplayed. But DNA doesn’t play favorites—we inherit 50% from each parent, shaping who we are.

When my results came in, my narrative seemed shattered. My paternal line showed 0% Irish and only 4% Scottish—far from the proud Scots-Irish identity I had imagined. But then I looked at my maternal side, which revealed 29% Scots-Irish, bringing my total to 33%. Not a majority, but still significant.

So, where did the rest of my DNA originate?

• 57% Anglo-Saxon (Northeast England/Northwest Europe)
• 8% Germanic Europe
• 2% Welsh

And when you consider that the Saxons were a Germanic people, that means I’m actually 65% Germanic—something I never saw coming. But, as I soon learned, this was typical of settlers in the Appalachian Highlands of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and the Carolinas.

My research was further confirmed when I traced the genealogy of a local friend. His family’s settlement patterns reflected the same mix, showing that Germanic influence in our region was far greater than I had first considered.

As I dug deeper into my maternal lineage, I uncovered a key piece of my own history: my fourth great-grandfather, Johann Heinrich Myers, settled in Piney Flats, Sullivan County. His son, my third great-granduncle, John Henry Myers, anglicized the name—a pattern I found to be incredibly common.

Familiar local names—like Stuffle (originally Stophel) and Ketron/Catron (originally Kettenring)—also trace their roots back to German settlers. Even names like Martin Luther Roller, whose heirs owned much of modern Kingsport before the city’s official development in 1917, reflect German religious heritage.

German Surnames Anglicized in Sullivan County, Tennessee

• Becker → Baker
  • Example: Jacob Baker (Johann Jakob Becker) appears in late 1700s East Tennessee land records.
• Schmidt → Smith
  • Example: John Smith (Johannes Schmidt), an early Sullivan County settler.
• Müller → Miller
  • Example: Henry Miller (Heinrich Müller), an early pioneer in East Tennessee.
• Schneider → Snyder
  • Example: Philip Snyder (Philipp Schneider), recorded in early tax lists.
• Weber → Weaver
  • Example: George Weaver (Georg Weber), who migrated from Pennsylvania.
• Fischer → Fisher
  • Example: Daniel Fisher (Daniel Fischer), an early settler in the region.
• Zimmermann → Carpenter
  • “Zimmermann” means “carpenter” in German, leading to this change.
  • Example: John Carpenter (Johann Zimmermann).
• Braun → Brown
  • Example: Jacob Brown (Johann Jakob Braun).
• Klein → Cline/Kline
  • Example: Adam Cline (Adam Klein), listed in Sullivan County records.
• Kraus(e) → Crouse/Cross
  • Example: Michael Crouse (Michael Krause), a Northeast Tennessee settler.
• Schäfer → Shaffer/Shaver
  • Example: Peter Shaver (Peter Schäfer), recorded in early East Tennessee.
• Reinhardt → Rinehart/Reinhart
  • Example: David Rinehart (David Reinhardt).
• Hartmann → Hartman
  • Example: Samuel Hartman (Samuel Hartmann).
• Koch → Cook
  • Example: Henry Cook (Heinrich Koch).
• Wagner → Wagoner/Waggoner
  • Example: John Wagoner (Johann Wagner), an early East Tennessee settler.
• Huber → Hoover
  • Example: Conrad Hoover (Konrad Huber).
• Bauer → Bower/Bowyer
  • Example: George Bower (Georg Bauer).

Many of these families traveled from Pennsylvania, through the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and into Sullivan County via the Great Wagon Road.

So while we proudly celebrate our Irish heritage on St. Patrick’s Day, perhaps we should give just as much recognition to Oktoberfest!