Dec 7

Dec 7 Beloved Mother - Nancy Ward Fights For Peace

Nancy Ward was a Cherokee leader who warned the Patriots of Native American attacks throughout the Revolutionary War.

Nancy Ward (Nanye-hi)

Nanye-hi was born into the Cherokee nation, her name meaning ‘One Who Goes About’.

While still a teenager, she became a mother of two children and followed her husband into the French and Indian War.

Siding with the British, her husband was killed in the Battle of Taliwa.

Nancy Ward (Nayne-hi’s anglicized name), was not deterred. She picked up her husband's rifle and led the Cherokee to victory.

Beloved Woman

For her bravery, Nancy Ward was honored with the title of Ghighau.

This translates to ‘Beloved Woman’ which was a leadership role in the Cherokee community. She sat on both the Women’s Council and the Council of Chiefs.

Ward (who again, was still a teenager) suddenly had a leading role in both war and, more importantly, diplomacy.

Lydia Bean

Around this time, Nancy saved the life of a young woman named Lydia Bean.

Bean, in turn, taught Ward the art of weaving cotton as well as the proper way to raise cattle.

These additions changed the way the Cherokee lived and in many ways mirrored the lifestyle of European settlers who came to the area.

Warning the Patriots

During the Revolutionary War, the Cherokee went to war with the Americans.

Nancy, whose primary goal was peaceful coexistence, warned the Patriots of upcoming attacks on several occasions.

She became well respected as a diplomat and even had one of her daughters marry Indian Agent Joseph Martin.

Treaty of Hopewell

Ward participated in the Treaty of Hopewell, surprising many Patriots with her moving speech arguing for a prolonged peace. (Though, they seemed to mostly be surprised there was a woman handling diplomacy.)

Sadly, as she aged, her role as a leader of the Cherokee diminished and she was unhappy when the land she lived on was traded away to the Americans.

Nancy moved south and opened an inn that was often frequented by travelers until her death which is estimated to have been in her late 80’s.

If you would like to learn about another Native American who helped the Patriots during the Revolutionary War, may I recommend Colonel Louis:

The Highest Ranking Native American in the Continental Army - Colonel Louis Cook

Nancy Ward has dozens of biographies.

Don’t be fooled by Amazon’s crappy image below, ‘Beloved Mother: The Story of Nancy War’ is probably the best historical account of her life.

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).