Nancy Ward
Nancy Ward was a significant figure in Cherokee history, known for her leadership and advocacy for peace during a tumultuous period in the 18th century. Born into an influential Cherokee family, she earned the title "Most Honored Woman" after demonstrating exceptional bravery in battle against the Creeks in 1755, following the death of her first husband, King Fisher. Ward later married Bryant Ward, an English trader, and had two children with each husband.
Her involvement in the 1775 negotiations with English agents highlighted her role as a mediator during conflicts over land and alliances. Unlike many Cherokee leaders who sought to engage in warfare against settlers, Ward advocated for peaceful resolutions, aiming to protect her people while also saving lives on both sides. She played a crucial role in the 1781 peace talks between the Cherokee and white settlers, continuing to promote peace throughout her life. In her later years, she became a successful innkeeper near the Ocoee River and passed away in 1822. Nancy Ward's legacy as a peacekeeper and a woman of influence in Cherokee society remains significant, reflecting the complexities of tribal and settler relationships during her time.
Subject Terms
Nancy Ward
- Born: c. 1738
- Birthplace: Chota (now in Tennessee)
- Died: c. 1824
- Place of death: Polk County, Tennessee
Tribal affiliation: Cherokee
Significance: Ward was a chief of the Cherokee Nation and a staunch advocate of peace between Indians and European settlers
Nancy Ward was born in the capital of the Cherokee Nation to an important Cherokee family. Nancy and her husband, King Fisher, fought against the Creeks in 1755 in the Taliwa battle. King Fisher was mortally wounded, and legend has it that Nancy fought so valiantly the Cherokee declared her “Most Honored Woman”—a powerful distinction. Shortly after being widowed, Nancy married Bryant Ward, an English trader who had come to Chota. Nancy Ward is described as a strikingly beautiful woman with rose-colored skin. Because of this attribute, she was given the nickname “Wild Rose.” She had two children by each of her husbands.
In 1775, the Cherokee met with English agents at Sycamore Shoals in what is now eastern Tennessee. The issues were whether more land should be sold to the English and what role the Cherokee should play in the English-American conflict. There was disagreement among the Cherokee chiefs as to which side to favor, but they needed weapons and selling land to the English seemed to be the only way to obtain what they needed. Nancy Ward’s voice was one of peace—in opposition to her cousin, Dragging Canoe, who desired weapons to drive the settlers east across the Appalachian Mountains. In 1776, it was decided to wage war against the white people. Nancy Ward prepared the ceremonial “black drink” that was purported to give the warriors success. She then informed the white settlers of the impending attack by releasing three white traders the Cherokees had held captive. Raids were carried out against settlements on the Holston River, and because of Nancy Ward, many lives were saved on both sides.
Nancy Ward was vocal in the 1781 peace talks between the Cherokee and white settlers at Long Island (near the present city of Kingsport, Tennessee). Though the consequences of the talks were short-lived, Nancy continued to speak for peace until her dying day. In her later years she moved to the Ocoee River area to be near her family. There she became a successful innkeeper. Nancy Ward died in 1822 and is buried near Benton, Tennessee.