Nancy Ward was called upon to show the depth and strength of her
character as a young bride while assisting her husband during a
battle against the Creeks. When he was shot and killed, Nancy
picked up his gun and continued the battle, rallying the Cherokee
to victory. The Cherokee paid homage to Nancy and made her a
Beloved Woman, a position reserved for brave and wise women who
have served the people well.
As a Beloved Woman, Nancy had full voice and full vote in all
tribal councils, held the power of life and death and, with the
other Beloved Women of the Council, was the final arbitrator of any
and all disputes and decisions affecting the Cherokee. Her first
official act as a Beloved Woman was to save the life of a white
woman condemned to die.
Nancy was a devout believer in peaceful co-existence with the
whites. She earned the respect of both the white government and her
own people by her successful negotiations and mediations. She had
been educated by Moravians who had been allowed to settle in the
area, and she served as interpreter when the need arose. Nancy
constantly traveled the territory diverting conflict between the
European settlers and her people, and was the driving force behind
many peace agreements - she was a true politician.
Nancy was instrumental in negotiating the very first treaty
between the white government and the Cherokee, known as the Treaty
of Hopewell, and was present at its signing. During the years,
Nancy watched her work being destroyed as treaty after treaty was
broken, and she became increasingly suspicious of the white
government.
She began to speak out against the continuing sale of Cherokee
lands to the whites, but her fears were not taken seriously. She
moved into Tennessee where she operated a successful inn until her
death.
Nancy Ward is highly regarded by the Cherokee Nation, and many
honors have been bestowed in her name. A Tennessee chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution is even named for her.
This information is credited to Julia White at:
http://www.meyna.com/cherokee.html
