Shortly after 1674, the Hathawekela or that part of the Shawnee afterward so called, settled upon Savannah River, and in 1681 they proved of great assistance to the new colony of South Carolina by driving a tribe known as Westo, probably part of the Yuchi, from the middle Savannah."
In the late 17th century, the Hathawekela or those who would later be known as the Shawnee living near Savannah River made their home there. They played an important part in South Carolina's early history by helping to remove a tribe called Westo, possibly from the Yuchi nation, from the middle section of the river.