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 the Shawnee people who later came to be known as those living near Savannah River established themselves in the area. They played a crucial role in the early history of South Carolina by helping to displace a tribe called Westo, possibly from the Yuchi nation, from the middle section of the Savannah River.