Henry Woodward (colonist) facts for kids

Henry Woodward (born around 1646 – died around 1690) was a merchant and early colonist from Barbados. He was one of the first white settlers in the Carolinas. Woodward built strong relationships with many Native American tribes in the American Southeast. He started trading with them, mostly for deerskins and sometimes for enslaved people.

Early Adventures

Not much is known about Henry Woodward's early life. He was likely born in Barbados. His parents were William Woodward and Esther Martin.

In 1666, Henry Woodward joined Captain Robert Sandford's trip to explore the South Carolina coast. Woodward bravely volunteered to stay behind. He lived among the Cusabo Indians near Port Royal Sound. His goal was to make friends and learn their language. For this, the Lords Proprietors (the owners of the colony) temporarily gave him "possession of the whole Country."

Captured and Escaped

In 1667, the Spanish captured Woodward and took him to St. Augustine, Florida. He was held prisoner for about a year. During this time, he was treated well. He even pretended to be Catholic and became the official surgeon. This experience taught him a lot about how the Spanish traded with Native Americans. This knowledge later helped him start his own trading system.

Woodward escaped in 1668 when an English buccaneer named Robert Searle attacked St. Augustine. For about two years, Woodward worked as a surgeon on privateer ships in the Caribbean. He was shipwrecked on Nevis in 1669. After that, he sailed with the Carolina fleet, which founded Charleston, South Carolina, in 1670. Henry Woodward became an important interpreter and agent for the new colony.

Exploring the Interior

Starting in 1670, Woodward began exploring inland. He made contact with many Native American groups. While some Spanish explorers had traveled inland before, Woodward was the first Anglo-American colonist to do so. He was also the last European to visit the powerful chiefdom of Cofitachequi in 1670.

Trade with Westo and Shawnee

The Westo Indians were at first unfriendly to the new South Carolina colony. In 1674, some Westo Indians visited Woodward. He was well-known among the tribes. They asked him to travel to their village on the Savannah River. During this visit, Woodward started a trading relationship between Carolina and the Westo.

While there, Woodward saw two Shawnee Indians arrive. These Shawnee had likely moved south to trade with the Spanish and escape wars in the north. Using sign language, the Shawnee warned the Westo about attacks from other tribes. This made the Westo trust the Shawnee. Later, these Shawnee, known as the "Savannah" Indians, secretly approached Woodward. They formed a relationship that eventually led to the downfall of the Westo.

When war broke out between the Westo and South Carolina in 1679, the Savannah Shawnee helped South Carolina. By 1680, the Westo tribe was greatly weakened. The Savannah Shawnee then moved onto their lands along the lower Savannah River.

Indian Agent and Politics

In 1677, the Lords Proprietors of South Carolina claimed they controlled all Indian trade. They banned all trade except through their official agents. After the Westo were defeated, Woodward lost favor with the Lords Proprietors.

In 1682, Woodward was shot in the head but still managed to travel to England. There, he received a pardon and an official job as an Indian agent for the Lords Proprietors. Woodward agreed to manage the Indian trade for them, earning 20% of the profits.

Stuarts Town and the Yamasee

In 1684, a group of Scots founded Stuarts Town near Port Royal Sound. The Scots and the English in Charles Town often disagreed. The Scots started their own Indian trade and formed a strong alliance with the powerful Yamasee Indians.

In 1685, Henry Woodward was arrested in Stuarts Town. He was on a mission to trade with the "proto-Creeks" along the Chattahoochee River. Lord Cardross of Stuarts Town wanted to control this trade. Woodward was soon released and seemed to help the Stuarts Town Scots and their Yamasee allies.

The Yamasee, supported by Stuarts Town, raided Spanish lands in Florida. They brought back many enslaved Native Americans to sell to the Scots. Back in Charles Town, Woodward publicly criticized Stuarts Town for these raids. The Yamasee raids soon led to a Spanish attack that destroyed Stuarts Town. Woodward likely benefited from these raids, and his criticism was probably part of the political rivalry between Charles Town and Stuarts Town.

Introduction of Rice

Henry Woodward is often given credit for bringing important rice crops to the colonies around 1685. A pirate trader named John Thurber returned from Madagascar with a bag of rice seeds. He gave them to Woodward. Woodward's experiments showed that the marshy soil in Charles Town was perfect for growing rice.

Trade with Chattahoochee River Indians

By the mid-1680s, Woodward was traveling southwest into modern Georgia. He visited Native American towns along the lower Chattahoochee River, such as Coweta and Cussita. These towns later became key parts of the Creek Nation. Woodward led a dozen other Charles Town traders to these Chattahoochee Indians. These traders continued the business after Woodward's death.

During these trips, Woodward found some Chickasaw Indians who had married into the "proto-Creek" groups. The strong ties between the Chickasaw and proto-Creeks helped the English find a new market among the Chickasaw further west. Woodward was involved in the beginning of English-Chickasaw relations. However, he died before the first traders reached Chickasaw territory in the early 1690s.

The Spanish had previously explored the lower Chattahoochee River area. They considered it a potential mission province. Woodward's visit in 1685 caused a Spanish reaction. Lieutenant Governor Antonio Matheos led Spanish soldiers and Apalachee Indians to the Chattahoochee towns. The English traders hid or ran away. In 1686, Matheos returned with a larger force. He marched from town to town, taking firearms and trade goods. He offered the towns a chance to join Spanish rule. Eight towns agreed. The four that did not, including Coweta and Cussita, were burned down. After this, these four towns reluctantly promised to obey Spain. Within a few years, English traders from South Carolina were active among these towns again. Henry Woodward died in Charles Town in 1690.

Legacy

Henry Woodward was an ancestor to many important colonial figures, politicians, and businesspeople in South Carolina. A large part of the wealthy Charleston families were his descendants. Ursula von der Leyen is also one of his descendants.