The Cheraw (variously called Charaw, Charraw, Sara, Saraw, Saura, Suali, Sualy, Xualla, or Xuala), were a tribe of Siouan-speaking Amerindians first encountered by Hernando De Soto in 1540 and subsequently disappeared after 1768. The name they called themselves is lost to history but the Cherokee called them ani-suwa'ii and by the Catawba as sara ("place of tall weeds"). The Spanish and Portuguese called them Xuala (or Xualla) while other names applied to them (Saraw, Saura, Suali, Sualy, Charaw, etc.) by the English colonists. They may have originally been from northwestern South Carolina in present-day Pickens and Oconee counties before they were encountered by De Soto in present-day Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford counties in North Carolina in 1540. In 1600, they may have numbered 1,200. By 1672, they may have moved to the Stokes county region where the Saura Mountains and Sauratown is. Prior to 1700, they moved to present-day Danville, Virginia. In 1710, due to attacks by the Iroquois, they moved southeast and joined the Keyauwee tribe. After the Yamasee War in 1716, they then moved to present-day Chesterfield county in northeastern South Carolina, where the town of Cheraw is named after them. Because of still being subject to attacks by the Iroquois, they became incorporated with the Catawba between 1726-1739. Their last notice was in 1768, still with the Catawba, and numbering only 50-60. Siouan is a family of related Native American languages in North America. ... A Hupa man, 1923 The term indigenous peoples of the Americas encompasses the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the first European explorers in the late 15th century, as well as many present-day ethnic groups who identify themselves with those historical peoples. ... Hernando de Soto is a: Spanish explorer. ... Events January 6 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves, his fourth Queen consort. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... Catawba may refer to several things: The Catawba, a Native American tribe The name used by this and some other Native American tribes for a genus of trees, now usually spelled Catalpa Catawba grape, a variety of grape Catawba Island, Ohio, one of the Bass Islands in Lake Erie Catawba... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1760-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35°12N  - Longitude 78°030... Pickens County is a county located in the state of South Carolina. ... Oconee County is a county located in the state of South Carolina. ... Location in the state of North Carolina Formed 1838 Seat Hendersonville Area  - Total  - Water 971 km² (375 mi²) 3 km² (1 mi²) 0. ... Polk County is a county located in the state of North Carolina. ... Rutherford County is a county located in the state of North Carolina. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 500 miles (805 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 9. ... Stokes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... The Saura Mountains (sometimes called the Sauratown Mountains), are an isolated mountain range located wholly within Stokes County, North Carolina, USA. Although the range occupies only 5% of the countys area, they dominate the countys scenery from almost every direction, abruptly rising 800 to 1,700 feet above... Events January 1 - Russia accepts Julian calendar. ... Danville is an independent city in Virginia, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. ... The Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee, also known as the League of Peace and Power, Five Nations, or Six Nations) is a group of First Nations/Native Americans. ... The Yamasee War (1715–1716) was a conflict between Native Americans, principally of the Yamasee tribe, and British colonists, which occurred in South Carolina. ... Chesterfield County is a county located in the state of South Carolina. ... Cheraw is a town located in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. ...

References

• http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/siouan/cherawhist.htm
• http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/northcarolina/index.htm
• http://www.sciway.net/hist/indians/cheraw.html
• http://www.angelfire.com/az2/catawba/tribes.html