Highpoint North Carolina

Keyauwee Indians

The Keyauwee Indians, part of the Siouan linguistic family, were located near the present-day borders of Guilford, Davidson, and Randolph Counties. First documented in 1701 by Lawson, they lived in a palisaded village and sought alliance with neighboring tribes for protection. Their history suggests a migration southward toward Pee Dee and potential integration with the Catawba. With an estimated population of around 500 in 1600, they later became part of a larger group of tribes totaling 750 but do not appear in historical records afterward.

Keyauwee Tribe

The Keyauwee Tribe, a small Siouan-affiliated group in North Carolina, was first documented by John Lawson in 1701, living in a palisaded village near High Point. Their chief, Keyauwee Jack, was a Congaree by birth. The tribe cultivated corn and, facing threats, sought alliance with neighboring tribes. By 1733, they migrated southward to the Pedee River in South Carolina. The Keyauwee eventually faded from historical records, likely merging with the Catawba tribe, as noted in a 1761 map.