Chris' Family Founded an American Town ~ Greenwich, Connecticut

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025: Week 43 (URBAN)

The town of Greenwich, Connecticut was named after Greenwich in England by Chris' 10th great grandfather, Jeffrey Ferris.

"...On July 18, 1640, the Siwanoy Indians, for the price of twenty-five English coats, sold the land that is now Old Greenwich to four Englishmen. One of the Englishmen, Jeffrey Ferris, named the area..." 1

In researching this blog I discovered only 3 were men, and one a female noted in the quote above.

I also discovered Chris' father's maternal line founded the town of Greenwhich. 

"...But back in 1640, when the town of Greenwich was founded, the Point was known as Elizabeth's Neck in honor of the wife of Robert Feake. With Captain Daniel Patrick and a few other settlers, Feake bought the land and surrounding areas from the Siwanoy Indians for the princely sum of 'Twentie Five Coates.' (However, the deed shows that only fourteen English coats were actually delivered.)

Captain Patrick, a feisty fellow, had been thrown out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for unbecoming behavior and found a less God-fearing atmosphere in this Connecticut frontier settlement. He did nothing to further good relations with the Indians when he killed Chief Mianos in an altercation. He got his comeuppance, however, when he was shot in a brawl with an enraged Dutch soldier. Feake became deranged and wandered off into oblivion. But another founder, Jeffrey Ferris, who named the town Greenwich after his birthplace in England, still has progeny here today.. ..." 2

Feake Ferris House in Greenwich CT Connecticut USA
Sourced below

Take a wander through Greenwich today:

Daniel Patrick's widow, Anneke, married Chris'
1st Cousin X11 removed - Tobias Feake

Elizabeth (nee Fones, Winthrop) Feake is Chris' 10th great grandmother

Robert Feake is Chris' 10th great grandfather

Jeffrey Ferris is Chris' 10th great grandfather 
- It appears that Jeffrey was likely born in Leicester not Greenwich, but the town was definitely named after Greenwich in England.

All of these connections are through Chris' grandmother's maternal line
grandmother:
Nina Merle Vannatter
Birth 18 JAN 1926 • Houghton Township, Ontario, Canada
Death 5 SEP 2002 • Tillsonburg, Oxford, Ontario, Canada
married to
Lyle Clare Buchner
Birth 7 SEP 1926 • Tillsonburg, Oxford, Ontario, Canada
Death 29 JAN 2023 • Tillsonburg, Oxford, Ontario, Canada

Nina's ancestors were Patriots, 
Lyle's ancestors were Loyalists

In considering family history through a
Truth & Reconciliation lens ... 1st comes TRUTH

This Bramble Bush must examine the colonial role of our ancestors on both sides of the border.

In bringing forward the stories of our ancestors we bring forward truth.

Understanding the role your family played in history!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Footnotes:

1  OLD GREENWICH. Greenwich at a glance. Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved October 22nd 2025 from
https://www.greenwichchamber.com/greenwich-at-a-glance/ 

2  A Brief History of Greenwich. Greenwich at a glance. Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved October 22nd 2025 from
https://www.greenwichchamber.com/greenwich-at-a-glance/ 

Sources:

Greenwich at a glance. Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved October 22nd 2025 from
https://www.greenwichchamber.com/greenwich-at-a-glance/ 

Seton, Anya. The Winthrop woman. Houghton Mifflin, 1958.

Photos:

Swampyank, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved October 22nd 2025 from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Feake_Ferris_House_in_Greenwich_CT_Connecticut_USA_(cropped).jpg

Video:

Walking Old Greenwich, Connecticut in November 2022. Action Kid. Originally published November 5th 2022. Recorded November 3rd 2022. Retrieved October 22nd 2025 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Mm9XkzOYs

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

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