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The Greenwood Family

The family of William Greenwood and Isabel Bryan Greenwood. Their daughter, Mary Greenwood, married Spicer Christopher. Their other daughter, Susanna Greenwood, is my gggg grandmother.

Susanna married Francisco Dias Terán (6-17-1789). Various Spanish records spell the Terán surname as Taran, Ferran, Faran, Farrand, Ferari.

There is an 1827 deed in which Samuel Russell, Jr. and wife, Mary Isabel Terán, daughter of Francisco Terán, deed 300 ac. of land on the southern tip of Amelia Is. The records call this point Punta del Sur and "Ferrands" Point. (I wonder if this "Hammock Land" still exists, and if so, is it accessible?)

I think that Susanna Greenwood may have actually been born in the US (Ga. or SC) rather than in Florida, as the Spanish records indicate. One record to the contrary, the baptism of her son Juan Teran, 5-2-1793, states she is a native of North America. (also baptized at same time were Samuel Spicer and Lewis Christopher, sons of Spicer and Mary Greenwood Christopher, in which both parents were shown as natives of North America). And further, Susanna Greenwood was not baptised in the Catholic Church until 1789, when she was 19 years of age. (the baptism occurred about 2 weeks prior to marriage to Francisco Terán)

William Greenwood (father of Mary and Susanna) was born in Va., his wife Isabel Bryan in Ga., and daughter Mary in Ga.

In "People of Camden Co, Georgia" there is the following notation: "Capt. William Greenwood, from Va., and wife Isabel Bryan of Carolina del Sur". (my notes don't reflect actual source of statement). Also, the 1789 baptism of Susanna Greenwood shows her as daughter of William Greenwood, Va., and Isabel Bryan, Carolina.

I mention the above only to suggest that there appears to be some sort of connection between (Capt.) William Greenwood and South Carolina. Such a connection is suggested in the book "Loyalists in East Florida", p.103. A footnote states that Wm. Greenwood petitioned for a grant of 200 acres in E. Fla. in 1766. That he commanded a militia company in Charleston, SC after the British captured the town. That Capt. Greenwood and two others were appointed trustees of captured property. And that after Revolutionary War he made a claim to the British government for losses of £49,604 , which was disallowed. The claim was one of the largest made to the Crown. The footnote cites the following sources: C.O. 5/570; Egerton(ed.), R. Comm. on Loyalist Claims, 1783-1785, p 41; Hist. MSS. Comm., Am. MSS in R. Inst., II.127, 136, 226, 229, 231, 321; E.A. Jones (ed.), Journal of Alexander Chesney, pp. 116, 119; Curwen, Journal and Letters, 1845, p. 671.

I elaborated on what little info I have on William Greenwood because I hope to work on him in the near future and will gladly exchange info with others who have an interest in William Greenwood and his ancestry. He might develop into an interesting character. Also, think I once ran across (in the Spanish records) something about a Capt. John (?) Greenwood and his ship, El Tiburon. (The Shark). Wonder if the Greenwoods were mariners?

Hank Lewis
louie@airmail.net