Dunno, but I was using FTP in 1975-76. I'd guess
that
any behavioral resemblence is more a consequence of the
two both having similar functions, i.e., moving files
around, rather than any sort of common parentage...
I remember my wife bringing home a little sheet of paper with some stuff to
type in on my Apple II and it downloaded a working version of Kermit from
the university computers. I still don't know how to use Kermit. ;) But I
don't let that get in the way of using it a little.