Van Sant
Van Sant Family

NOTE: SPECIAL UPDATE:

I have recently been sent an enormous amount of information regarding the VanSant family, in the form of a book that was written on the subject of the Van Sant and the shipyards they lived and worked in. I have just begun to post the information, and all of the links may not work yet, but you can view the work in progress as it gets posted here.

The following information was recorded by a visitor to this site who was kind enough to allow me to share it here with you. It was copied from the headstones in an old cemetery on Old Church Road, off Route 542 in Lower Bank. There are apparently more headstones there, but at present these two rather unique transcriptions are all they had time to record:
Mercey Van Sant - wife of Rev. Nicholas Van Sant
Died Jan 8 1880, in the 91st year of her age.
Convicted in youth she continued a faithful member of the M.E. Church during her long life. Loving the church, she was punctual in attendance on the means of grace even in old age, possessing a rich experience. In prayer she devoutly and eloquently talk'd with God, and in the class her experience was given with positiveness and joyous glow which frequently culminiated in shouting the praises of God. Exemplary in her home, she live'd to see her children converted and four of her sons ministers of the Gospel, and most of her children's children brought to Christ. Her death was peaceful and triumphant.
"O may I triumph so,
When all my warfare's past
And fend in death, my latest foe
Beneath my feet at last."
Rev. Nicholas Van Sant Sr.
Born Nov. 3 1788 died March 6, 1879
He was a member of the M.E. Church 73 years and a local preacher almost 60 years, was ordained April 17, 1831, lived with his wife of his youth 70 years. Honest in his dealings: uncompromising with sin, firm and fearless in the advocacy of Temperence earnest and unswerving as a Christian skilled in the word of God he was instructive as a preacher, and always preaching by his holy life. Exempllifying the Christian graces and virtues, his long life was remarkable in Goodness and usefulness. Honoring his parents his days were long in the land and his numerous posterity rise up to call him Blessed.
"Servant of God well done!
Thy glorious warfare's past
The battles fought, the race is run
And thou art crowned at last."

Regarding the above mentioned Van Sant family, the following information about their family was found in the New Jersey Courier of November 26th,1903.:

Children of Nicholas and Mercy Van Sant

  1. James Van Sant
  2. Nicholas Van Sant
  3. Nathaniel Van Sant
  4. Joel Van Sant (more on him below)
  5. Isaac Van Sant
  6. Reverend S.M. Van Sant
  7. Mayor H.D. Van Sant of Island Heights
  8. Samuel Van Sant
  9. John Van Sant, who married Lydia Anderson, daughter of Elias Anderson, jr.. They were the parents of:
    • Samuel R. Van Sant. He married the sisterof David Anderson (who was the father of Charles Pitman Anderson, of Toms River) Samuel's wife was also a sister to: George Anderson, father of William Anderson of Stapleton, Staten Island; and to Amy Anderson, who first married a Mr. Imlay and had a daughter, married to Dr. Shinn of Lakehurst; Amy's second husband was a Captain Newell.

JOEL VAN SANT:
The information below regarding Joel Van Sant was submitted by another researcher, Gary:
"...I found a descendant of Capt. John Van Sant who was interested in joining the Van Zandt Surname DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA.com....a little history of the branch of the Van Zandt family that stayed in New England after 1700 and moved to NJ before 1760. The new participant, Joel Van Sant, is descended from Gerrit Stoffelszen Vansant as follows:
Stoffel Vansant (1618-1655) , father of Gerrit Stoffelszen Vansant (1644-1706), father of Stoffel Vansant (1668-1749), in turn the father of Stoffel Vansant (1701-1756), who was father to John Van Sant, Capt. (1726-1820), father of Nicholas Van Sant, Rev. (1788-1879), in turn the father of Joel Van Sant I (1811-1895). This is the last piece in my Van Zandt genealogical puzzle. If his Y-DNA results are the same as James' descendant, named James, or mine, the link to family link to Stoffel Vansant (1618-1655) will be proven. All 25-markers will need to be compared to be sure.."

"...I believe I have discovered the maiden name of Capt. John Van Sant's (1726-1820) first wife, Martha. I believe she was "Martha Loveland," born in 1729 in Hartford, CT. This doesn't add anything to our knowledge of the Revolutionary War-era brothers, George, James or John , but it does demonstrate how well Capt. John's family tree is documented."

NOTE: You can view a transcription of a deed from John and Mary Van Sant, dated 1768, by clicking here

So, based on the above information the genealogy looks something like this:

  1. Stoffel Vansant (1618-1655)
    • Gerrit Stoffelszen Vansant (1644-1706)
      • Joel Stoffel Vansant (1668-1749)
        • Stoffel Vansant (1701-1756)
          • John Van Sant, Capt. (1726-1820)
            • Nicholas Van Sant, Rev. (1788-1879) Joel Van Sant I (1811-1895)
              1. James Van Sant
              2. Nicholas Van Sant
              3. Nathaniel Van Sant
              4. Joel Van Sant
              5. Isaac Van Sant
              6. Reverend S.M. Van Sant
              7. Mayor H.D. Van Sant of Island Heights
              8. Samuel Van Sant
              9. John Van Sant, who married Lydia Anderson, daughter of Elias Anderson, jr.. They were the parents of:
                • Samuel R. Van Sant. He married the sisterof David Anderson (who was the father of Charles Pitman Anderson, of Toms River) Samuel's wife was also a sister to: George Anderson, father of William Anderson of Stapleton, Staten Island; and to Amy Anderson, who first married a Mr. Imlay and had a daughter, married to Dr. Shinn of Lakehurst; Amy's second husband was a Captain Newell.

Thanks to Gary for the photos below:

John Van Sant grave marker
Port Republic, NJ		 Smith Meeting House Plaque,
Lowerbank, NJ		 Capt. John Van Sant headstone
Lowerbank, NJ

The text on the headstone reads:

Capt. John Van Sant, 
Died 1820 Aged 94 Yrs
Also his wife 
Rebecca
Died 1831 Aged 80 Yrs
Parents of
Rev. Nicholas VanSant Sr.
Aged 90 Yrs.
Buried at Lower Bank
Erected by J.W. Vansant
Of Leclaire, Iowa
Born January 9, 1816
Died Feb. 24, 1902
this page was last updated on October 1st, 2003