THE VANSANT FAMILY. The Vansants of Bucks county are descendants of a common ancestor, Gerret Stoffelse Van Sandt or Van Zandt.* (otherwise Garret Van Sandt, son of StorTcl or Christopher), who emigrated from the Netherlands, probably from Zaan- dam in North Holland, or Zandberg in Drenthe. in or about the year 1651, and settled in New Utrecht, Long Island, on the records of which town he is frequently mentioned as Gerret Stoffellse. He was one of the fourteen patentees mentioned in the patent from Governor Thomas Dongan, May 13. 1686. for the Commons of New Utrecht, "on behalf of themselves and their associates, the present freeholders and inhabitants of the said towne." His land was located at Yellow Hook, "under the jurisdiction of the town of New Utrecht." He was a magistrate of New Utrecht in 1681.

* For much of the information contained in this sketch, more especially that pertaining to the early generations of the family, we are indebted to R. Winder Johnson of Philadelphia, who has made extensive researches covering nearly twenty-five years pertaining to the ancestry of the Vansants and other Holland families from whom he is descended. He is himself a descendant of Garret Vansandt. through his son, Jacobus (7), and his fourth son. Isaiah Vansant. who married Charity VanHorn. and their daughter. Sarah. who married Christian Van Horn, the descent being shown more in detail in the article in this volume on the Van Horn Family.

By deed dated July 31, 1695, he conveyed his Yellow Hook plantation to Derick Janse Van Zutphen, and removed to Bucks county, where Joseph Growdon on 12 mo. 10, 1698-9, conveys to him 150 acres in Bensalem township, and on the same date conveys a like tract adjoining to his son Cornelius. It is probable that he was located for a time in New York, as he had two children baptized at the Dutch Reformed church there in 1674 and 1676, respectively. It is generally conceded that he was twice married, as the record of the baptisms above mentioned gives the name of his wife as Lysbeth Gerritz, while the later baptisms at New Utrecht and Flatbush churches give it as Lysbeth Cornells. It is, however, possible that in one instance her father's surname is used and in the other his first name as was common on the Dutch records. Cornelius Garrets was a member of the Dutch church at New Utrecht.



X. GARRET VAN SANDT. youngest son of Garret (i) was a minor when his father's real estate was conveyed in 1706. He settled in Wrightstown township, near Penn's Park, where he had a large plantation. He died in 1746. leaving a widow Claunchy, sons Garret and Cornelius, to whom he devised the plantation: and daughters Sarah Sackett, Rachel Dungan and Rebeckih Vansant, the latter a minor. Cornelius married ' Mary Lee. December 6, 1748, and died in March. 1789, without issue. His wife Mary died in August, 1808. Garret, eldest son of Garret and Claunchy, inherited one-half of the Wrightstown homestead, and died there in June, 1806. He married April 30, 1760, Rebecca Evans, who survived him. She was possibly his second wife. Their children were Elizabeth Addis. Rebecca McClellan. and Mary, wife of Joseph Carver. Rebecca, daughter of Garret. St., married a Brittian, whose son Joseph and grandson Cornelius are mentioned in the will of Cornelius Van Sant.3




Source: Bucks Co Wills, page 85. Garret Vansandt, of Wrightstown, Yeoman.
November 12, 1746. Proved May 1, 1747.
Wife Clauchey and sons Garret and Cornelius, exrs.
Daus. Rachel Dungan, Sarah Sacit, and Rebekah Vansant.
Land formerly Peter Johnson's including part of Town Square.
Wit: Abrm. Chapman, John Lacey, John Johnson.3