I don't have any real info regarding the history of this Atlantic County town just yet. All I know is that it is about ten miles west of Pleasantville, near route 662. (It's actual location is 39°21'45"N 74°34'53"W if you prefer lattitude and longitude). Evidently it is still an inhabited town, unlike many of the 'ghost towns' featured on this site.
According to this site, some of the Van Santfamily detailed elsewhere on this site lived in Bargaintown:
| "Captain John, born about 1726-28, was married three times: 1. to Sarah Dale 2. to Polly Bowen, 1775 3. to Rebecca Simpkins, a widow, in 1787. According to several written records, Captain John had numerous children. We have records of only four sons. Christopher Van Sant, born Dec. 10, 1769, by Capt. John's first wife, Sarah Dole. Joel Van Sant, born about 1785, probably by the second wife Polly Bowen. John Van Sant, born, probably to Polly Bowen; no date available. John married Elizabeth Bradley in Gloucester County, NJ April 13, 1812. They lived in Bargaintown, NJ. Nicholas Van Sant, born Nov. 9, 1788 to Captain John and his third wife, Rebecca Simpkins. Nicholas married Mercy Davis Moore Dec. 23, 1808 at Pleasant Mills, Atlantic City, NJ. in a ceremony performed by the Rev. Lionel Lukens. About 1815 Nicholas and Mercy moved to Wrangleboro, where he established his boat business. Apparently Nicholas' father, Captain John, moved with him and died there about 1820." |
If you have any info on the name or history of this place, kindly drop me an e-mail.
In October, 1999 a genealogy query was posted at another site concerning the Cook family of Bargaintown:
"My great grandfather was named Charles Anthony Cook and he was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1863 or
1864. It is known that he married Katherine Kelly of Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1902. Sometime before 1905, they moved
to Newburyport, Massachusetts. Rumor has it that Charles Anthony Cook was sort of the black sheep of the family as he
liked his booze and his parents gave him money to relocate. Katherine and Charles Anthony Cook relocated to
Bargaintown, New Jersey where they spent their last years. He died in June 1926 at the age of 62 and was buried in
Pleasantville, New Jersey. Can anyone tell me anything about Charles Anthony Cook. I would especially like to know who
his parents were. I am trying to trace my ancestry back to Francis Cook, a Mayflower passenger."
If you can help this fellow, he gave his e-mail as: FELDPOST@aol.com.
I have found one link that may be of interest to those researching in this area:
Zion Cemetery, Bargaintown, NJ