 On January 22, 1852, Van Santvoord was married to the former Anna Margaret Townsend (1826–1890) of Albany.She was the daughter of Absalom Townsend and Elizabeth (née Lansing) Townsend, and the granddaughter of Jacob Lansing and Anna (née Quackenbush) Lansing.Together, they were the parents of five children, four of whom survived to adulthood, including