Jacob and Pieter van Ham both married a single mom with a toddler

On October 14, 1861, in Dubbeldam, Holland, Grietje van Ham (1841-1913) gave birth to a daughter and named her Barbara. Grietje was a daughter of Arie van Ham (1804-1877) and Maaike Bakker (1805-1880). She was born on June 25, 1841, in Wieldrecht, Holland. Clearly, Barbara wasn't named after her grandmother, but she may have been named after her great-aunt Barbara Bakker (±1810-1874). She may also have been named after a family member of her unknown father. 

Single mom Grietje van Ham married Jacob van Ham (1840-1912) on May 2, 1867, in Dubbeldam. The bride and groom are both great-grandchildren of my ancestor Harmen Jansz van Ham (±1745-1804). When they married, they claimed 5-year-old Barbara van Ham as their common child, although it's unlikely that Jacob had fathered Barbera. Jacob's parents were Pieter van Ham (1799-1878) and Neeltje de Vos (1812-1879).

During the period 1868-1875 Jacob and Grietje van Ham had 5 children, Pieter, Arij, Neeltje, Maaike (all named after their grandparents) and Jakob jr., who died young:

• Barbara van Ham (1861-1915) married Jacob van Balderen and gave birth to a living daughter Cornelia and a death boy. 
• Arij van Ham (1869-1936) was married on July 29, 1897, in Dubbeldam to Elizabeth Kooiman, when he claimed to be the father of her 3-year-old illegitimate son Pieter.
• Pieter van Ham (1868-1932) married Lijntje Bothof (1871-1941) and worked in a factory in Apeldoorn, Gelre, The Netherlands. 
• Neeltje van Ham (1870-1954) married Jacob Timmers and had several children of whom Hendrik and Cornelis Timmers are known to have reached the age of consent. Their youngest surviving child, Maaike van Ham, was married to Gerrit Lugthart and gave birth in Dubbeldam to several children of whom Jannigje, Jakob and Sophia are known to have reached the age of consent.

The church of Dubbeldam, Holland

Judocus van Immerseel travelled to Brazil

Migrants boarding a ship

Labourer Josephus van Immerseel (34), his wife and their 3 children had been living in Kruiningen, Zealand, The Netherlands, before they boarded the ss Marquês de Caxias. Hundreds of migrants were closely packed together in the steerage. Soon the heat in the ship was almost unbearable. Drinking water was provided, but the family was supposed to have brought their own food with them.

The family arrived in Rio Grande Harbour in Brazil on August 15, 1858. Travelling further with the ss Rio Pardense, they arrived on August 26 in the Colônia Santo Angelo. 
They had been hoping for an "amelioration of existence". Alas, during their early years in Brazil most migrant families lived in squalor and were nearly starving. The people were exploited and their children had to work in the jungle. 

Josephus van Immerseel, also known as "Judocus Francies", was born on January 10, 1824, in Graauw, Zealand, The Netherlands. He was a son of Judoca Neve and her husband, labourer Francies van Immerseel, son of an earlier Judocus van Immerseel who had originated in Doel, East-Flanders, Belgium. Francis van Immerseel was locked up in jail in 1843 in Middelburg, and in 1849 in Goes. 
At the age of 27, while working as a bargeman's mate, Josephus was married on January 18, 1851, in Hontenisse to Maria Kriekaart, aged 20. Maria was born on April 4, 1830, in Hontenisse, Zealand, The Netherlands, as daughter of Jacobus Kriekaart and Anna Maria Lauwers/Lauwaert, who weren't married until 23 days after the birth of their daughter.
Josephus and Maria had the following children:

1. Petrus, born on April 18, 1851, in Hontenisse.
2. Jacobus, born on May 13, 1852, in Hontenisse.
3. Francies, born on April 15, 1853, died on June 27, 1853, both in Hontenisse.
4. Anna Maria, born on February 26, 1857, in Graauw

Sources: Roos, T. en Eshuis, M.: “Op een dag zullen ze ons vinden” (Een Zeeuwse geschiedenis in Brazili, WieWasWie.nl, Archieven.nl, ZeeuwenGezocht.nl.

Nicolaas Koomans (1753-1829) had 4 wives

When researching the Koomans family I noticed a man named Nicolaas Koomans (1653-1829) who married 4 times, while 3 of his 4 wives had the surname Maris.

Nicolaas Koomans was baptized on February 4, 1752, in the township of Fijnaart and Heijningen in Brabant, The Netherlands. His parents were Pieter Koomans (1712-1770) and Ariaantje Burgers (1726-1777). After his father's death, his mother had married Pieter de Leeuw in 1772. She died 5 years later on November 21, 1777. Ariaantje Burgers was buried in Fijnaart on the 27th.

Nicolaas Koomans married his 1st wife, Francina Maris, on May 3, 1778, in Fijnaart and Heijningen. Francina was baptized on July 1, 1753. Her parents are Jan Maris and Adriana Biert. Francina gave birth to 3 sons: Pieter and Jan (2x). Francina Maris, aged 30, was buried on September 12, 1783.

Nicolaas Koomans married Maaijke Maris on 4-11-1787

Nicolaas Koomans married his 2nd wife and first cousin, Maaijke Maris, on November 4, 1787, in Fijnaart and Heijningen. Maaijke was baptized on August 11, 1765. Her parents are Jacobus Maris and Tanneke Burgers (1734-1783), who is a younger sister of Nicolaas'  mother Ariaantje. Maaijke gave birth to 10 children: Jacobus (3x), Huibert, Ariaantje (2x), Tanneke, Gijsbert and Cornelis (2x). Maaijke Maris, aged 37, was buried on September 11, 1802.