Joan's Ancestral World: Nicolaas Koomans (1753-1829) had 4 wives

4 Apr 2018

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.

Nicolaas Koomans married his 3rd wife Willemijntje ("Willemtje") Maris on September 16, 1764, in Willemstad. Willemtje was baptized on November 18, 1742, in Fijnaart and Heijningen. She was a daughter of Jan Jans Maris and Francijna Bom, the grandparents of Nicolaas' earlier wives, as is shown in the family tree below.

Jan Jans Maris (1697-?) \| -----------------------------------
\| Jan Jans Maris (±1722-?)	\| Jacobus Maris (±1728-1789)	\| Willemijntje Maris (1742-1809)
\| Francina Maris (1753-1783)	\| Maaijke Maris (1765-1802)

Willemtje Maris was a widow. Her first husband was her cousin Jan Maris (1731-1803), a son of Huijbrecht Maris who was a brother of Willemtje's father Jan Jans Maris. Jan Maris junior had earlier been married to a Maria Burgers who was likely a sister of Nicolaas' mother Ariaantje. Willemtje Maris died on July 7, 1809, in Willemstad at the age of 66.

Nicolaas Koomans married his 4th wife Catharine ("Kaatje") Timmers on January 14, 1813 in Willemstad. Their age difference was 33 years. Kaatje was baptized on February 5, 1786, in Willemstad. Here parents are Pieter Timmers and Heiltje Groenendijk. Kaatje gave birth to 5 children: Adriaantje Heijltje, Heijltje Adriaantje (2x), Maaijke and Nicolaas junior.

Throughout his 4 marriages Nicolaas Koomans had fathered 18 children, including sons Huibert (1789-1856), Gijsbert (1794-1824) and Jacobus (1797-1874). Nicolaas died on June 18, 1829, in Willemstad. Nicolaas' widow, Kaatje Timmers, died there on September 11, 1846. After the death of Nicolaas' eldest son Pieter Koomans on May 2, 1846, a debt collector had an announcement published in a news paper to collect a debt of ƒ2036,- owed to the heirs of Nicolaas Koomans.