Barend Bello (1839-1877) and his 3 wives

Blacksmith Barend Bello was born on 13 June 1839 in Oud-Beijerland, Hoeksche Waard, Holland. His parents are Jannetje Versteeg and Arnoldus Adrianus Bello, who was born in Zwolle, The Netherlands, as son of Gesina Elisabeth van Oeveren and an earlier Barend Bello. Arnoldus Adrianus Bello died in Oud-Beijerland on 29 April 1850 when his son Barend was 10 years old. Barend's mother, Jannetje Versteeg (1803-1891), had earlier been married to Pieter van der Steen (1794-1831). They had a daughter Cornelia van der Steen, born on 24 March 1829 in Pernis. Like her mother, Cornelia would marry twice.

Barend was 10 years old when his father died

At the age of 24, Barend Bello married his first wife Anna Diepenhorst on 7 April 1864 in Oud-Beijerland. Anna was born on 16 September 1843 in Numansdorp as daughter of Jan Gijsbert Diepenhorst and Willempje van Driel.
Anna gave birth to a son Adrianus Jan on 22 December 1864 in Klaaswaal. Anna died there on the 31st. The baby died on 20 March 1865 in Oud-Beijerland.

A widower for 5 moths, Barend Bello married his second wife Heiltje Zevenbergen on 19 May 1865 in Strijen. She was born there on 4 April 1843 as daughter of Jannigje van de Nadort (1815-1849) and Jan Zevenbergen (1812-1858). At the age of 15, Heiltje had become an orphan. At the age of 18, on 5 February 1862 in Strijen, Heiltje had given birth to a son Hendrik. On December 19, 1867, the child Hendrik was documented in a notarial deed as son of Heiltje Zevenbergen and Barend Bello. Now Barend officially had a son, although Hendrik was probably not Barend's biological son, since Hendrik was born even before Barend's first marriage.
Heiltje Zevenbergen, 25 year old, died on 20 August 1868 in Klaaswaal. Barend Bello was twice widowed at the age of 29.

Barend Bello was still aged 29 when he married his third wife, 37-year-old Willemtje Snoek on 25 April 1869 in Puttershoek. She was born there on 5 December 1831 as illegitimate daughter of Maartje Snoek. Willempje was recognised and legitimised in 1854 by Willem Hebers/Alebers who had married Maartje Snoek in 1833.
Willempje had married her first husband, widower Arij Verbaas (1823-1868), on 15 April 1854 in Zuidland, Holland. From this first marriage, Willempje had surviving children named Neeltje (1855-1872), Margje (1856-1919), Deumes (1860-1893) and Willem (1862-1880) Verbaas.
With Barend Willempje had issue too, starting with a daughter Jannigje, who lived for 4 days in 1870. Their son Adrianus was born on 28 February 1871 in Mijnsheerenland. Their youngest child, Neeltje Cornelia, was born there on 11 January 1873.
Barend Bello died, at the age of 38, on 15 July 1877 in Klaaswaal. His widow, Willemtje Snoek, married her third husband, Arie Maaten (1841-1926), on 17 September 1879 in Klaaswaal. Willemtje died in Klaaswaal on 27 June 1895, aged 63.

Paternal ancestors of Peter Witvliet in the USA

Peter Witvliet was born as Pieter on 15 June 1830 in Stellendam, a village located on the delta island of Goeree-Overflakkee in Holland. He married Lamentje (“Emily”) Bartels (1837-1921) and together they emigrated to the United States. They had at least 7 children. Peter died on 27 March 1897. Emily died on 2 October 1921 in Zeeland, Ottawa County, Michigan.

This post summarises Peter's paternal ancestors in the Witvliet family.

Generation 2 (parents)

2.  Mattheus (“Matthew”) Witvliet was born on 17-6-1801, and baptised on 19-7-1801 in Stellendam. Matthew died in 1883 in Michigan. Matthew was weduwnaar of Aartje Hollaar (1801-1827) whom he married on 14-11-1822 in Stellendam. He married secondly in Stellendam on 4-4-1830

3.  Elizabeth Sandifort. She was born on 11-6-1801, and baptised on the 21st in Stellendam. They had sons named Pieter (“Peter”), Gommert and Krijn. Elizabeth's parents are Aren Sandifort and Pietertje Visbeen.

Generation 3 (grandparents)

4.  Aren Cornelisse Witvliet was baptised on 25-12-1751 in Middelharnis, Holland. Aren died on 22-7-1833 in Stellendam, at the age of 81. At the age of 30, Aren married in Goes on 22-11-1782

5.  Pieternella Gommerts de Munck. She was baptised on 8-5-1757 in Goes with witness Antonia Gommerts Dekker. Pieternella died on 12-2-1847 in Goedereede. Her parents are Gommert de Munck and Willemina van der Maas.

Middelharnis

Generation 4 (great grandparents)

8.  Cornelis Arendze Witvliet was baptised on 30-1-1724 in Middelharnis. Cornelis' burial was registered on 1-5-1789 in Middelharnis. Cornelis married there on 19-12-1745

9.  Anna Barens Hackman. She may have been born around 1725 as daughter of Barend Hackman and Aagje de Jong. Anna's burial was registered on 17-4-1763 in Middelharnis. Anna and Cornelis had children named Aagt, Aren, Lena, Barend and Mattheus.

Generation 5 (great great grandparents)

16 Aren Cornelisse (“Arij Krelisz”) Witvliet was baptised on 13-5-1696 in Middelharnis. He was married in the spring of 1718 in Sommelsdijk to 

17 Lena Andriesse Vervoren. They had children named Lena, Mattheus, Cornelis, Maria, Maatje, Claas, Adriana, Arent, Arentje and Hendrik.

Generation 6 (great great great grandparents) 

32 Cornelis Arendsz Witvliet's burial was registered on 7-7-1735 in Middelharnis. He had a sister named Adriaentjen. Cornelis had married his second wife Huijbertje Arens Spruijt on 5-8-1708 in Middelharnis, and they had issue, too. Cornelis had married earlier in Middelharnis on 23-10-1695

33 Leentje Claes Soetermeer. She was baptised on 6-5-1674 in Middelharnis as daughter of Claes Soetermeer and his first wife named Dingena. Leentje died around 1708, and was approximately 34 years old. Leentje and Cornelis had children named Aren, Dingena, Maatje, Claas and Jacob.

Sources: Flakkeese DTB transcripties, WieWasWie.nl, FindAGrave.com, W. Stuve, Menno's volk op Flakkee (Geschiedenis van de doopsgezinde gemeenten te Middelharnis & Sommelsdijk), 2004, P.L. Koster, Kwartierstaat van Pieter Leendert Koster, Het Fijne Kwartier, 2011, WeRelate.org, Genealogie Post-Oost.

Short-lived Marriage ~ Maria Fresia Kromme and Hermann Franz Kromme

Herman Franz Kromme was born on 14 March 1842 in Schapen near Hannover in Germany as illegitimate son of Aleid Kromme.
Hermann Franz supported himself as a salesman, and ended up in the northeastern part of The Netherlands. In Grijpskerk, on 8 May 1865, he married Maria Tresia Kromme. She was born in there on 5 March 1842 as daughter of Elisabeth Smeda (1815-1884) and Johannes Theodorus Joseph Kromme, who had been married just a couple of weeks before on 17 February 1842 in Grijpskerk. Like his son-in-lauw, Johannes Theodorus Joseph Kromme originated from Schapen in Germany, too.
Maria Tresia gave birth to a daughter Elisabeth Kromme on 20 February 1866 in Niezijl. The young mother died there on 19 March 1866, aged 24. Maria Tresia's father, Johannes Theodorus Joseph Kromme, died the next year on 14 June 1867 in Grijpskerk, aged 64.

Because Hermann Franz Kromme was not a Dutch resident, he did not have to perform military service in the Netherlands

Divorce and longevity for Johanna Schenk in Gouda

Gouda

Johanna Schenk was born in Gouda, Holland, on 18 January 1853. His parents are Dirk Schenk (1822-1872) and his first wife Maria Elselina van Omme (1824-1862) who were living at the Naaijerstraat in Gouda. Johanna had several siblings, but only Jacoba Maria Elselina (1850-1905) and Cornelis seem to have survived infancy. Cornelis, the youngest, was born in Gouda on 14 August 1856. Their mother Maria Elselina died in Gouda on 11 January 1862, just before Johanna's 11th birthday, while Cornelis was 5 years old.
Dirk Schenk married his second wife on 20 May 1863 in Gouda. She was born there on 23 April 1829 as Margaretha Cornelia, daughter of Hendrik Johannes Verblaauw and Lucretia Vermeulen. Dirk and Margaretha Cornelia had some additional children, but they all died young. Dirk Schenk died in Gouda on 3 February 1872, when his Johanna was 19 years old.

Unmarried Jacoba Maria Elselina Schenk brought 3 babies to their grave in Gouda the period 1875-1881. Her younger brother Cornelis married Catharina Dingena van Vliet (1860-1931) on 18 August 1880 in Gouda, and fathered children with his wife.
Their younger sister Johanna Schenk moved to Amsterdam where she gave birth to a son Leonardus on 16 October 1876. The baby likely died young. Another son, Jacobus Leonardus, was born in Amsterdam on 2 January 1878 around 13:00. Early 1884, Johanna was nursed for 93 days in the Binnengasthuis hospital in Amsterdam. On 18 June of that year, around 18:00, in Amsterdam Johanna Schenk gave birth to a daughter Johanna Helena.
Johanna Schenk married Leonardus Smal on 4 August 1886 in her hometown Gouda. The couple also acknowledged that Johanna Helena is their daughter. Thus, the girl's surname was changed from Schenk to Smal. Johanna's son Jacobus Leonardus Schenk had moved with her to Rotterdam, too.
Leonardus Smal was born on 10 July 1845. In the 1850s he had lived in an orphanage in Amersfoort. In 1882 in Amsterdam, Leonardus suffered severe burns to his back, arm and head when a kerosene lamp fell over.