The family of Bastiaan van Drunen with descendants in Illinois

On 26 May 1856 the ship "Epaminodas" departed from Rotterdam, transporting 216 emigrants. They arrived in New York on 9 juni 1856. Many of those immigrants settled in Illinois. 
Among them were several members of the Van Dunen family of Sleeuwijk, Brabant, The Netherlands:

1. Bastiaan van Drunen (1792-1873) and his wife Vijverke Snoek (1795-1877);
2. Their daughter Anneke van Drunen and her husband Dirk Schaap and their 6 children;
3. Their son Johannes van Drunen, his wife Willemke van Krugten and their son Rokus;
4. Their son Pieter van Drunen, his wife Hester van de Graaff and their son Bastiaan;
5. Their daughter Dientje van Drunen and her husband Wouter Swets and their daughter Aartje;
6. Their daughter Adriana van Drunen who later married fellow passenger Wouter de Graaff;
7. Rokus van Drunen and his wife Adriana Snoek, siblings of Bastiaan and Vijverke.

In The Netherlands Bastiaan and Vijverke had left behind several sons, including their eldest son Lucas van Drunen (1813-1895). The Streekgeschiedenis Alblasserwaard Blog describes the family and descendants of Bastiaan's daughter Anna van Drunen and her husband Dirk Schaap, who additionally had a 7th child Adriana (Jane) in Illionois.

Dirk Schaap  and Anneke van Drunen and their children

Gerrigje Verkerk (67) travelled to Australia

In the winter of 1959-60, 67-year-old widow Gerrigje van Houwelingen-Verkerk boarded the victory-type cargo schip “Waterman”. The ship was build in the U.S.A. during World War II. After it had been altered and refitted in 1951, it was used to transport emigrants over the oceans.

The "Waterman"

Cabin interior of the ships "Zuiderkruis", "Grote Beer" and "Waterman".

The “Waterman” left Sidney on 17 January 17 1960 and arrived in Melbourne on 18 or 19 January. There, Gerrige van Houwelingen-Verkerk set foot on Australian soil. She may have been visiting or joining her son Jacob who had arrived in Australia in 1956.

2 Sutherland sisters married 2 brothers

Anna Sutherland was born on 15-12-1819 in 's-Gravendeel, Holland, as a younger daughter of tailor Angus Sutherland (±1772-1833) and his wife Adriana Kraak (1784-1833). Anna was named after her maternal grandmother Annetje van Inslagen, wife of Jan Kraak.
Anna had elder surviving brothers George Christiaan (1812-1889), Jan (1814-1886) and Gerardus Sutherland (1818-1902). Her next sibling was a brother Hendrik Sutherland (1821-1893). Their youngest sibling was born on 10-3-1828 in 's-Gravendeel and named Dingena.

On 28-4-1849 in 's-Gravendeel Anna Sutherland (29) was married to workman Joost Rijkhoek (25). He was born in 's-Gravendeel on 29-7-1823 as the eldest son of Leendert Rijkhoek (1792-1852) and Susann Sint Nicolaas (1796-1880). Joost was named after his paternal grandfather, another Joost Rijkhoek (†1798) who was the husband of Annigje Klejnjan (1762-1825). Joost Rijkhoek and Anna Sutherland named their Adriana, Leendert, Susuanna, August, Annigje, George Christiaan, Leonardus and Hendrik.

On  9-5-1857 in 's-Gravendeel - 8 years after the marriage of Anna and Joost - their siblings Dingena Sutherland (29) and Jan Rijkhoek (21) were married. This couple had 4 children named Adriana, Leendert, August and Joost. Remarkably, both couples had a son named August instead of Angus. Also, both brides were older than their grooms.
Jan Rijkhoek was born  on 17-11-1835 in 's-Gravendeel as one of the youngest siblings of Joost. Jan had a length of just 152 cm.  His eyes were blauw and his eyebrows and hair were brown. His face was oval chaped, his forehead was low, and his chin was round.

A description of Jan Rijkhoek

Dingena Sutherland died on 30-3-1878 in Dordrecht, aged 50. Her widower Jan Rijkhoek (59) was married secondly on 20-12-1894 in Dordrecht to Cornelia Maria Walgers (51). The couple Anna Sutherland and Joost Rijkhoek both died in Dordrecht in 1895: Anna on 23 January, Joost on 24 April. Jan Rijkhoek died on 10 November 1914 in Dordrecht. His widow, Cornelia Maria Walgers, died in 1918.

Maria Gertrudis Swakhoven (1870-1945) was placed under guardianship

Maria Gertrudis Swakhoven was born on April 8, 1870, in Sittard, Limburg, The Netherlands. Her parents are (Maria) Margaretha Clemens (1843-1917) and Martinus Hubertus Swakhoven (1838-1904). He was a son of Hermanus (Herman) Swakhoven - who may have originated in Cleves in Germany - and his wife Maria Ida Olmans who originated in Nieuwenhagen.

Maria Swakhoven was married on September 12, 1899, to veterinarian Leonard (“Leo”) van Kempen. Bride and groom were both aged 30. Leonard was born on September 1, 1869, in Echt, Limburg, as eldest son of Jacobus Hubertus van Kempen en Maria Catharina Elisabeth Hubertina Joosten.
After giving birth to 3 children (with one dying while still baby in 1905), Maria was - by order of the court in Maastricht - in October 1906 placed under guardianship due to “sillyness”. At the time she was pregnant once more.

Nederlandsche Staatscourant, 29-1-1906: Maria Swakhoven is placed unter guardianship

Apparently, Maria's “sillyness” was no reason for her husband to stop having intercourse with her, because Maria gave birth to a fifth child in 1908.
These are the children of Maria Swakhoven and Leonard van Kempen:

1. Jacques Martin Leon, born on August 7, 1900, in Sittard. He was married on June 17, 1924, in Evergem, Belgium, to Suzanna Elisa Antoinette van Trappen. She was born in Evergem as daughter of Leonard Vantrappen and Emma Maria de Muijnck. Jacques died in Sittard on August 7, 1968.
2. Maria Helena Margaretha Hubertina, born on April 8, 1902, in Sittard.
3. Maria Elisa van Kempen, born on September 7, 1904, in Sittard. She died there on April 17, 1905.
4. Josephina Maria, born on January 10, 1907, in Sittard. She died there on February 26, 1910.
5. Piet, born on March 14, 1908, in Sittard.