Grietje Gossels and Antje Tjakkes

Today is the baptismal date of two of my female ancestors: Grietje Gossels (dutch link), my 6th great-grandmother was baptized 17 May 1703 in Veendam; Antje Tjakkes (dutch link), my 5th great-grandmother 17 May 1716 in Oude Pekela. Both are on my mother’s side. Grietje’s great-granddaughter Harmke Davids (dutch link) married Antje’s grandson Ulben Tjakkes (dutch link) in Nieuwe Pekela in 1820.

Veendam, Oude Pekela en Nieuwe Pekela are right next to each other. As a matter of fact in 1990, Oude and Nieuwe Pekela were merged into one municipality. So it is not surprising that they end up marrying each other.

There seem to be very few marriage contracts for these lines: Harmke’s parents were both married twice, but there are no contracts; Tjakke’s grandfather was married twice, but there is no contract. Were they too poor to bother? The men were mostly laborers, working in the peat industry. Grietje Gossels is the only one who has a contract with her second husband, but there are no particulars or relations mentioned in the Groningen database.

But it was a nice coincidence, two two ancestors baptized the same day.