When Cornelis Schakel was born on 13 March 1851, in Polsbroek, Utrecht, Netherlands, his father, Dirk Schakel, was 27 and his mother, Geertje Hooijkaas, was 27. He married Lijntje van Toor on 19 October 1876, in Lopik, Utrecht, Netherlands. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 3 daughters. He died on 1 July 1894, in Benschop, Utrecht, Netherlands, at the age of 43.