New Courtships In Duggar Family Promised By Year’s End
Jim Bob Duggar promised another imminent wedding within the Duggar family. With six eligible adult children, more than one announcement is expected shortly.
Jim Bob made that promise on the last episode of the series 19 Kids and Counting, which aired in May. That episode, “Digging in with the Duggars,” was a live broadcast on May 19, and was the last episode before the TLC series was canceled. The episode was in the form of an interview by NBC’s Erica Hill. In the broadcast, Jim Bob announced, “There’s going to be some wedding bells before long.”
That is when Josiah Duggar (then 17) was in a courtship relationship with Marjorie Jackson (17). The courtship was abruptly canceled when the show was canceled, after revelations about incestual, sexual molestations within the family were released to the press.
After summing up the events in the Duggar family over the prior 12 months, Hill asked what was next for the Duggar family in 2015. The now-disgraced eldest son Josh Duggar answered, “I predict there’s going to be another courtship soon.” Then, Josh looked directly at sisters Jana and Jinger.
“I’m not going to say who; I’m not going to say that I know. But I’m going to say there’s going to be some more courtships. Yeah, Jinger, Jana, you guys have any news? We’ll see. You never know.”
In reaction, Jinger Duggar looked particularly perturbed with her brother’s question on camera.
It is no secret that, although the two specials announced by TLC will center around the birth of Jessa’s baby and Jill Duggar’s missionary work in Central America, the Duggar family considers this to be the entire family’s return to television. When Jessa made a post to her Jessa Seewald Instagram page on Friday, the Duggar family made this comment: “19 kids is coming back on with main couples Jill and Derick also Jessa and Ben follow here for updates on the family [sic].” Maybe Jessa didn’t like the wording because that comment was quickly removed.
Although Josh Duggar mentioned his sister, Jana, as a possibility for a courtship announcement, she seems to be the least likely for a match made this year. Although the average age for first-time marriages in the U.S. is 29 for men and 27 for women, in the Duggar circle of home schooled kids using the methods of Bill Gothard, Jana Duggar is practically an old maid at age 25.
A year ago, Jana’s father, Jim Bob Duggar, told People magazine that his daughter was not in a relationship.
“Jana is one of the prettiest girls in the world and one of the sweetest girls. There have been a lot of guys who have been interested in her, I have gone to hear about each one, and so far she hasn’t felt that is the way the Lord is leading.”
Jana, the oldest of the unmarried Duggar daughters, has not been linked with anyone in the past 12 months. She seems content to remain at the Duggar family home, help around the house and provide childcare for younger siblings. Jana’s twin brother John David, however, has been spotted several times recently with the same young woman. Her name is Laura DeMasie.
On May 28, John David posted a cryptic message on Twitter.
“A Duggar has a secret about courtship”
Jinger Duggar, who will celebrate her 22nd birthday in December, has been linked this year with a member of the Bates family – another family with 19 kids which has its own reality TV show on the UP network. The Bates family posted a statement on its blog on October 8, denying that Jinger Duggar and Lawson Bates (22) were in a courtship.
“This question keeps popping up on both Facebook and on here, Lawson and Jinger are just friends. There is no courtship as of right now. We asked a few weeks ago about the rumors and we were told that he is not courting anyone. [sic]”
On October 17, an updated statement was posted on the Bates family blog, which noticeably left out the “just friend” in the post nine days earlier.
“The rumor right now is Lawson is in a courtship with Jinger Duggar but it’s false of right now. [sic]”
On October 28, Lawson posted a picture on Twitter of himself and his passengers stuck in traffic due to road construction on the way from Tennessee to Arkansas. He arrived that day at the Duggar family home.
If he is not in a relationship with Jinger, then he might be interested in her younger sister, Joy-Anna, because October 28 was her 18th birthday. Joy was with Jinger to meet up with Lawson Bates in Tennessee, where the three attended a football game in Knoxville on October 3. It is common knowledge that the Duggar daughters are not allowed out without a chaperone. At this point, it is difficult to tell just who is chaperoning whom. However, Lawson and Joy-Anna were photographed together in January.
Joseph Duggar (20) is attending a Bible college in Tennessee, about 20 minutes from the Bates family home in Rocky Top. Tori Bates (who turns 20 next month) is attending the same college. Joseph spends many weekends at the Bates’ home. Carlin Bates (17) is best friends with Joy-Anna Duggar, and has accompanied her to many Duggar family events. Joseph has not yet been linked with either Bates daughter, but that could change very shortly.
When the teenagers called off their formal courtship leading to marriage, Josiah removed all of Marjorie’s pictures from his Instagram page. So far, he hasn’t uploaded any new ones of her. But, Marjorie might turn up in the December telecast of the TLC special Jill & Jessa: Counting On in December. The network’s film crew has shown up at every Duggar family event and engagement during October that Marjorie attended. Fans will probably have to wait for that broadcast to see if this relationship has been rekindled or if another Duggar sibling will be announcing a courtship.
[Images via Duggar Family]
