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THEN AND NOW: Every member of the Duggar family

Jun 3, 2023, 03:24 IST
Insider
The Duggar family in 2011.Peter Kramer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
  • Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children starred on TLC's "19 Kids and Counting."
  • A new docuseries, "Shiny Happy People," takes a closer look at the Duggars and their religion.
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TLC's "19 Kids and Counting" documented Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's daily lives raising their 19 children in Tontitown, Arkansas. Chronicling milestones such as weddings and births as well as vacations and family business ventures, the show aired from 2008 to 2015. Following multiple scandals involving the oldest Duggar child, Josh, the show was canceled and replaced with "Counting On," which aired from 2015 until its cancellation in 2021 following Josh's arrest on child pornography charges.

The Duggars belong to a Christian organization known as Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). Founded by Bill Gothard in 1961, the movement preaches a man's authority over his wife and forbids birth control.

A new Amazon Prime Video docuseries, "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets," which premiered June 2, delves into the history of IBLP and its impact on American politics and culture.

Here's what every member of the Duggar family is doing now.

The Duggar family in 2014.D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

Jim Bob, 57, and Michelle, 56, are quietly raising their younger children

Jim Bob and Michelle got married in 1984 and made their television debut with a TV special called "14 Children and Pregnant Again!" in 2004. The popularity of the special led to their own show on TLC.

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They renewed their vows after 25 years of marriage on a 2009 episode of "19 Kids and Counting."

After TLC canceled "19 Kids and Counting" and launched a series focused on the older Duggar children, "Counting On," Michelle and Jim Bob made minimal appearances on the new show.

When their oldest son, Josh, was convicted of child pornography charges in December 2021, they released a statement saying, "This entire ordeal has been very grievous" and that "Our hearts and prayers are with anyone who has ever been harmed" through child sexual abuse material.

"In the days ahead, we will do all we can to surround our daughter-in-law Anna and their children with love and support," they wrote. "As parents, we will never stop praying for Joshua, and loving him, as we do all of our children. In each of life's circumstances, we place our trust in God. He is our source of strength and refuge. Thank you for your prayers."

Jim Bob and Michelle still live in Tontitown and have remained relatively quiet on social media since the scandal. Their most recent Instagram post was in May 2022.

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However, they did release a statement on their website on June 1 — the day before the premiere of the new Amazon docuseries, "Shiny Happy People" — to comment on the show.

"The recent 'documentary' that talks about our family is sad because in it we see the media and those with ill intentions hurting people we love," the statement said, in part. "Like other families, ours too has experienced the joys and heartbreaks of life, just in a very public format. This 'documentary' paints so much and so many in a derogatory and sensationalized way because sadly that's the direction of entertainment these days."

It added, "We love every member of our family and will continue to do all we can to have a good relationship with each one."

Josh, 35, is serving a 12-year prison sentence

The oldest of the Duggar children, Josh's courtship and wedding to Anna Keller was featured on season two of "19 Kids and Counting." They have seven children.

Josh worked as the executive director of the conservative evangelical lobbying group FRC (Family Research Council) Action until 2015 when a police report surfaced that alleged Josh had molested minor girls, including some of his sisters, when he was 14. Josh was also revealed to be a paying member of Ashley Madison, a website for arranging extramarital affairs, leading him to say in a statement, "I have been the biggest hypocrite ever."

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TLC canceled "19 Kids and Counting" and replaced it with "Counting On," which featured Anna and their children but not Josh.

In April 2021, Josh Duggar, who was then working as a car salesman, was back in the news after he was charged with receiving and possessing child pornography.

Josh Duggar appears in a booking photo after his arrest April 29, 2021, in Fayetteville, Arkansas.Washington County Jail via Getty Images

TLC canceled "Counting On" in order to "give the Duggar family the opportunity to address their situation privately," the network said in a statement.

Josh pleaded not guilty, claiming someone else had downloaded the material to his work computer, but in December 2021, he was found guilty on two counts. He was sentenced to 151 months (about 12.5 years) in prison, and he is currently serving that sentence in Seagoville, Texas.

Jana, 33, still lives at home with her parents

On a 2020 episode of "Counting On," Jana discussed remaining single.

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"Most of my siblings have gotten married really young," she said. "Some people are like, 'Are you picky?' I'm like, 'I don't think so.'"

In 2019, she shared on Instagram that she surprised Jim Bob and Michelle by renovating their bedroom while they were away.

In December 2021, Jana was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. In a statement on her Instagram stories, she said she was babysitting when one of the children wandered outside alone and was reported to local authorities, according to Today.com.

"This resulted in a written citation, as well as a follow-up with child welfare who concluded that it was an accident and the child was unharmed," she wrote. "They recognized it was a case of a child slipping out of the house when you turn your back for a moment. It all happened so quickly and was scary."

In January 2022, she pleaded guilty and was fined $880, Today.com reported.

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Today, Jana appears to spend her time looking after her younger siblings, gardening, and remodeling homes, according to her Instagram account. In more recent Instagram photos, Jana is pictured wearing pants, which girls did not grow up wearing in their parents' household because "wearing skirts instead of pants was a central part of being modest," Jinger wrote in her 2021 book "The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God," with husband Jeremy Vuolo.

Jana's twin John-David, 33, is a pilot

John-David married Abbie Burnett in 2018, and they have two children. He was elected as a constable in Washington County, Arkansas, in 2014, and is also a pilot.

In October 2021, a plane that John-David was piloting crashed in a field in Waverly, Tennessee, after experiencing double engine failure, People magazine reported. No one was injured.

"An emergency landing or any kind of plane crash is a scary thing, but it's exactly what pilots are trained for," John-David and Abbie said in a statement released in January 2022. "We are so thankful for God's protection, as we all walked away without injuries when this happened last October. We so appreciate the love and care so many have expressed toward us!"

Jill has spoken out about 'distancing' herself from the Duggars

Jill's courtship and wedding to her husband, Derick Dillard, were featured on "19 Kids and Counting" in 2014.

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Dillard left "Counting On" in 2017 after he tweeted transphobic messages about another TLC star, Jazz Jennings, and TLC said his "personal statements do not reflect the views of the network." The Dillards posted a YouTube video in November 2020 saying they left the show in order to have more control over their lives.

In another video in September 2020, they said that they had not been paid for their appearances on the show and hired lawyers in order to recover the missing payments. TLC declined to comment to People magazine on the claims.

"There's been some distancing there," Jill said. "We're not on the best terms with some of my family. We've had some disagreements and stuff, but we're working toward healing definitely and restoration."

Jill is a certified midwife, and she maintains an active YouTube channel.

She and Dillard are featured in the new Amazon Prime Video docuseries, "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets."

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In the series, Jill said she she felt "obligated" to participate in a Fox News interview in which she said she forgave her brother Josh for allegedly sexually abusing her, Insider's Esme Mazzeo reported. Given the choice, she wouldn't do the Fox interview again, she said.

Members of the Duggar family filming "Counting On."TLC

Jessa, 30, is a content creator and influencer

Jessa's courtship and wedding to Ben Seewald aired on "19 Kids and Counting" in 2015. They have four children.

Jessa posts regularly to her YouTube channel and creates sponsored content on Instagram with brands such as Walmart and Christian Healthcare Ministries.

Jinger, 29, published a memoir about questioning her religious upbringing

Jinger's wedding to Jeremy Vuolo was featured on a 2016 episode of "Counting On." They have two children.

In 2019, Jinger and Jeremy moved from Laredo, Texas, to Los Angeles for Jeremy to begin studying at The Master's Seminary, People magazine reported.

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In her 2023 memoir, "Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith From Fear," Jinger shared how she began to question and eventually stop abiding by IBLP's strict rules and beliefs.

"My entire life was wrapped up in this teaching," she told Insider's Esme Mazzeo. "But I felt like I had a responsibility to say something because I had not only grown up in this teaching, but I also promoted it with my sisters in our 2012 book, 'Growing up Duggar.' I now strongly disagree with those teachings, so it was an opportunity for me to come back and say, 'Hey, I don't believe that anymore.'"

Joseph, 28, is a real-estate agent

Joseph was the first member of the Duggar family to go to college, studying at Crown Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee, for one year before returning to the family construction business. His departure appeared in the trailer for the eighth season of "19 Kids and Counting" that never aired.

Joseph earned his real-estate license in 2016. He married Kendra Caldwell in 2017, and they have three children.

Josiah, 26, has stepped back from public life

The Duggar family announced that Josiah had begun courting Marjorie Jackson in April 2015, and their relationship was set to appear on the season of "19 Kids and Counting" that was canceled. Their courtship ended in August 2015.

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Josiah married Lauren Swanson in 2018, and they have two children. He registered a company called Milagro Designs LLC in 2019, but it doesn't appear to be active. Their joint Instagram is now private.

Members of the Duggar family appear on "Good Morning America" in 2014.D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

Joy-Anna, 25, is a YouTuber

Joy-Anna's 2016 courtship and 2017 engagement to Austin Forsyth were featured on "Counting On." They have three children.

Joy-Anna and Austin post regularly on their YouTube channel.

Jedidiah, 24, works for the family business in Arkansas

In 2019, Jedidiah, who goes by Jed, ran for Arkansas State House District 89, but lost to Democratic incumbent Megan Godfrey.

Jedidiah married Katelyn Nakatsu in 2021. They kept their courtship and engagement private, but shared wedding videos on their YouTube channel. They have one child.

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He now works for his father's Arkansas car dealership, Champion Motorcars.

His twin, Jeremiah, 24, works multiple jobs

The Duggar family shared on their official Facebook page that Jeremiah became a licensed real-estate agent in 2020.

According to his Instagram bio, Jeremiah also works as a flight instructor and contractor. Jeremiah and his wife, Hannah, whom he married in 2022, have a joint YouTube channel, as well. They have one child.

Jason, 23, works in construction

After years of flipping and selling houses with his family, Jason now owns Build Master Construction in Arkansas, according to his Instagram bio.

James, 21, is a rancher

The Duggar family's official website describes James as "the rancher in the family" who helps care for a herd of cattle on the family property.

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James has a commercial driver's license and is working towards his pilot license. He also posts vlogs of his travels on YouTube.

Justin, 20, works in construction and as a mechanic

Justin's courtship with Claire Spivey was featured on "Counting On." They got married in 2021 and moved to Texas, where Claire is from.

Justin and Claire purchased a home in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2021 for $134,700, renovated it, and re-listed it for $199,900 in 2022, according to The Sun. They also chronicled the renovation of a camper on their YouTube channel.

Jackson, 19, completed basic training at ALERT Academy

ALERT (Air, Land, Emergency Resource Team) Academy, a military-style Christian service organization affiliated with IBLP, is listed on the Duggar family's official website as one of their favorite ministries. Jackson finished their nine-week basic training course in 2022.

Members of the Duggar family in 2014.D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

Johannah, 17, recorded an album with other family members

Together with her younger sisters Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace, and Josie, as well as Josh and Anna's daughter Mackynzie, Johannah recorded an album called "Happy Heart" in 2018.

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Johannah still lives at home with her parents and does not have her own social-media accounts.

Jennifer, 15, has kept a low profile

Jennifer's birth was filmed for the 2008 TLC special "Duggars' Big Family Album."

She was pictured visiting Jinger in California in June 2022 along with Jana and Jessa on Jinger's Instagram, but doesn't have a social-media presence of her own.

Jordyn-Grace, 14, lives with her parents in Arkansas

Jordyn-Grace is described on the Duggar's official website as a "sweet-hearted, confident girl" who enjoys calligraphy, art, and fashion. She lives at the Duggar family home and does not have her own social-media accounts.

Josie, 13, is the youngest Duggar

Josie spent six months in the NICU when she was born prematurely, and she has continued to experience health complications such as seizures. In 2014, "19 Kids and Counting" director Scott Enlow helped care for Josie when she experienced a seizure during filming.

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Josie lives at the Duggar family home in Arkansas and makes occasional appearances in her siblings' vlogs and Instagram posts.

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