Jedidiah Robert Duggar (born December 30, 1998) is the tenth child and fifth son of Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar.
He is the brother of Joshua Duggar, Jana Wissmann, John-David Duggar, Jill Dillard, Jessa Seewald, Jinger Vuolo, Joseph Duggar, Josiah Duggar, Joy-Anna Forsyth, Jeremiah Duggar (twin brother), Jason Duggar, James Duggar, Justin Duggar, Jackson Duggar, Johannah Duggar, Jennifer Duggar, Jordyn-Grace Duggar, and Josie Duggar.
He is the husband of Katelyn Duggar and the father of their two children, Truett and Nora. He will be the father of their twin daughters.
Early life[]
Jedidiah Robert Duggar was born on December 30, 1998, in Arkansas, to Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar. He was the couple's tenth child, being born five minutes before his twin brother, Jeremiah, and they went on to have eight more children after them.
Along with his siblings, Jedidiah was homeschooled growing up. He and his siblings were raised as active participants of Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles, and regularly attended the yearly Advanced Training Institute conferences in Big Sandy, Texas. He took the test to get his GED in 2016, at seventeen years old, alongside his twin brother Jeremiah and older sister Joy-Anna. His family had a graduation party to celebrate this event.
Like most children, Jedidiah was assigned chores growing up, which the family called "jurisdictions". As of 2011, Jedidiah's jurisdictions were the clothes closet, the upstairs overlooks, and the hallways. As of 2014, Jedidiah's jurisdictions were lawn care and real estate maintenance.
By 2001, Jedidiah's parents had implemented a buddy system, where each older child was paired with a younger child to take care of. Typical tasks for an older buddy included dressing, bathing, and feeding their younger buddies. It is unknown who Jedidiah's original older buddy was. By 2009, the family had switched from individual buddies to buddy teams, with each team being led by one of the oldest four daughters. Jedidiah was on a team with older sister Jinger and younger sister Johannah.
Jedidiah took piano lessons as a child, but it is unknown if these lessons were from the family's first piano teacher, Ruth Anita Anderson, or if his older siblings had taken over with the lessons by the time he was old enough to learn. Jedidiah also took violin lessons as a child.
In 2006, as featured on one of the TV specials, Jedidiah and his family moved into a new home in Springdale, Arkansas. The family made a point of doing much of the work on the house themselves, seeing it as a learning opportunity for their children. In this house, Jedidiah was given a dormitory-style room with his brothers.
In late 2009, after his sister Josie was born premature, Jedidiah moved with his family into the Cornish House in Little Rock, Arkansas, to be closer to the Arkansas Children's Hospital. Once Josie was healthy enough to leave the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Jedidiah and his family moved back home.
In 2010, Jedidiah was an extra in the film Courageous, which was released on September 30, 2011. Although, Jedidiah did not make it into the film's final cut.
Thanks to the reality show, Jedidiah was able to take a number of vacations as a child and teenager. Notable vacation locations include: Disneyland, New York City, Niagara Falls, Scotland, Ireland, London, Israel, Japan, and China.
Jedidiah was saved when he was 14 years old.
Jedidiah enjoys politics, visiting veterans, spending time with family, and playing basketball with friends.
Personal life[]
Courtship[]
Jedidiah and Katelyn Nakatsu chose to keep their relationship private and never made an official statement regarding their relationship until their wedding. Photos from their engagement and their wedding invitation were leaked to the public, but neither of them confirmed anything.
In 2020, Jedidiah's older sister Jessa posted a video on her YouTube channel. The video featured the Duggar Family's annual fall festival at their home. In one scene, the children were painting pumpkins. Jessa asked Jedidiah if he was making one for his "sweetheart". Another shot showed a pumpkin with "Katey" painted on.
On August 22, 2022, Jedidiah and Katelyn posted a video on their YouTube channel talking about their love story. They first met in April 2019 in a brief encounter when Jedidiah invited Katelyn to a youth retreat that summer. In February 2020, they both signed up for a week-long prison ministry retreat in Florida. Neither of them knew that the other had signed up until they had arrived there. They would talk to each other during breakfast and at night after returning from their respective prison ministry groups. They both left the retreat having feelings for each other and prayed that they would be able to see each other again. In May 2020, Jedidiah's father Jim Bob Duggar invited him and his twin brother Jeremiah to go with him to pick up a greyhound bus that he had recently purchased in Phoenix, Arizona, near Katelyn's house. Jedidiah, Jeremiah, and Jim Bob stayed at Katelyn's family's house during their trip. Jedidiah used their stay as an opportunity to get to know Katelyn and her family better. During the trip, Jedidiah's sister Jinger and her husband Jeremy visited them and Jedidiah told Jinger that he thought Katelyn was the one. After Jedidiah came home from the trip, he called Katelyn's father Kory Nakatsu wanting his permission to get to know her and their family better. In August 2020, they began talking regularly and visited each other once a month.
Engagement[]
On March 18, 2021, it was announced via the Nakatsu Family blog that Jedidiah got engaged to their daughter Katelyn on February 14, 2021. He proposed to her at Amy's Wedding Barn in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The church was decorated with flower petals and candles. Jedidiah walked with Katelyn down the aisle and he proposed to her at the front of the church. They then ate a romantic meal in a clear igloo, sat by the fire, made s'mores, and watched fireworks. Jedidiah said that when they got engaged, it was -13°F and snowing. Their engagement was featured on their YouTube channel.
Marriage[]
On April 3, 2021, Jedidiah married Katelyn Koryn Nakatsu at Barn at the Springs in Springdale, Arkansas. The couple shared their first kiss at the altar. The wedding was officiated by Noel Cwenar. Jedidiah's best man was his twin brother Jeremiah. His groomsmen were his brothers Joseph, Josiah, Jason, James, and Justin, his brother-in-law Austin, his friend Joseph Shoemaker, and one unknown friend. The ring bearer was Jedidiah's nephew Marcus. Katelyn's maid of honor was her sister Lauren. Her bridesmaids were her half-sister Jamie, Jedidiah's sisters Jinger, Johannah, and Jordyn, her friend Lydia Poteet, and four unknown friends. The flower girls were Jedidiah's nieces Meredith and Felicity. His sister Jana was a pianist and his brothers Jeremiah and Jason were singers at the wedding. Their wedding was featured on their YouTube channel.
Their honeymoon destination is unknown. Based on pictures, the couple spent time on a beach.
Fatherhood[]
On September 5, 2021, Jedidiah and Katelyn announced that they were expecting their first child, due April 2022. The due date was later revealed to be May 2, 2022. On January 7, 2022, they revealed that they were expecting a boy. On May 3, 2022, Jedidiah and Katelyn announced that their son, Truett Oliver, was born at 6:34 p.m. on May 2, 2022, at Willow Creek Women's Hospital in Johnson, Arkansas. He weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces, and was 20 ½ inches long. His birth was featured on their YouTube channel.
On December 16, 2022, Jedidiah and Katelyn announced that they were expecting their second child, due May 2023. On December 30, 2022, they revealed that they were expecting a girl and that they would be naming her Nora Kate Duggar. On June 2, 2023, Jedidiah and Katelyn announced that their daughter, Nora Kate, was born on May 24, 2023, at Willow Creek Women's Hospital in Johnson, Arkansas.
On July 18, 2024, Jedidiah and Katelyn announced that they were expecting twin daughters. This will be the first of the Duggar grandchildren to be twins. On September 15, 2024, Katelyn revealed that she was 22 weeks pregnant, putting the due date at January 2025.
Career[]
Politics[]
On January 24, 2017, Arkansas State Representative Charlene Fite shared in a later-deleted post on her Facebook page that Jedidiah was interning at the Arkansas State House of Representatives in Little Rock, Arkansas. On his campaign website, he referred to this position as being a Legislative Assistant.
On August 6, 2019, Jedidiah was a guest on the Modern Conservative Thinking podcast. In this podcast, he spoke of the importance of getting involved in local politics. He also mentioned that he interned for Bob Ballinger's 2018 Arkansas State Senate campaign. On his campaign website, he said that he was actually the Campaign Manager.
On November 1, 2019, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Doug Thompson shared on his Twitter that Jedidiah had confirmed to the paper that he was running for Arkansas State House District 89, and that a formal announcement was expected soon. On November 3, 2019, Jedidiah officially announced this campaign via Instagram. At that time, he launched his campaign website. During the 2020 election, Jedidiah ran for the Arkansas House of Representatives in District 89 as a Republican, pushing a pro-life and Conservative agenda. He lost to Democratic candidate Megan Godfrey by a vote of 3,118 to 2,425.
Used car salesman[]
Jedidiah currently works at his family's business, Champion Motorcars in Springdale, Arkansas. He has worked there since 2016.
Amish Portable Buildings[]
In November 2022, Jedidiah started the business, Amish Portable Buildings of NWA in Springdale, Arkansas.
Prison ministry[]
Jedidiah volunteers at a men's prison ministry program in Florida.
Wedding involvement[]
Jedidiah was a groomsman at his brother Josh's wedding to Anna Keller on September 26, 2008.
He was a groomsman at his parents Jim Bob and Michelle's vow renewal ceremony in 2009.
He was a singer and violinist at his family friend Priscilla Keller's wedding to David Waller on February 4, 2012.
He was an usher at his sister Jill's wedding to Derick Dillard on June 21, 2014.
He was an usher at his sister Jinger's wedding to Jeremy Vuolo on November 5, 2016.
He was a groomsman at his brother Joseph's wedding to Kendra Caldwell on September 8, 2017.
He was a groomsman at his brother Josiah's wedding to Lauren Swanson on June 30, 2018.
He was a groomsman at his family friend Lemuel Reber's wedding to Hannah Bunch on February 6, 2021.
He was a groomsman at his family friend David Keller's wedding to Hannah Reber on November 19, 2021.
He was the best man at his twin brother Jeremiah's wedding to Hannah Wissmann on March 26, 2022.