Jessa Duggar Seewald

Jessa Lauren Seewald (née Duggar; born November 4, 1992)[2] is an American television personality. She is known for being part of the cast of TLC's reality shows 19 Kids and Counting (2008-2015) and Counting On (2015-). She also co-authored a book with her sisters Jana, Jill and Jinger titled Growing Up Duggar: It's All About Relationships.[3]

Jessa Duggar Seewald
Born
Jessa Lauren Duggar

(1992-11-04) November 4, 1992
Tontitown, Arkansas, U.S.
OccupationTelevision personality
Years active2004–present
Spouse(s)
Benjamin Seewald
​
(m. 2014)​
[1]
Children3
Parent(s)Jim Bob Duggar
Michelle Annette Ruark Duggar
Relatives18 siblings including Josh, Jana, Jill, Jinger, and Joy-Anna

Early life

Jessa was born in Tontitown, Arkansas,[4] on November 4, 1992 as the fifth child and the third daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. She was her parents’ heaviest baby at birth and was born at the hospital. She was homeschooled[5] and she can play piano, violin and harp.

Career

Book

With three of her sisters, Jessa co-wrote Growing up Duggar, a book published by Howard Books, in 2014. The book describes growing up in the Duggar home, social relationships, and their religious beliefs.[6][7]

Television

Jessa began her public life as a member of the family featured in the documentary 14 Children and Pregnant Again (2004), which talks about daily life of the family from the "time they wake up" to the "time they go to sleep". The documentary aired on the Discovery Health Channel. Another documentary, Raising 16 Children was produced on the same channel in 2006, when her sister Johannah was born. This was followed by another feature, On the Road with 16 Children about a family cross-country trip.[8][9][10]

On September 29, 2008, 19 Kids and Counting (formerly 18 Kids and Counting and 17 Kids and Counting) began as a regular series based on the Duggar family.[11] The show's final episode aired May 19, 2015 and was formally cancelled on July 16, 2015 due to her brother Josh's scandals.[12] Another series, Jill & Jessa: Counting On, starring Seewald and her sister Jill, premiered on December 13, 2015.[13][14]

Personal life

Marriage and family

In September 2013, it was announced that Benjamin “Ben” Michael Seewald started courting Jessa. They were engaged eleven months later (the longest courtship of all of her siblings). They got married on November 1, 2014.

Together, the couple have three children: Spurgeon Elliot (born November 5, 2015), Henry Wilberforce (born February 6, 2017) and Ivy Jane (born May 26, 2019).

Sexual abuse

In a June 2015 interview on The Kelly File, Seewald identified herself as one of the girls sexually abused by her oldest brother, Josh Duggar, when he was a teenager. She described the abuse as “mild inappropriate touching,” saying it occurred while she was sleeping and fully clothed. Seewald further stated she became aware of the abuse after her parents told her what had occurred following her brother's confession. While Seewald described the abuse as “very wrong,” she decried those referring to her brother as a "child molester" or a "pedophile" or a "rapist", saying, “that is so overboard, and a lie, really.” Regarding the police reports describing the abuse while she was a minor being released to the media, Seewald said, “the system that was set up to protect kids...it's greatly failed.” [15][16][17]

References
  1. Alicia C. Dennis. "Jessa marries Ben Seewald". People.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  2. "Family Scrapbook- The Girls". The Duggar Family (official website). Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  3. Messer, Lesley. "Inside the Duggars' Relationship Advice Book", ABC News, February 20, 2014.
  4. "Jessa Seewald description". Hollywoodlife.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  5. "What Do The Duggars Do All Day? They Have To Do Something Besides '19 Kids & Counting'". Bustle. Casey Rackham. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  6. Susan Pierce. "In new book, Duggar daughters discuss relationships". Timesfreepress.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  7. "Interview With Jill Duggar Prior To The Publishing Of The Duggar Girls' Book, "Growing Up Duggar"". CrossMap. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  8. "14 children and pregnant again". figure8films.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  9. "Raising 16 children". figure8films.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  10. "On the road with 16 children". figure8films.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  11. "19 kids and counting". tv.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  12. Rothman, Michelle; Messer, Lesley (July 16, 2015). ""19 Kids and Counting" Cancelled: The Duggars Speak Out". ABC News. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  13. "Welcome Back Jill & Jessa". TLC. October 18, 2015. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  14. Eglash, Joanne (November 17, 2015). "Jessa Duggar Uses Jana Duggar as Babysitter, but did Jana Act as Babysitter in Risky Home Birth?". Inquisitr. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  15. "Exclusive: Duggar sisters want to 'set the record straight'". Fox News. June 5, 2015. Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  16. Caitlin Keating (June 3, 2015). "Jill Dillard Speaks Out: Jessa and I 'Are Victims' of Molestation". People Magazine. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  17. Abby Ohlheiser (June 3, 2015). "Josh Duggar molested four of his sisters and a babysitter, parents tell Fox News". Washington Post blog. Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
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