Trace Bates

Trace in October 2023

### Siblings

Zach Bates, Michaela Keilen, Erin Paine, Lawson Bates, Nathan Bates, Alyssa Webster, Tori Smith, Carlin Stewart, Josie Balka, Katie Clark, Jackson Bates, Warden Bates, Isaiah Bates, Addallee Bates, Ellie Bates, Callie-Anna Bates, Judson Bates, Jeb Bates

### Children

Ryker Bates

Trace Whitfield Bates is the eighth of Gil and Kelly Bates' nineteen children. He is married to Lydia Romeike. They have one child, Ryker.

## Early Life

Trace Whitfield Bates was born on February 1, 1997, to Gil Bates and Kelly Jo Callaham. He was the couple's eighth child, and they went on to have eleven more children after him. His name means "harvester of the white fields".

Trace was homeschooled growing up. He and his siblings were raised as active participants of Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles.

Trace and his sister Carlin graduated from high school together in 2016. They held a graduation party at Mount Moriah Camp, which was planned by Carlin and open to the public. Erin, Lawson, Tori, and Carlin sang the song "All Along" by Rebecca J. Peck and Mark Lanier at the party. Many of the older Bates kids and friends performed skits at the party as well.

Trace is said to be fun and spunky, and he enjoys playing any kind of game, although football is his favorite.

## Family

### Courtship

In August 2021, Trace started a relationship with Lydia Romeike. On December 10, 2021, Trace posted a photo of himself with Lydia on Instagram with the caption, "So blessed to call you mine", confirming his relationship with her. Lydia posted similarly on both her personal and professional Instagram accounts. On February 12, 2022, Trace posted a video to his instagram account celebrating their 6 month anniversary.

### Engagement

On March 21, Trace proposed to Lydia and she accepted. This was announced via US Weekly ten days later on the 31st.

### Wedding

Trace married Lydia Romeike on October 1, 2022. The wedding took place at the Hill Barn wedding venue in Jefferson City, TN in front of 350 guests. Trace's father Gil Bates gave the charge, while Lydia's pastor, Dr. Dean Haun, presided over the vows ceremony. The reception, held at Jefferson City Christian Church due to inclement weather, was catered by Smoke on the Mountain Catering along with Chick-fil-A sandwiches.

### Fatherhood

On March 4, 2023, Trace and Lydia announced via Youtube that they are expecting their first child, due in September 2023

On April 1, 2023, Trace and Lydia revealed via YouTube that they were having a boy.

On May 12, 2023, Trace and Lydia revealed via Youtube that their son's name was Ryker Cruise.

On August 19, 2023 the couple posted a YouTube video explaining that Ryker wasn't growing as much as they'd like, meaning Lydia would have to be induced at 38 weeks. They chose September 12 as her induction date.

On September 12, 2023, Trace and Lydia welcomed Ryker Cruise to the world. He was born at 11:54 pm weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces, measuring 19.5 inches in length.

## Career

Trace took over Lawson's lawn care business around the time he graduated.

He aspires to be a trick rider for the Dixie Stampede. He has auditioned at least once.

Based on photos, he appears to be working in law enforcement in some way now. Details of this are unknown.

After Chad Paine moved to Florida, Trace and his brother Warden took over Paine Construction.

### Education

Trace received a one-year Bible certificate from Crown College on May 7, 2018.  While at Crown, he was a member of the choir.

### Television Career

Trace appeared on the TLC show *19 Kids and Counting*many times as a child and teenager. In 2012, TLC aired one season of the show *United Bates of America*, which focused on Trace's family. In 2015, UpTV began airing a similar show, *Bringing Up Bates*, which ended after 10 seasons. Trace is regularly featured in both shows.

## Previous Courtships

### Chaney Kahle

Trace was previously in a relationship with Chaney Kahle. The couple first met while on ski trips in Colorado with their respective families in January of 2019. The exact beginning of their relationship is unknown, but they began publicly appearing together in pictures while on a trip to Disney World in May of 2019. The relationship was publicly confirmed on July 11, 2019, and officially announced on September 11, 2019. On September 19, 2019, Trace's mother Kelly shared in a Facebook Live video that the two are now courting. A formal courtship announcement never took place. After two months of speculation, Trace confirmed on February 3, 2020, that Chaney chose to end the relationship.

## Wedding Involvement

Trace was involved in the following weddings:

* groomsman: his sister Michael Bates's wedding to Brandon Keilen (8/15/15)
* groomsman: his friend Joseph Duggar's wedding to Kendra Caldwell (9/8/17)
* groomsman: his sister Tori Bates's wedding to Bobby Smith (12/16/17)
* groomsman: his sister Josie Bates's wedding to Kelton Balka (10/5/18)
* groomsman: his sister Carlin Bates's wedding to Evan Stewart (5/25/19)
* groomsman: his brother Nathan Bates's wedding to Esther Keyes (10/22/21)
* groomsman: his brother Lawson Bates's wedding to Tiffany Espensen (5/12/22)
* groomsman: his brother Jackson Bates's wedding to Emerson Wells (10/14/23)

*profile photo credit*

## Domestic Terrorism

On January 6, 2021, domestic terrorists attempted a coup on the United States government and participated in an insurrection on the US Capitol. Although his brother Lawson claimed it was a peaceful protest and that they both had the right to be there, he denied ever going to the capitol itself. Both Trace and Lawson were pictured as part of the crowd. After many people reached out to UPtv regarding the incident, the network insisted there was no evidence that the brothers participated in the violence that occurred.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BFAQyuvMbm7/?hl=en&taken-by=thebatesfam
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.batesfamilyblog.com/2016/08/recap-bates-make-grade.html
3. ↑ https://thebatesfamily.com/about-family/
4. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CXUfnheJf1V/
5. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CXUfen5LDdo/
6. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CXUju7qL1OA/
7. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZ2gKQYJyfr/?utm\_medium=copy\_link
8. ↑ https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/bringing-up-bates-trace-bates-lydia-romeike-engaged-photos/
9. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CjOdUqrplqG/
10. ↑ https://people.com/tv/bringing-up-bates-trace-bates-is-married-to-lydia-romeike/
11. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVgISG981TA
12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk\_M4MQAj94
13. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CxKDot6gNmf/
14. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CxMTRQgrkHm/
15. ↑ http://www.batesfamilyblog.com/2017/01/trace-bates-trick-rider.html
16. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BsBTP3ZAGsL/
17. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BigRJJLHn\_G/
18. ↑ http://www.batesfamilyblog.com/2017/11/trace-and-carlin-in-nyc.html
19. ↑ https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/bringing-up-bates-trace-officially-dating-chaney-grace/
20. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs06LcBhisG/
21. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BxVzZpkg\_Bn/
22. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BzyGsCKhQCS/
23. ↑ https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/bringing-up-bates-trace-officially-dating-chaney-grace/
24. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/BringingUpBates/videos/2144586682513211/
25. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/B8HqzH6goGx/
26. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BYzhQwSj\_-V/?taken-by=tracebates97
27. ↑ http://people.com/tv/bringing-up-bates-tori-bates-marries-bobby-smith/
28. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/us/josie-bates-and-kelton-balka-oct-2018#our-story
29. ↑ https://www.knoxnews.com/story/entertainment/2019/05/26/bringing-up-bates-see-carlin-bates-evan-stewart-marry-loudon/1226297001/
30. ↑ https://imgur.com/a/zMqFhv4
31. ↑ https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-01-07/lawson-bates-trace-bates-trump-riots-capitol