Kelly Jo Bates

Kelly in May 2023

### Children

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

### Grandchildren

Bradley Bates, Allie Webster, Carson Paine, Kaci Bates, Brooklyn Paine, Lexi Webster, Zoey Webster, Everly Paine, Kade Smith, Willow Balka, Khloé Bates, Holland Paine, Layla Stewart, Kolter Smith, Maci Webster, Jadon Bates, Hazel Balka, Charlotte Smith, Finley Paine, Zade Stewart, Cambree Smith, Kenna Bates, Hailey Clark, Rhett Webster, Lily Bates, Ryker Bates, William Paine

Kelly Jo (Callaham) Bates is the daughter of the late Kenneth H. Callaham, Sr. and Betty Jo Callaham. She is the younger sister of Chip Callaham, Kay Mount, and Kim Adkins, the older sister of Beth and Beka Miller, and the stepsister of William, Ty, and Lee Miller. She is the wife of Gil Bates. Together they have 19 children and 27 grandchildren.

## Early Life

Kelly Jo Callaham was born to Kenneth H. Callaham, Sr., and Betty Jo Smith. She was the couple's fourth child, and her mother went on two adopt two more children after her.

Not much is known about Kelly's childhood. At some point when she was a child, her parents divorced. Her mother remarried twice once Kelly was an adult, with her third husband coming after her second husband's death.

## Family

Kelly began college at Anderson University, where she met Gil Bates. The two served on the same ministry team, and when Gil needed tutoring for his chemistry class, Kelly was the lab assistant. The two then transferred to Carson Newman University. Gil proposed to Kelly while they were still in school. Gil and Kelly got marred on December 19, 1987.

### Motherhood

Although Gil and Kelly had expected to not start having children until they had been married for five years, Kelly got pregnant only a few months after getting married, and on December 30, 1988, the couple's first child, Zachary Gilvin, was born. Just over a year later, Zach was joined by a sister, Michael Christian, on January 23, 1990. The couple went on to have seventeen more children: Erin Elise (5/2/91), William Lawson (7/27/92), Kenneth Nathaniel (8/29/93), Alyssa Joy (11/9/94), Tori Layne (12/20/95), Trace Whitfield (2/1/97), Carlin Brianne (4/11/98), Josie Kellyn (8/4/99), Katie Grace (10/5/00), Jackson Ezekiel (2/17/02), Warden Justice (5/19/03), Isaiah Courage (10/16/04), Addallee Hope (2/17/06), Ellie Bridget (4/28/07), Callie-Anna Rose (8/2/09), Judson Wyatt (9/15/10), and Jeb Colton (2/1/12).

Kelly delivered her first two children in a hospital, but then went on to have the rest of her children at home with the assistance of a midwife.

Kelly homeschools her children, which she has done since her oldest was old enough to begin school. She also trains her children in taking care of a house by giving them chores to help things run smoothly. "We're teaching them that work is fun, so they don't see it as a chore," she said in an interview.

Although friends and family have expressed concern over Kelly's wellbeing having had so many children, she assures people that she is doing fine. "I have not had health issues and have had pretty easy pregnancies," she said in an interview after the birth of her nineteenth child. "We try to live healthy and make wise decisions about our health. We had a peace about the choice we're making."

### Grandchildren

#### Zach's Family

On December 14, 2013, Kelly's son Zach married Whitney Perkins. The couple has five children, Bradley Gilvin (10/29/14), Kaci Lynn (6/20/16), Khloe Eileen (11/07/19), Jadon Carl (6/07/21), and Lily Jo (8/15/23).

#### Erin's Family

On November 2, 2013, Kelly's daughter Erin married Chad Paine. The couple has five children, Charles Stephen "Carson" (5/14/15), Brooklyn Elise (8/6/16), Everly Hope (3/30/18), Holland Grace (11/26/19), Finley Marie (1/18/22), and William Gage (10/30/23).

#### Nathan's Family

On October 22, 2021, Kelly's son Nathan married Esther Keyes. The couple has one child, Kenna Joy (10/17/22).

#### Alyssa's Family

On May 24, 2014, Kelly's daughter Alyssa married John Webster. The couple has five children, Allie Jane (4/11/15), Lexi Mae (1/26/17), Zoey Joy (3/28/18), Maci Jo (2/09/21), and Rhett Alan (3/18/23).

#### Tori's Family

On December 16, 2017, Kelly's daughter Tori married Bobby Smith. The couple has four children, Robert "Kade" Ellis Smith IV (11/9/18), Kolter Grey (3/25/20), Charlotte Raine (6/24/21), and Cambree Layne (8/2/22)

#### Trace's Family

On October 1, 2023, Kelly's son Trace married Lydia Romeike. The couple has one child, Ryker Cruise (9/12/23).

#### Carlin's Family

On May 25, 2019, Kelly's daughter Carlin married Evan Stewart. The couple has two children, Layla Rae (1/31/20) and Zade Patrick (3/27/22).

#### Josie's Family

On October 5, 2018, Kelly's daughter Josie married Kelton Balka. The couple has two children, Willow Kristy (7/19/19) and Hazel Sloane (6/14/21).

#### Katie's Family

On December 3, 2021, Kelly's daughter Katie married Travis Clark. The couple has one child, Hailey James (2/17/23).

## Television Career

Kelly and her family's close family friends, the Duggar family, premiered their own reality show, *17 Kids and Counting*, on TLC in 2008. In the episode "When Big Families Collide", which aired on October 13, 2008, the show's viewers were introduced to the Bates family. Kelly and her family went on to appear in a number of episodes in the show's ten season run.

On March 13, 2012, a special episode of the show "The Bates Family: And Baby Makes 19" premiered, which served as a sort of re-introduction to the family before the premiere of their own TLC show, *United Bates of America*, on August 13, 2012. The show ran for one season, before announcing on October 6, 2012, that it had been canceled.

 On November 18, 2014, the family announced they had begun filming for a second reality show, *Bringing Up Bates*. *Bringing Up Bates*, which premiered on UpTV on January 1, 2015, is currently in its sixth season.

## Wedding Involvement

* matron of honor: her daugher Michael Bates's wedding to Brandon Keilen (8/15/15)

*profile photo credit*

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://thebatesfamily.com/about-family/
2. ↑ http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/local/faith-purpose-and-perseverance-are-key-for-family-of-18-ep-410712720-359692941.html/
3. ↑ http://people.com/tv/bates-family-welcome-baby-no-19/
4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130326124702/http://www.knoxville.com/news/2012/oct/06/terry-morrow-tlc-cans-united-bates-reality-show/?partner=RSS
5. ↑ https://thebatesfamily.com/2014/11/bringing-up-bates/