‘Bringing Up Bates’: Evan Stewart Almost Dated a Different Bates Girl

Evan Stewart and Carlin Bates seem like a perfectly happy young couple. The duo often takes to YouTube to share their regular life with fans. While many of their videos are pretty basic, one video, in particular, has intrigued family followers. Evan and Carlin, who married in 2019, sat down to tell their fans exactly how they met. In doing so, they both admitted to maybe, perhaps, being in other relationships before they got together. Carlin admitted to having her heart broken, and it was revealed that someone tried to set Evan up with a different Bates girl. Now fans are curious. Which Bates daughter was Evan encouraged to pursue?  

Who could Evan have dated other than Carlin?

Evan and Carlin ultimately ended up together, but fans are still curious about which Bates daughter was being pushed in Evan’s direction before he noticed Carlin. There really are only two options, although one Bates daughter seems like the more likely potential love interest. It’s possible that Evan was encouraged to pursue Tori Bates, who is close in age to Evan.

If Evan was encouraged to pursue Tori, it didn’t work out. Tori is now married to Bobby Smith. Tori and Bobby officially announced their courtship in February 2017, although they were casually dating in late 2016. If Evan was pushed toward Tori, it would have been around 2015 or so, when they were both 20 years old.

Tori wasn’t the only eligible bachelorette, though. Family followers pointed out that it’s possible that family friends could have tried to hook Evan up with Josie Bates. Josie, who married Kelton Balka in 2018, is just over a year younger than Carlin. Family followers point out that Josie would have been pretty young for a courtship with Evan. In 2016, Josie would have been just 17, Evan would have been 21 at the time.  That doesn’t take her out of the running though, Josie’s husband, Kelton, is also four years older than her.

Did Carlin date a Duggar boy?

Carlin admitted, in the same video, that she was dumped before getting together with Evan. Family followers strongly believe that Carlin dated one of the Duggar boys before meeting and marrying Evan, although there is no concrete evidence to suggest that it is true.

There is, however, circumstantial evidence.  During the period that Carlin alluded to, Joseph Duggar was spending a large portion of his time in Tennessee. The Duggar boy, who later went on to marry Kendra Caldwell, was allegedly attending a bible college in the area, and the family insisted that is why he spent so much time with the Bates family. Followers aren’t buying it, though. Many followers think Carlin and Joseph were in a pre-courtship relationship. Coincidentally enough, Joseph dropped out of college shortly before meeting Kendra.

Did Joseph steal his brother’s girlfriend?

After Joseph returned to Arkansas from Tennesse, he pretty quickly began seeing Kendra. Their marriage happened quickly and the pair now share two children. Rumor has it, however, that Kendra was dating a different Duggar brother when she piqued Joseph’s interest.

The Hollywood Gossip reported that Kendra dated Jedidiah Duggar before marrying Joseph. According to a reported insider, Joseph bumped his younger brother out during the early stages of the relationship. Jedidiah, who is now running for political office, has not met his perfect match just yet. He did, however, claim he no longer lives at the Duggar family compound, an admission that shocked family followers.