For nearly two decades, fans of the Duggar family have followed the ever-growing family of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. As the former TLC stars continue to expand their family through weddings and grandchildren, viewers remain interested in the families connected to the Duggars through marriage.
One of the more recognizable branches of the Duggar extended family is the Forsyth family, thanks to Joy-Anna Duggar’s marriage to Austin Forsyth. The couple’s courtship and wedding were documented on “Counting On.”
While Austin has become a familiar face, many fans have remained curious about the family he comes from. With that in mind, here are five fast facts to know about the Forsyth family in another edition of Duggar in-laws explained.
1. Joy-Anna Duggar Married Into the Forsyth Family in 2017
Joy-Anna Duggar married into the Forsyth family when she tied the knot with Austin Forsyth on May 26, 2017. Among the youngest of the Duggar siblings to get married, Joy was just 19 when she tied the knot with 23-year-old Austin Forsyth at the Cross Church in Rogers, Arkansas.
The couple’s wedding had over 1,000 guests in attendance and featured a number of Duggar siblings and extended family members in the bridal party. Joy asked her sister, Jill Duggar Dillard, to serve as her maid of honor. Five of the other Duggar daughters, including Jana, Jessa, Jinger, Johannah, and Jennifer, were asked to serve as bridesmaids.
Only one of Joy’s brothers, John-David Duggar, was asked to be in the wedding, serving as one of Austin’s many groomsmen. However, Joseph Duggar, Joy’s older brother, ultimately had a big role at the Forsyth wedding reception.
Joseph Duggar popped the question to his now wife, Kendra Caldwell, at Joy and Austin’s wedding reception. Joy also had Kendra serve as one of their bridesmaids, and Joseph’s future father-in-law, Paul Caldwell, also served as the officiant at Joy and Austin’s wedding.
2. Joy-Anna Duggar’s Father-In-Law Is Terry Forsyth
When Joy-Anna Duggar married Austin Forsyth, she gained Terry Forsyth as a father-in-law. Born on December 15, 1959, Terry is a Texas native who has worked as a contractor for much of his life. He has also operated Fort Rock Family Camp in Combs, Arkansas, since 1995.
3. Joy-Anna Duggar’s Mother-In-Law Is Roxanne Forsyth
Joy also gained Roxanne Forsyth as a mother-in-law when she married her husband, Austin. The Forsyth family matriarch was born on November 23, 1963. She married her husband, Terry, on June 15, 1985, when she was 21 years old. Along with homeschooling her children, Roxanne has spent the majority of her adult life running the Fort Rock Family Camp alongside her husband.
4. Terry and Roxanne Forsyth Have A Blended Family
While the Forsyths are known for their strong Christian beliefs, like the Duggars, Terry and Roxanne actually have a blended family. Prior to marrying Roxanne, Terry was married to Julia Rowe. Terry had two children, Brandon and Rachael, with his ex-wife. They tied the knot in 1979, but divorced before their third wedding anniversary in 1982.
Terry’s son, Brandon, was born in September 1980. He is married to Stephanie Forsyth and is a father to five children: Noah, Ephraim, Silas, Miriam, and Ada.
Terry’s daughter, Rachael, was born in March 1982. She is married to Nick Tunstill, with whom she shares six children, including Alora, Adeline, Alyza, Allove, Nicholas, and Agnes.
Along with Terry’s two children from his first marriage, Terry and Roxanne share two children together: Meagan and Austin.
Meagan Forsyth was born in September 1991. Joy-Anna Duggar’s sister-in-law married her husband, Bobby Ballinger, in November 2015. The couple shares four children: Harper, Marlie, Robert, and Sawyer.
Joy’s husband, Austin, is the youngest of the Forsyth siblings, born in December 1993. Joy and Austin share three children: Gideon, Evelyn, and Gunner.
Altogether, Terry and Roxanne’s blended family consists of four children and 18 grandchildren and counting.
5. Terry and Roxanne Forsyth Starred on CMT’s ‘World’s Strictest Parents’
While Joy-Anna Duggar’s side of the family is famous through reality television, the Forsyths actually had their own taste of TV fame before becoming intertwined with the Duggar family. In June 2009, Terry and Roxanne appeared on an episode of CMT’s show, “World’s Strictest Parents.” The show followed troubled teens who were sent to live with strict families for one week in an effort to change their attitudes and life paths.
While Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth have largely stepped back from the spotlight in recent years, Duggar fans continue to take an interest in the extended families connected to the former TLC stars. From running a family camp in Arkansas to appearing on reality TV before Austin’s marriage to Joy, the Forsyth family has continued to stand out as one of the more recognizable branches of the Duggar extended family tree.
