Carlin Brianne Stewart (née Bates) (born April 11, 1998) is the ninth child and fifth daughter of Gil Bates and Kelly Bates.
She is the sister of Zachary Bates, Michaela Keilen, Erin Paine, Lawson Bates, Nathan Bates, Alyssa Webster, Tori Smith, Trace Bates, Josie Balka, Katie Clark, Jackson Bates, Warden Bates, Isaiah Bates, Addallee Bates, Ellie Bates, Callie-Anna Bates, Judson Bates, and Jeb Bates.
She is the wife of Evan Stewart and the mother of their children, Layla, Zade and Navy.
Early life[]
Carlin as a child
Carlin Brianne Bates was born on April 11, 1998, in Tennessee, to Gil Bates and Kelly Bates. She was the couple's ninth child, and they went on to have ten more children after her.
Along with her siblings, Carlin was homeschooled growing up. She and her siblings were raised as active participants of Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles, and regularly attended the yearly Advanced Training Institute conferences in Big Sandy, Texas.
While in high school, she took dual enrollment classes at a local college (likely Crown College of the Bible's Early Advantage program). She and her brother Trace 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. At the party, Carlin's brother Nathan asked her who she aspired to be, and her answer was her father: "He’s always been faithful in the little things. He’s steady in the Lord. Whatever he does, he doesn’t lose his cool."
Personal life[]
Courting
Courtship[]
Carlin met Evan Stewart when she was attending a ladies' event hosted by his church. Her sister Erin saw the possibility of a connection and set them up. Carlin began dating Evan Stewart on September 17, 2016. On March 23, 2017, the couple publicly announced their relationship. They officially entered a courtship on August 5, 2017.
In the season six finale of Bringing Up Bates that aired on September 14, 2017, Gil Bates gave Evan and Carlin the green light to enter a courtship; the episode did not feature the beginning of a courtship. Commercials for the season seven premiere of Bringing Up Bates advertised that the episode would feature a courtship proposal. This was the first public information that the couple was officially courting. On the January 4, 2018, UpTV released an official courtship announcement a few hours before the season premiere. In that night's episode, Evan took Carlin on a scavenger hunt around East Tennessee, ending at the Norris Dam. Once at the dam, Evan sang a song that he had written for Carlin and presented her with a bracelet, and she agreed to enter a courtship with him. "Just looking back and seeing all the thought and all the work that went into what Evan did for me and making this day super special, I was overwhelmed with the love he showed me and all the participation of everybody," Carlin said of the courtship proposal. Their courtship proposal was featured on the Bringing Up Bates episode "The 4 C's: Carat, Clarity, Carlin & Courtship".
Engaged
Engagement[]
On September 24, 2018, Carlin announced that she was engaged to Evan Stewart. He proposed on September 22, 2018, at Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, after spending a romantic day exploring Portland together. Their engagement was featured on the Bringing Up Bates episode "The Maine Event".
Just married
Marriage[]
On May 25, 2019, Carlin married Evan Patrick Stewart at Castleton Farms in Loudon, Tennessee. The wedding was officiated by Frank Gagliano and Carlin's father Gil Bates. Carlin's matrons of honor were her sister Erin and her sister-in-law Whitney. Her bridesmaids were her sisters Michaela, Alyssa, Tori, Josie, and Katie, Evan's sisters Maegan, Brittany, Ashley, and Kailyn, and her friend Joy-Anna Forsyth. Her junior bridesmaids were her sisters Addallee and Ellie. The flower girls were Carlin's sister Callie and Evan's nieces Braelyn and Bella. Evan's best man was his brother Ethan. His groomsmen were his brothers-in-law Ben and Daniel, Carlin's brothers Zach, Lawson, Nathan, and Trace, and Carlin's brothers-in-law Brandon, Chad, John, Bobby, and Kelton. The ring bearers were Carlin's brothers Judson and Jeb and their family friend Marlin Nafzinger. The ushers were Carlin's brothers Jackson, Warden, and Isaiah and their family friend Justin Duggar. Carlin and Evan wrote a song titled "Show You I Do" for the wedding. The Foto sisters performed at the wedding. Their wedding was featured on the Bringing Up Bates episode "A Wedding Worth the Wait".
For their honeymoon, Carlin and Evan went to Charleston, South Carolina and the Dominican Republic. Their honeymoon was featured on the Bringing Up Bates episode "A First Time For Everything".
Baby Layla
Motherhood[]
On September 4, 2019, Carlin and Evan announced that they were expecting their first child, due February 2020. On October 5, 2019, they revealed that the baby would be a girl named Layla Rae. Layla Rae Stewart was born at 3:56 p.m. on January 31, 2020. She weighed 5 pounds and 13 ounces, and was 18 inches long. Her original due date was in mid-February 2020, but Carlin had to be induced after being diagnosed with the same blood-clotting disorder as her older sister, Erin, early in her pregnancy. Her birth was featured on the Bringing Up Bates episode "Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates".
Baby Zade
On August 30, 2021, Carlin and Evan announced that they were expecting their second child, due 2022. On September 4, 2021, they revealed that the baby was due April 9, 2022. However, due to Carlin's blood disorder, they said that the baby could arrive around mid-March 2022. On November 21, 2021, they revealed that the baby would be a boy. On January 22, 2022, they revealed that their son's middle name would be Patrick. Zade Patrick Stewart was born on March 27, 2022, at University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. He weighed 6 pounds and 12 ounces, and was 20 inches long.
On February 22, 2025, Carlin and Evan announced that they were expecting their third child, due September 2025. They waited to find out the gender until birth. Their daughter, Navy Kate Stewart was born on September 7, 2025, weighing 7 lbs and measuring 19 inches.
Health[]
In 2016, Carlin got her wisdom teeth removed.
In February 2020, Carlin was hospitalized due to meningitis.
Both Carlin and her husband Evan caught a mild version of COVID-19. They shared the news on August 16, 2020, and revealed that they were on the tail end of recovery and were both doing better. Their daughter, Layla, did not get sick.
During labor with Zade, Carlin experienced episodes of fainting. Since they came home from the hospital, Carlin has experienced low hemoglobin levels, multiple episodes of dizziness and fainting, and seizure-like symptoms. In May 2022, Carlin revealed that it was most likely a seizure disorder. Carlin revealed that this was something that she was born with, but was activated after Zade's birth.
In May 2023, Carlin broke her big toe on her right foot. She was in a boot for a few weeks.
On October 2, 2023, Carlin was admitted to the hospital to be tested for a week to determine if her seizures were epilepsy.
Career[]
Education[]
Carlin attended Crown College of the Bible, where she pursued a degree in Music. She was a member of Crown's choir. On May 11, 2019, Carlin graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis in Music, Religion, and Sociology.
Church[]
Carlin is very active at her church, where she leads character lessons for children on Sunday nights. She leads a Bible club for young girls that includes daily Bible reading, prayer, and Scripture memory.
Missionary[]
In August of 2017, Carlin went on a mission trip to the Philippines to work with Blessing International.
Bates Sisters Boutique[]
On March 18, 2019, Carlin, along with her sister Erin and sister-in-law Whitney, announced that she was opening a clothing store called Bates Sisters Boutique. The online store officially launched on April 19, 2019. Many of the items sold out within hours. The boutique closed in November 2025.
Television[]
Carlin 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 Carlin's family.
In 2015, UpTV began airing a similar show, Bringing Up Bates. Carlin was regularly featured on both shows.
Wedding involvement[]
Carlin was a bridesmaid at her sister Erin's wedding to Chad Paine on November 2, 2013.
She was a bridesmaid at her best friend Joy's wedding to Austin Forsyth on May 26, 2017.
She was the maid of honor at her sister Tori's wedding to Bobby Smith on December 16, 2017.
She was a bridesmaid at her sister Josie's wedding to Kelton Balka on October 5, 2018.
She was a bridesmaid at her sister Katie's wedding to Travis Clark on December 3, 2021.
