Who Is Janelle Brown's First Husband Adam Barber? First Met The 'Sister Wives' Star In High School
'Sister Wives' star Janelle Brown recently debuted her new romance with a man named Pete at the age of 57. Amid this, here's everything we know about her first husband, Adam Barber.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleSister Wives fame Janelle Brown is hogging the spotlight for all things personal. For those unaware, she left her fans completely surprised by debuting her new romance at the age of 57. In the picture, she can be seen hugging a man named Pete.
She was previously married to Kody Brown; however, many might not be aware that the reality star had actually been married before Kody, too. So, as fans cheer Janelle on for getting a new boyfriend, let's learn more about her first husband, Adam Barber.
Who was Janelle Brown's first husband, Adam Barber?
Janelle Brown was known for being married to Kody Brown. But before Kody, the Sister Wives star was in a short-term relationship with a man named Adam Barber. Janelle tied the knot with Kody on January 20, 1993, after they met each other through the latter’s first wife, Meri Brown. Since Kody was looking for another wife and the reality star was interested in joining him in a spiritual union, they decided to get married.
It is worth noting that unlike the other Brown wives, Janelle did not grow up in a polygamous family. When Janelle met Kody, she was still married to Adam. For those unaware, Adam was Meri Brown’s brother. Janelle had been with him since 1988. Throughout their marriage, the duo did not have any kids.
In her 2012 memoir, Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconditional Marriage, Janelle opened up about her brief marriage with Adam. She revealed that he was her high school sweetheart and wrote:
"Toward the end of high school, I met a student named Adam, with whom I was quite taken. I knew he wasn’t Mormon, which meant we had no hope of being together unless he converted."
Reports suggest that it was Janelle who filed for divorce from Adam. On the day that they were supposed to finalize their split, Adam did not show up in court. After splitting their properties, following the divorce, Janelle got the home they shared during their marriage, and Adam was given three of their cars.
Despite Adam’s divorce from Janelle, his link with the Brown family continued through his sister, Meri. For instance, Meri had invited him to come to the closing of Lizzie’s Heritage Inn, which she owns. The Brown family was reportedly not happy with this, but Meri thought that her family wouldn't care as they never seemed interested in her bed and breakfast in the first place. Additionally, since Meri’s inn had previously belonged to her great-great-grandparents, it seemed pretty appropriate that she was accompanied by a family member.
Adam was never very active on social media. This shows that even though he was married to a reality TV star, he kept his personal life private and away from the spotlight. Adam reportedly passed away at the age of 54 after battling cancer.
All about Janelle Brown’s new boyfriend, Pete
Janelle Brown took to her social media on August 18, 2026, to show off her new beau in a cozy and loved-up picture. While posting the photo, the reality star also revealed his name as Pete.
Gushing about her boyfriend, Janelle said that he “turned out to be exactly what I didn't know I needed.” In the picture, Janelle could be seen hugging Pete and had the biggest smiles on their faces as they posed for a selfie.
Pete spotted a blue T-shirt in the snap while the Sister Wives star wore a floral mauve-and-white-hued blouse. In the caption, Janelle revealed that he found her when she least expected it. Her heartwarming note read:
"Some chapters are meant to unfold quietly before they're shared. I wasn't looking. I certainly wasn't expecting you. And somehow, you turned out to be exactly what I didn't know I needed. And it has been pretty wonderful. Everyone, please meet Pete."
What are your thoughts on Janelle Brown's first husband, Adam Barber? Let us know.
Photo Credit: Janelle Brown/IG, Tammy Schultz/IG
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