Married at 19 and 17
The 1980s were a very different time. Back then, mullets were the hottest hairstyle, people had no concept of clothing color coordination, and people got married a lot younger. To give you an idea, Jim Bob was 19 by the time he married Michelle who was 17 at the time. Looking at Arkansas law, the age of consent is 17 years old, so there’s no legal problem there.
However, Jim Bob was ready to provide for his wife and family. He worked as a realtor at his parents’ real estate brokerage agency, and he was rolling in dough. However, the dough reserves would dwindle as they increased their child count past number three.