Meri Brown

Meri Caroline Brown (née Barber) (born January 16, 1971) is the first wife of Kody Brown. They were legally married from 1990 until 2014, when Kody divorced Meri in order to marry Robyn and adopt her three children. They remain spiritually married.

Early life
Meri Caroline Barber was born on January 16, 1971, in Alameda, California, to William James Barber, Jr. (1942-2007) and Bonnie Barber (née Ahlstrom). Her father is also a polygamist and has five wives. She has 25 siblings.

Her mother passed away on March 26, 2021.

Personal life
Meri first met Kody Brown in 1989 when one of his sister introduced them. The two hit it off, and on December 24, 1989, Kody proposed, and she accepted. They were legally married on April 21, 1990.

When Meri married Kody, she planned for them to have eight children together. Unfortunately, she struggled to get pregnant for unknown reasons (she was told she has 'unexplained infertility'). She has only been able to get pregnant twice during their marriage; once in 1994, which resulted in the birth of daughter Mariah Lian, and once again around 2007 which ended in miscarriage.

Sisterwives
Meri's friend Janelle Schriever spiritually married Kody on January 20, 1993.

Kody spiritually married Christine Allred on March 25, 1994.

He spiritually married Robyn Sullivan on May 22, 2010. They were legally married in December of 2014.

Divorce
In December of 2014, Meri was legally divorced from her husband so he could legally marry Robyn in order to adopt her three children. She and Kody are still spiritually married.

"'It's an end of something that we had had, in a way, for 24-and a half years,' Meri said in a statement. 'But at the same time, I know it's not, because I have eternity with him; I have an eternity with the family. I know it's not the end.'"