Jill Biden’s Ex-Husband Bill Stevenson: Timeline, Divorce, and What’s Known Today
If you’re searching for Jill Biden’s ex husband, you’re looking for a clear timeline and a clean explanation of who he is. Dr. Jill Biden’s first marriage was to William “Bill” Stevenson, a Delaware businessman. They married in 1970 and divorced in 1975, years before she married Joe Biden.
Quick Facts
- Jill Biden’s ex husband is William “Bill” Stevenson.
- They were married from 1970 to 1975.
- They did not have children together.
- She later married Joe Biden in 1977.
Who Is Jill Biden?
Dr. Jill Biden is an educator best known publicly for her years as Second Lady of the United States and later First Lady. Long before national politics became her daily reality, she was Jill Tracy Jacobs, a young woman in Delaware navigating college, work, and early adulthood. That detail matters, because her first marriage happened in that “still becoming yourself” stage—when a relationship can feel permanent simply because you haven’t lived enough life yet to imagine change.
In her own writing and interviews over the years, Jill has described her first marriage as a difficult period and has framed the divorce as a painful but formative experience. The short version is this: it was an early-life marriage that didn’t last, and she later rebuilt her life in a very different direction.
Who Is Bill Stevenson?
Bill Stevenson (often reported as William Stevenson) is best known in public coverage as Jill Biden’s former husband, but he has also been described as a Delaware businessman and local figure. In past reporting, his name has been connected to the Stone Balloon, a well-known music venue in Newark, Delaware, near the University of Delaware.
Because he is not a celebrity by career, details about his life tend to surface only when a news cycle pulls him into view—either through old relationship discussions or later headlines. That pattern is a big reason the “ex husband” keyword spikes: people aren’t tracking his life day-to-day, but they want context when his name reappears.
When Did Jill Biden Marry Bill Stevenson?
Reputable biographical reporting places their marriage beginning in 1970 and ending in 1975. You’ll sometimes see more precise month references in newer coverage, but the core timeline is consistent: Jill Biden’s first marriage was a relatively brief, early-1970s chapter—long before her life became nationally visible.
When Did They Divorce?
Jill Biden and Bill Stevenson divorced in 1975. People often search for a dramatic “reason” the way they might for a celebrity breakup, but divorces—especially early marriages—often come down to something less headline-friendly: immaturity, mismatched priorities, and the slow realization that the life you’re building doesn’t fit both people anymore.
Did Jill Biden and Bill Stevenson Have Children?
No. Public biographical summaries consistently state that Jill Biden and Bill Stevenson did not have children together.
This detail matters because it clears up a common misconception. Jill Biden’s children—Beau, Hunter, and Ashley—are tied to her later family life with Joe Biden, including her role as stepmother to Beau and Hunter and as mother to Ashley. Her first marriage is separate from that family timeline.
Why Did Jill Biden and Bill Stevenson Divorce?
This is where the internet tends to get messy, because different people tell the story through different lenses, and some versions are shaped by decades of hindsight and public attention. Jill Biden has described the marriage as unhappy and the divorce as a difficult turning point. Bill Stevenson has also made his own claims in public interviews over the years, but those accounts are disputed and don’t resolve into a single, universally agreed-upon “one sentence” explanation.
The most responsible way to frame it is simple: it was a youthful marriage that ended after a few years, and Jill Biden has spoken about the emotional weight of going through divorce at that time in her life.
How Jill Biden’s Life Changed After the Divorce
After her divorce, Jill’s life moved into a different phase—more education, more independence, and eventually a path that led into politics through marriage and partnership. If you’re trying to understand why this first marriage remains a point of curiosity, it’s because it’s the “before” chapter: before the Biden name became central to her public identity, before the White House years, and before she became one of the most recognizable political spouses in the country.
For many people, that “before” chapter feels revealing. Not because it contains scandal, but because it reminds you that public figures had ordinary, complicated early lives too—full of decisions they later outgrow.
When Did Jill Biden Marry Joe Biden?
Jill Biden married Joe Biden in 1977. This is the part that often gets mixed up in quick social media posts, so it helps to keep the timeline clean: first marriage ended in 1975, remarriage occurred in 1977.
Once you see those dates side by side, the story becomes less confusing. Her first marriage was short and early. Her second marriage became the long-term partnership the public associates with her adult life.
