Taylor Sheridan is the creator of the shows 1883, 1923, Yellowstone and Marshals
NEED TO KNOW
The Western dramas center on the Dutton family through different generations
Marshals is the latest addition to the Yellowstone franchise
Warning! Spoilers ahead for theYellowstonefranchise
The Dutton family's legacy is continuing on TV long after theYellowstoneseries finale.
The saga of theYellowstone Dutton Ranchin Montana is the centerpiece for four television series about the family's lineage and legacy:1883,1923, YellowstoneandMarshals.
The original show,Yellowstone, premiered in June 2018 and followed the family of John Dutton III in modern day Montana.Season 5 airedin November 2022, with an impressive12.1 million viewerstuning in for the first episode.
After its explosive success, Paramount Network created two prequel series.1883debuted in December 2021 and focused on the Dutton family laying roots down in the western state. CreatorTaylor Sheridanfollowed it up with1923in December 2022, whichsaw the Duttons strugglingthrough the start of the Great Depression, droughts and Prohibition.
Another show joined theYellowstonefranchise in March 2026:Marshalscenters on Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) as he joins a U.S. Marshals unit in Montana.
So, who are all the characters from1883,1923, MarshalsandYellowstone? Here's everything to know about the Dutton family.
James Dutton
Patriarch James Dutton appears in1883and is portrayed byTim McGraw.
James and his wife Margaret have three children: Elsa, John and Spencer. The patriarch is originally a farmer from Tennessee and a Confederate veteran of the Civil War.
He decides to go West in a wagon train with his family, including his sister Claire and her daughter Mary Abel, to start a new life. At the end of the limited series, he survives the harsh winter and settles on the future Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
Margaret Dutton
Faith Hilljoinedher real-life husband, McGraw, in1883as his on-screen wife Margaret.
She has three children, Elsa, John and Spencer — the latter whom she gave birth to sometime after the family arrived in Montana.
Margaret was a nurse in the Civil War and is the strong-willed matriarch whose determination helps establish the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
Elsa Dutton
Elsa, played byIsabel May, is the eldest child of James and Margaret Dutton in1883.
She takes the journey westward with her family and along the way, she meets a cowboy named Ennis, whom she plans to marry, but he is killed by bandits. In Colorado, Elsa begins a complicated relationship with Sam, a Comanche warrior who saves her life. The two have an unofficial wedding ceremony and she vows to return to him after her family settles.
However, Elsa dies from an arrow shot during an attack on the family's wagon train, and the couple never reunite. She chooses her burial spot to be in Paradise Valley, which eventually becomes the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
Sam appears in1883and is portrayed by Martin Sensmeier.
He is a Comanche warrior who falls in love with Elsa after saving her life. He is loyal to his community and land, and he marries Elsa, but the two do not unite again.
John Dutton Sr.
The Dutton family's legacy continues in1923with John Dutton Sr., portrayed byJames Badge Dale.
The older son of James and Margaret Dutton, John Sr. remains close to his uncle Jacob and aunt Cara after his parents' deaths. He marries his wife Emma, and they have a son, Jack.
John helps work the land of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch with his uncle until he is killed by the family's enemy, Banner Creighton.
Emma Dutton
Emma appears in1923and is portrayed by Marley Shelton.
She is the wife of John Dutton Sr. and the mother of Jack Dutton. After her husband's death, a heartbroken Emma dies by suicide.
Jack Dutton
Jack is a character in1923played by Darren Mann.
The son of John Dutton Sr. and Emma Dutton, he works the land of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch with his father and great-uncle, Jacob Dutton.
He marries his wife, Elizabeth Strafford, during season 1. In the penultimate episode of season 2, Jack is shot and killed by Clyde, who was sent to spy on the Duttons by Donald Whitfield.
Elizabeth Dutton
Elizabeth Dutton, née Strafford, appears in1923and is portrayed byMichelle Randolph.
She is the wife of Jack Dutton, who grapples with the reality of being with a rancher, including the time away from each other. During this transition, Elizabeth leans on Cara for support and the two grow close.
Despite their struggles, Jack and Elizabeth's relationship strengthens following her miscarriage. Unfortunately, he ends up getting killed and she makes the decision to go back home.
Spencer Dutton
Spencer, played byBrandon Sklenar, is the second son of parents James and Margaret Dutton.
He was born in Montana sometime after the family settled. Spencer serves in World War I and deals with post-traumatic stress disorder when he returns home. Instead of working on the ranch, though, the veteran chooses to become a big game hunter in Africa, earning a reputation.
However, Spencer later decides to return to Montana with his wife Alexandra after his brother John Sr. is killed and his uncle Jacob is wounded. But the couple doesn't get the opportunity to create a life together in the United States after her journey over turns deadly.
Alexandra Dutton
Julia Schlaepfer's Alexandra is visiting Kenya with her then-fiancé Arthur when she meets Spencer Dutton.
After she decides to call off her wedding, she runs away with Spencer and the two quickly fall in love. The new couple experience a life-or-death situation while lost at sea and their survival inspires them to get married on a boat by a captain.
Sadly, she doesn't make it to Montana the way she once imagined; she gets caught in freezing conditions and dies.
Claire Dutton
Claire appears in1883and is portrayed byDawn Olivieri. She is Jacob and James' sister and Henry's widow. She had seven children, but only one, Mary Abel, survived past childhood.
They travel westward together with the Dutton family until Mary Abel is killed, after which Claire dies by suicide.
Yellowstoneviewers may also recognize the actress as corporate shark Sarah Atwood.
Henry
Henry is the late husband of Claire Dutton and father to Mary Abel. Henry died prior to1883, having outlived six of his children, and did not in the series.
Mary Abel
Mary Abel is a character in1883,portrayed by Emma Malouff.
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She was the only surviving child of her parents, Henry and Claire Dutton. She makes the journey with her mother and her extended Dutton family westward until she is killed by a gang near Fort Worth, Texas.
Jacob Dutton
Harrison Fordtakes on the patriarch role of Jacob in1923, who outlives his brother James Dutton and sister Claire Dutton.
Jacob is married to Cara and he takes responsibility for the family ranch, working day in and day out with his nephew, John Sr., and his great-nephew, Jack. Apart from the land, Jacob is also the commissioner of the livestock association.
Cara Dutton
Cara, played byHelen Mirren, is a main lead in1923, as she is married to Jacob Dutton.
She immigrated from Ireland and traces of her past can be heard in her slight accent. She and Jacob take over the ranch after James' and Margaret's deaths. While Jacob, John Sr. and Jack oversee the land's maintenance, Cara helps keep the home in order alongside Emma and Elizabeth.
John Dutton II
John Dutton II is mentioned in1923and appears in a flashback episode ofYellowstone. Portrayed byDabney Coleman, John II is the father of John III and grandfather to Lee, Jamie, Beth and Kayce.
Although his parents' identities have not yet been confirmed, he is either the son of Spencer and Alexandra or Jack and Elizabeth.
John Dutton III
John Dutton III appears inYellowstoneand is portrayed byKevin Costner.
John inherits the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the largest ranch in Montana. He has complicated — but loving and loyal — relationships with his four children: Lee, Jamie, Beth and Kayce. He also has a close relationship with his grandson, Tate.
Professionally, John is a powerful man of influence and keeps preserving his ranch and land top of mind. At the beginning ofYellowstoneseason 5, he is elected governor of Montana after being the commissioner of the livestock association. But John's run is short when he is killed.
Evelyn Dutton
Evelyn appears inYellowstoneand is portrayed by Gretchen Mol.
She is married to John Dutton III, and they have four children: Lee, Beth, Jamie and Kayce. In 1997, Evelyn was killed in a horseback riding accident while on a ride with Beth and Kayce.
ears later, her husband and kids struggle to continue on without her, as she was considered "the spine of the family."
Lee Dutton
ThoughYellowstoneviewers only see Dave Annable as Lee in the pilot episode, he's spoken about throughout the series.
He's the oldest sibling and set to inherit the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch — however, he is killed in an accident while attempting to recover stolen cattle.
Jamie Dutton
Jamie, played byWes Bentley, is the second oldest sibling inYellowstone.
Jamie was adopted by John and Evelyn after his biological father, Garrett Randall, killed his mother, Phyllis. He later reconnects with his biological father, causing a tense relationship with John.
Jamie holds the seat of Montana attorney general and works with his adoptive father, who becomes governor. The lawyer also has friction with his sister Beth, who blames him for her inability to have children.
In the end, the family's troubles end with John and Jamie's deaths.
Christina
Christina appears inYellowstoneand is portrayed by Katherine Cunningham.
She was Jamie Dutton's campaign manager during his run for Montana attorney general in season 2. She and Jamie were previously in a relationship, and they had a son, named James.
Jamie Dutton Jr.
In season 4, Christina surprises Jamie with her pregnancy after ending their relationship. He is named James after his father.
Beth Dutton
Kelly Reillyportrays Beth, who has a successful career in banking in Salt Lake City and moves back to the Dutton Ranch to help solidify her family's legacy.
Upon Beth's return, she reconnects with her longtime love Rip Wheeler and although their relationship ensues an on-again, off-again pattern, they spontaneously get married at the end of season 4.
Despite Jamie wanting to become the next Montana governor, Beth supports their father instead and this fuels their sibling rivalry. By the end of theYellowstoneseries, she fulfills her promise to "avenge" her dad by getting back at Jamie.
Rip Wheeler
Rip Wheeler, played byCole Hauser, was orphaned as a teen and was taken in by John Dutton III.
After starting out as a ranch hand, Rip worked his way up to be the Dutton Ranch's foreman and John's confidant.
His relationship with Beth goes back to their teenage years when he first arrived at the establishment, but they reconnected in adulthood and made their romance official. As a married couple, Beth and Rip take in orphaned teen Carter as their own.
Kayce Dutton
Kayce appears inYellowstoneand is portrayed by Luke Grimes.
He is married to Monica Dutton, with whom he shares a son, Tate. Kayce is the youngest of his siblings and a former Navy SEAL. He starts a career as a livestock agent for the Montana Livestock Association; however, he decides to leave his position to support his father's ranch.
Kayce also helps bridge a gap between the Native American community at the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, which Monica belongs to. This connection comes full circle when Kayce makes a deal with Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) to take over the family's land.
In March 2026, a spinoff centered on Kayce calledMarshalspremiered, following his journey as a U.S. Marshal after giving up his title as livestock commissioner.
Monica Dutton
Kelsey Asbille's portrayal of Monica begins in season 1 ofYellowstone, when she is already married to Kayce.
Although there is little information known about how their relationship started, the couple have a son named Tate. The trio navigates being part of the Broken Rock Indian Reservation community while being members of the Dutton family.
In season 5, Monica and Kayce lose their second child, a son named John, following a car accident. Despite the loss, she forms a stronger bond with her father-in-law and sister-in-law.
WhenMarshalspremiered in March 2026, it was revealed thatMonica had died of cancercaused by toxic waste that had been dumped on the Broken Rock Reservation, leaving Kayce and Tate to go on without her.
Tate Dutton
Tate, played byBrecken Merrill, is the son of Kayce and Monica Dutton.
While his character starts off with a minor storyline, Tate's presence has evolved as he comes to terms with being the next generation to take over the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch one day.
After Kayce and Monica move to the property, Tate becomes closer to his grandfather, John Dutton III, and he later deals with the loss of his mom.
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