The Yellowstone prequel 1883 introduced us to the founders of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, James and Margaret Dutton. James and Margaret, along with their children Elsa and John, fled their life of poverty in Tennessee for a new beginning.
After losing their daughter Elsa to infection, James and Margaret went on to establish the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch at her final resting place, Paradise Valley, Montana. The ranch became a new way of life for the Duttons and they even went on to have another child, Spencer.
For many years, James and Margaret ran the ranch along with their sons, John and Spencer. However, after the death of James, Margaret is left struggling to keep the ranch afloat.
Margaret writes to her brother-in-law and his wife, Jacob and Cara Dutton, to come to help her on the ranch. However, by the time they arrived at the ranch, Margaret was dead.
How Did James Dutton Die?
James Dutton dies after getting shot by horse thieves on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. He died in 1893, 10 years after founding the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
We don’t see James Dutton’s death in 1883, but rather in a flashback scene of Yellowstone. In season 4 episode 8 of Yellowstone, James is chasing after a group of horse thieves.
While he manages to shoot all but one of the horse thieves, he gets shot himself and is seriously injured. He makes it back home, however, he collapses and dies inside the house, leading to Margaret screaming in despair.
How Did Margaret Dutton Die?
Margaret Dutton dies after freezing to death in one of Montana’s brutal winters. Sadly, she did not live much longer than her husband James.
Margaret’s death is not shown in 1883 but is rather told by Elsa Dutton in a narration during the first episode of 1923.
Before her death, Margaret wrote to Jacob and Cara Dutton begging them to come to help her on the ranch after James died.
By the time Jacob and Cara arrive at the ranch after their long journey, they find Margaret’s dead body in a snow drift. In addition, they also come across John and Spencer, who were nearly starved to death.
It is likely that if they arrived much later, John and Spencer would have died too. Fortunately, both boys survived the horrific winter that took their mother.
John was probably close to 16 and Spencer was between the ages of six and eight. However, it is unclear exactly how old the Duttons brothers were when they became orphans.
Who Took Over the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch After James and Margaret Dutton?
After the death of James and Margaret Dutton, Jacob and Cara took over the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. They turned the humble ranch into a thriving cattle empire.
In addition to running the ranch, they also raised John and Spencer as their own after the deaths of their parents. Jacob and Cara did not have any children themselves.
It would have likely been around 1894 when Jacob and Cara took over running the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. This means, by the time of the other Yellowstone prequel 1923, Jacob and Cara had been running the ranch for close to 30 years.
John helped work on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch until his death in 1923. It had been many years since Spencer worked on the ranch, as he fought in WWI and then worked as a big game hunter in Africa.
However, now that the ranch is in dire need of help again, Spencer is on his way back home. He will likely make his return to the ranch sometime early on in season 2 of 1923.
Now that Jacob and Cara getting up there in age, they will likely retire from being in charge of the ranch soon. Spencer or Jack, John’s son, are the most likely candidates to inherit the ranch.
‘1923’ Season 2 Theory: Alex Is Already Pregnant With John Dutton II
1923 ended on a cliffhanger for Alex and Spencer. The couple were separated after a fight broke out onboard the RMS Mauretania, and Spencer accidentally killed Alex’s ex-fiance. The couple swore to meet each other in Bozeman, MT. However, the theory that Alex is already pregnant might complicate their journey. Additionally, season 2 could answer how Spencer is related to John Dutton.
Alex and Spencer are separated in the ‘1923’ finale
In the final episode of 1923 Season 1, Alex and Spencer boarded a ship on their journey to America. Unfortunately, it was the same ship as Alex’s ex-fiance Arthur, the Earl of Sussex. Spencer and Arthur duel, and when Arthur pulls a gun, Spencer unintentionally throws him overboard.
Luckily Alex’s friend Jennifer attests that Spencer acted in self-defense. He won’t be tried for murder, but he does have to leave the ship by dinghy at the next port — and without his wife. Alex races to try to catch him, and when she can’t, yells for her husband to meet her in Bozeman, MT.
Alex Dutton may be pregnant at the start of ‘1923’ Season 2
1923 Season 2 will likely kick off with Spencer and Alex’s quest to reunite, but something could complicate their journey. Based on several hints in the final episode of season 1, it seems like Alex might already be pregnant.
First, Alex suffers from motion sickness when she and Spencer first board their ocean liner. This does seem a little out of character for Alex, who evidently felt fine on the tiny tugboat they previously traveled on. Perhaps what Alex is really experiencing is morning sickness.
Additionally, Alex has a telling conversation when she reunites with Jennifer on their ship. “You must think of your family and your standing,” Jennifer says. “The only family I’m thinking of is the one I’m starting,” Alex replies.
It’s very possible that Alex already knows that she is pregnant. This could explain why she didn’t do anything drastic to reach Spencer when he was carried away by the dinghy. Still, Alex has a frightening journey ahead of her. In 1923 Season 2, she may be traveling pregnant and alone to a place she has never been before.
Is Alex the mother of John Dutton II?
In the 1923 season 1 finale, Jack and Elizabeth Dutton endured a tragedy. Elizabeth learned that she miscarried, and the show seemed to imply that she may be infertile after getting shot in the abdomen.
Many fans initially assumed that Kevin Costner’s John Dutton comes from Jack and Elizabeth’s line. However, it’s very possible that he is actually the grandson of Spencer and Alex Dutton. In 1923 Season 2, Alex may give birth to John Dutton II (played by Dabney Coleman in Yellowstone), and if that’s the case, she’s likely already pregnant.
All episodes of 1923 are currently streaming on Paramount+.
