Dutton Family Tree, Explained: Yellowstone, 1883, & 1923

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Learn how everyone in the Yellowstone franchise is related

Co-authored by Devin McSween

Last Updated: May 22, 2026 Fact Checked

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1883 Duttons

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1923 Duttons

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Yellowstone Duttons

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Yellowstone is a massively popular show about the powerful Dutton family, who own a ranch in Montana. The series has spawned several spin-offs that explore the Duttons ’ ancestors who helped found the ranch, and they’re often referenced in Yellowstone. It can be hard to remember how all the Duttons are related, which is why we’re here to help! In this article, we’re breaking down the Dutton family tree and telling you where each member featured in Yellowstone, 1883, and 1923 fits into the family. Warning: Major spoilers for Yellowstone, 1883, and 1923 below!

Visual Guide to the Dutton Family Tree

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An illustrated family tree showing how the Duttons from Yellowstone, 1883, and 1923 are related.

The Dutton family tree begins with James and Margaret, who founded the Yellowstone Ranch in the late 1800s. They had 3 children, Elsa, John, and Spencer. Spencer married Alexandra and had a son, John II. John II is John III’s father, who is the patriarch in Yellowstone and the father of Lee, Beth, Kayce, and Jamie.

Section 1 of 4:

The Duttons in 1883

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James Dutton James is the true patriarch of the Dutton family and founder of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. He’s the main protagonist of 1883, which follows the former Confederate soldier as he packs up his family to move from Tennessee in search of a better life out west. James ultimately finds himself settling down in Montana, largely due to the death of his daughter, Elsa.^{[1]
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- Partner: Margaret Dutton
- Children: Elsa, John, and Spencer
- Siblings: Jacob and Claire
- Descendants: Jack (grandson), John II (grandson), John III (great-grandson), Kayce (great-great-grandson), Beth (great-great-granddaughter), Lee (great-great-grandson), Jamie (great-great-grandson), Tate (great-great-great-grandson), Jamie Jr. (great-great-great-grandson)
- Date of birth: 1840
- Played by: Tim McGraw
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Margaret Dutton Margaret is James’ wife and the fierce matriarch of the Dutton family. She agrees to move west with James, and meets him in Fort Worth, Texas to begin their journey, bringing along their children, her sister-in-law, Claire, and her niece, Mary.
- Partner: James Dutton
- Children: Elsa, John, and Spencer
- Siblings: None mentioned
- Descendants: Jack (grandson), John II (grandson), John III (great-grandson), Kayce (great-great-grandson), Beth (great-great-granddaughter), Lee (great-great-grandson), Jamie (great-great-grandson), Tate (great-great-great-grandson), Jamie Jr. (great-great-great-grandson)
- Date of birth: 1848
- Played by: Faith Hill (Fun fact: Faith Hill and Tim McGraw are married in real life!)
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Elsa Dutton Elsa is the oldest child of James and Margaret, who is 17 when she heads out west with her family. As a free-spirited and adventurous tomboy, she embraces the journey and the Western lifestyle. She falls in love with a cowboy along the way, named Ennis, who tragically dies before they can marry. Elsa is able to find love again with Sam, a Comanche warrior, but her life is cut short when she’s shot by an arrow. James and Margaret officially settled in the area in her honor.
- Partner: Ennis (deceased) and Sam
- Children: None
- Siblings: John I and Spencer
- Descendants: None
- Date of birth: 1866
- Played by: Isabel May
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Claire (Dutton) Abel Claire is the widowed sister of James, who decides to join her brother and his family on their journey out West after her husband, Henry, dies (who we never actually see in 1883). She brings along her daughter, Mary, who’s her only remaining living child. Sadly, Claire’s story is a tragic one, and she ends her own life after Mary is killed on the way to Montana.^{[2]
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- Partner: Henry Abel
- Children: Mary and 6 unnamed, deceased children
- Siblings: James and Jacob
- Descendants: Elsa (niece), John (nephew), Spencer (nephew)
- Date of birth: Unknown (likely 1843)
- Played by: Dawn Olivieri
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Mary Abel Mary is Claire’s last-living daughter, which makes her the niece of James, Margaret, Jacob, and Cara. She butts heads with her cousin, Elsa, as she doesn’t approve of her non-ladylike behavior. Tragically, her time on 1883 is short, as she’s killed in gunfire during the Dutton family’s journey out west. Her mother follows her shortly after.
- Partner: None
- Children: None
- Siblings: 6 unnamed siblings
- Descendants: None
- Date of birth: Unknown (likely 1867)
- Played by: Emma Malouff

Section 2 of 4:

The Duttons in 1923

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Jacob Dutton Jacob is the older brother of James, who was living in New York City with his wife, Cara, until he got a letter from Margaret asking for his help on the ranch. When he shows up in 1894, he finds James, Margaret, and Elsa dead. Jacob thus takes over the ranch and raises his brother’s two remaining children, John and Spencer, who help him turn it into an empire.^{[3]
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- Partner: Cara
- Children: None
- Siblings: James and Claire
- Descendants: Elsa (niece), John (nephew), Spencer (nephew)
- Date of birth: 1845
- Played by: Harrison Ford
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Cara Dutton Cara is Jacob’s wife, who is originally from Ireland. She serves as the second matriarch of the Dutton family, who takes over a lot of the ranch’s affairs and even participates in defending the ranch from people and animals alike.
- Partner: Jacob
- Children: None
- Siblings: None mentioned
- Descendants: Elsa (niece), John (nephew), Spencer (nephew)
- Date of birth: 1847
- Played by: Helen Mirren
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Spencer Dutton Spencer is James and Margaret’s youngest child, who is a main character in 1923. After fighting in WWI, he travels to Kenya to work as a big-game hunter and meets his future wife, Alexandra. However, he learns that his help is needed on the farm, and embarks on a long journey back to Montana.^{[4]
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- Partner: Alexandra
- Children: John II (and possibly another, unnamed son)
- Siblings: Elsa and John I
- Descendants: Jack (nephew), John III (grandson), Kayce (great-grandson), Beth (great-granddaughter), Lee (great-grandson), Jamie (great-grandson), Tate (great-great-grandson), Jamie Jr. (great-great-grandson)
- Date of birth: 1889
- Played by: Brandon Sklenar
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Alexandra Dutton Alexandra may be Spencer’s wife, but she first meets him while on a safari in Kenya with her fiancé, Arthur, who happens to be the Earl of Sussex. The two fall in love and get married (with some drama from the ex-fiancé), and Alex joins Spencer when he leaves for Montana. The couple does make it to the ranch, but Alex tragically dies after giving birth to their son, John II.
- Partner: Spencer
- Children: John II
- Siblings: None mentioned
- Descendants: Jack (nephew), John III (grandson), Kayce (great-grandson), Beth (great-granddaughter), Lee (great-grandson), Jamie (great-grandson), Tate (great-great-grandson), Jamie Jr. (great-great-grandson)
- Date of birth: 1901
- Played by: Julia Schlaepfer
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John Dutton I John is technically introduced as a child in 1883, but he has more of a role when he’s an adult in 1923. He’s the oldest son of James and Margaret, and the nephew of Jacob and Cara. John lives and works on the ranch with his wife, Emma, and son, Jack, and is sadly a casualty during the range war with the sheepherders.^{[5]
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- Partner: Emma
- Children: Jack
- Siblings: Elsa and Spencer
- Descendants: John II (nephew), John III (great-nephew), Kayce (great-great-nephew), Beth (great-great-niece), Lee (great-great-nephew), Jamie (great-great-nephew), Tate (great-great-nephew), Jamie Jr. (great-great-nephew)
- Date of birth: 1878
- Played by: James Badge Dale
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Emma Dutton Emma is John I’s wife and Jack’s mother. She doesn’t have a huge role on 1923, as the character takes her own life shortly after John I dies.
- Partner: John I
- Children: Jack
- Siblings: None mentioned
- Descendants: John II (nephew), John III (great-nephew), Kayce (great-great-nephew), Beth (great-great-niece), Lee (great-great-nephew), Jamie (great-great-nephew), Tate (great-great-nephew), Jamie Jr. (great-great-nephew)
- Date of birth: Unknown
- Played by: Marley Shelton
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Jack Dutton Jack is the son of John I and Emma, the nephew of Spencer and Alex, great-nephew of Jacob and Cara, and the grandson of James and Margaret. He marries Elizabeth Stratford and joins the fight to defend the ranch. Unfortunately, he dies during the second season, leaving behind his pregnant wife.
- Partner: Elizabeth
- Children: Unborn, unnamed child
- Siblings: None
- Descendants: Unknown
- Date of birth: 1899
- Played by: Darren Mann
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Elizabeth (Dutton) Stratford Elizabeth is Jack’s wife and the daughter of Bob Stratford, a neighboring rancher to the Duttons. Her married life on the ranch is cut short when Jack dies, and she decides to leave for Boston. Her fate is still a mystery, as she is pregnant at the end of 1923.^{[6]
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- Partner: Jack
- Children: Unborn, unnamed child
- Siblings: None mentioned
- Descendants: Unknown
- Date of birth: 1904
- Played by: Michelle Randolph

Section 3 of 4:

The Duttons in Yellowstone

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John Dutton II John II is technically mentioned and makes an appearance as a baby in 1923, but he has a slightly bigger role in Yellowstone. He’s the son of Spencer and Alex and father of John III, the current patriarch of the Dutton family. While he dies before the events of the show, he makes a few flashback appearances.^{[7]
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- Partner: Unnamed
- Children: John III and Peter (who died shortly after birth)
- Siblings: Possible unnamed, half-brother
- Descendants: Kayce (grandson), Beth (granddaughter), Lee (grandson), Jamie (grandson), Tate (great-grandson), Jamie Jr. (great-grandson)
- Date of birth: 1924
- Played by: Dabney Coleman
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John Dutton III John III is the patriarch of the Duttons in the Yellowstone generation. He was married to Evelyn and has three biological children, Lee, Beth, and Kayce, and an adopted son, Jamie. Upholding the Dutton legacy is of utmost importance to him, as the ranch has become the largest ranch in the US, making the family quite powerful. He ultimately becomes the governor of Montana, but in a shocking twist, he is killed during the final season of the show.^{[8]
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- Partner: Evelyn
- Children: Lee, Beth, Kayce, and Jamie
- Siblings: Peter (who died shortly after birth)
- Descendants: Tate (grandson) and Jamie (grandson)
- Date of birth: 1956
- Played by: Kevin Costner
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Evelyn Dutton Evelyn was married to John III and is the mother to Lee, Beth, Kayce, and Jamie. Unfortunately, Evelyn passed before the events of the show while her children were still young, so there’s not much known about her character.
- Partner: John III
- Children: Lee, Beth, Kayce, and Jamie
- Siblings: None mentioned
- Descendants: Tate (grandson) and Jamie (grandson)
- Date of birth: Unknown
- Played by: Gretchen Mol
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Lee Dutton Lee is John III and Evelyn’s oldest child, and his appearance on Yellowstone is short-lived. While he’s supposed to be his father’s successor, in the first episode of the show, he’s killed in a cattle dispute by his sister-in-law’s brother. This serves as the catalyst for the first season of the show.^{[9]
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- Partner: None
- Children: None
- Siblings: Beth, Kayce, and Jamie
- Descendants: Tate (nephew) and Jamie (nephew)
- Date of birth: 1980
- Played by: Dave Annable
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Beth Dutton Beth is the fierce, cutthroat daughter of John III and Evelyn, who works in corporate finance. She’s a major player in defending the ranch against outsiders, and can definitely come off as prickly. Beth is married to Rip Wheeler, who worked on the ranch as a teen.
- Partner: Rip
- Children: None
- Siblings: Lee, Kayce, and Jamie
- Descendants: Tate (nephew) and Jamie (nephew)
- Date of birth: 1984
- Played by: Kelly Reilly
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Rip Wheeler Rip is Beth’s husband, who works as a foreman on the ranch and is considered John III’s right-hand man for his fierce protection over the land. He came to the ranch as a teen after he killed his abusive father. There, he met and fell in love with Beth (though the two have had an on-again-off-again relationship).
- Partner: Beth
- Children: None
- Siblings: Unnamed brother
- Descendants: Tate (nephew) and Jamie (nephew)
- Date of birth: 1983
- Played by: Cole Hauser
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Kayce Dutton Kayce is the youngest child of John III and Evelyn. He has a complicated relationship with his father and their ranch’s legacy, and begins Yellowstone estranged from John III. This is largely due to the fact that Kayce lives with his wife, Monica, and son, Tate, on the Broken Rock Reservation, which is considered the ranch’s rival. He eventually comes back to help out on the ranch, and in the final season, is responsible for selling the land back to the Broken Rock Reservation.^{[10]
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- Partner: Monica
- Children: Tate and John IV (who died shortly after birth)
- Siblings: Lee, Beth, and Jamie
- Descendants: Jamie (nephew)
- Date of birth: 1990
- Played by: Luke Grimes
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Monica (Dutton) Long Monica is married to Kayce and mother to Tate, and grew up on the Broken Rock Reservation. Like Kayce, she has a complicated relationship with the Yellowstone Ranch and doesn’t think it’s a safe environment for her son. She’s a teacher on the reservation, though she eventually accepts a position at Montana State University. It’s sadly revealed that sometime between the end of Yellowstone and the spin-off Marshals, Monica dies from cancer.^{[11]
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- Partner: Kayce
- Children: Tate and John IV (who died shortly after birth)
- Siblings: Robert
- Direct descendants: Jamie (nephew)
- Date of birth: Unknown
- Played by: Kelsey Asbille
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Tate Dutton Tate is the son of Kayce and Monica, and the first grandchild of John III and Evelyn. While he doesn’t have a major role on the show, he is present for many key storylines and appears with his father on the Marshals spin-off.
- Siblings: John IV (who died shortly after birth)
- Date of birth: Unknown (likely 2009)
- Played by: Brecken Merrill
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Jamie Dutton Jamie is the adopted son of John III and Evelyn and the lawyer of the family, who is largely seen as an outsider and looked down upon. He has an especially contentious relationship with Beth due to a life-changing moment in their youth. Throughout the series, he has an affair with Christina, and they share a son together, Jamie Jr. In the final season of the show, Jamie is shockingly killed by Beth.^{[12]
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- Partner: Christina (ex) and Sarah (unmarried)
- Children: Jamie
- Siblings: Lee, Beth, and Kayce
- Descendants: Tate (nephew)
- Date of birth: Unknown
- Played by: Wes Bentley
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Christina Christina is Jamie’s ex-girlfriend, who was his campaign manager and consultant when he ran for Attorney General of Montana. The two break up, and later in the series, Christina reappears to reveal that Jamie has a son (also named Jamie). She keeps her son away from the Duttons, but allows Jamie to keep tabs on him.
- Partner: Jamie (ex)
- Children: Jamie Jr.
- Siblings: None mentioned
- Descendants: Tate (nephew)
- Date of birth: Unknown
- Played by: Katherine Cunningham
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Jamie Dutton Jr. Jamie Jr. is the son of Jamie and Christina. He’s just a baby in the show, so not much is known about him. Christina allows Jamie to get to know him, but leaves again to get away from the Dutton chaos.
- Siblings: None
- Date of birth: Unknown (likely 2018)

Section 4 of 4:

Where to Watch Yellowstone and the Spin-Offs

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Yellowstone is on Peacock, while the spin-offs are on Paramount+. All seasons of Yellowstone are streaming on Peacock, while 1883 and 1923 are available on Paramount+ (both services require a subscription). The newest show, Marshals, is streaming on CBS (for free) and Paramount+.
- Look out for the newest spin-off, Dutton Ranch, which premieres in May 2026. It follows Beth and Rip, and will be available to watch on Peacock and Paramount+.^{[13]
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- How do you watch Yellowstone and the spin-offs in order? Most people recommend watching the shows in the order they were released: Yellowstone seasons 1-4, 1883, Yellowstone season 5 part 1, 1923 season 1, Yellowstone season 5 part 2, 1923 season 2, and Marshals (followed by the upcoming Dutton Ranch).