Margaret Dutton was the first matriarch of the Dutton family and mother to Elsa, John, and Spencer. She died of hypothermia during a bitter Montana winter, shortly after James died after being shot by horse thieves.
Speaking from the grave as Elsa, she informed viewers that her parents, James and Margaret, died after the events of 1883; first James, followed by Margaret. But before her death, Margaret wrote a letter to her husband's brother, Jacob, who then found and raised Elsa's surviving brothers, John Sr. and Spencer.
What happened to the Dutton family between 1883 and 1923?
In 1883, James and his wife, Margaret, leave Tennessee with James' sister and niece—both of whom soon die. The Duttons will reach and settle the Yellowstone during this trip, losing their daughter Elsa in the process. James later dies in 1893 after being shot by horse thieves.
Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) is John and Elsa's brother in 1923, and the character who is currently hunting lions abroad. Spencer was apparently born sometime after James and Margaret settled in Montana and was not featured as a baby back in 1883.
Elsa was born on April 9, 1866 to James and Margaret Dutton, one year after the ending of the American Civil War. She is a farmer's daughter with a younger brother named John. When their parents decided to leave their Tennessee home and set off on a journey northward she and her brother went with them.
The Elsa Scene That Went Too Far On Yellowstone's 1883
Is Elsa buried on Dutton Ranch?
The Dutton family cemetery makes more sense after 1883 revealed that Elsa was the first person to be buried on the land. However, Yellowstone and its prequels have shown clips of headstones with names that fans have yet to meet, like Patience, Chance, and Ned Dutton.
Meanwhile, fan-favorite Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) made good on his promise to see the Pacific Ocean so his late wife could “use [his] eyes to see the world” — then promptly shot himself.
Spencer Dutton is the younger son of James and Margaret Dutton, born after the events of 1883. Spencer is the younger son of James and Margaret Dutton. During a harsh winter in 1893 James dies after suffering a gunshot wound.
Jacob's wife and the unwavering matriarch of the Dutton clan on 1923, Cara is related to Yellowstone's Dutton family by marriage, and is the great-grandaunt or great-great-grandaunt of John Dutton III, who runs the ranch in the show's modern era.
Spencer Dutton is the younger son of James (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) from the 1883 series. He is also the younger brother of John Dutton Sr (James Badge Dale). As James Dutton from 1883 was John Dutton's great-grandfather, this makes Spencer one of John's grandfathers.
John Dutton I was James and Margaret's eldest son who was originally introduced as a child in "1883." In "1923," he was the lead ranch manager before he was killed in a shootout by sheepherder Banner Creighton, leaving behind his wife, Emma, and son, Jack.
What happened to James and Margaret Dutton after 1883?
James & Margaret Dutton Both Died Long Before 1923
James does return, but it turns out he's been shot, with the first episode of 1923 confirming - via Elsa Dutton's ghostly voiceover narration - that he died of that bullet shortly after.
Mary Abel is a character in 1883, portrayed by Emma Malouff. 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.
Elsa, who had decided to see her family in Oregon before returning to be with Sam, may be dead, but just as her spirit narrates the series (and the following 1923 series), so it's implied that her spirit reunites with Sam's in the afterlife.
A flashback to 1997 shows Evelyn went riding with two of her children, Beth and Kayce. During a moment of Beth's hesitation, Evelyn fell from her horse. Her horse fell onto her and crushed her. Though she did not succumb immediately, Evelyn died within a few hours.
She grew fond of him and their romance bloomed until there was a shootout with some bandits, resulting in Ennis' death. She later met a Comanche warrior in Kansas named Sam who she connected with, giving her a second chance at love. She later agreed to accept Sam's hand in marriage, but there was no ceremony.
Prior to the start of 1923, Spencer Dutton served in WWI. After the war ended, he decided to live in Africa, hunting big game that is a problem for human settlements.
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.
How much younger is Spencer Dutton than John Dutton?
Yellowstone fans will recall, the first time Spencer was ever mentioned was during a season four flashback. The scene featured John Dutton Sr as a teenager and Spencer who was not much older than seven years old. This means Spencer should be somewhere in his mid-to-late thirties in 1923.
Of course, Spencer arriving home is only part of the story, as Alexandra still has to make her own way to Montana, setting up yet another emotional reunion for later in the season (unless Sheridan has a massive 1923 season 2 twist up his sleeve).
The answer to the question of whether or not Spencer and Alex have a baby in 1923 remains to be seen, as the series is still ongoing. However, the possibility of their having a child together would have significant implications for the Dutton family and the storyline of the show.
Elsa was also planning to split from the group to stay with Sam, but after many goodbyes, everyone decided they were going to Oregon anyway. Even Elsa decided to leave her boyfriend so she could find out where Oregon was, while planning to return to the plains in June to reunite with him.
In 1894, one year after John died, Margaret was discovered dead from hypothermia by Jacob and Cara while John and Spencer were found starving and terrified.
