Summary

James and Margaret Dutton faced heartbreak in 1883 as their daughter died, and they settled in Montana to establish the Yellowstone Ranch.
In 1923, neither James nor Margaret appeared, and it's unlikely they will appear in the second season of 1923.
However, there is a possibility that James and Margaret could make a cameo in the spinoff series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, tying it back to 1883.

What happened to James and Margaret Dutton following the events of 1883, and will they reappear in the sequel series 1923? Writer/director Taylor Sheridan has created quite an empire off the back of Yellowstone. Not only has the show run for five seasons as of 2023, but Yellowstone also scored hit two spinoffs with 1883 and 1923. The former is arguably the most acclaimed of the bunch, and followed James (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill), as they set out with their children on a grueling journey along the Oregon Trail. While it was initially believed there would be a second season,1883 was always planned as a miniseries.

Watch 1883 on Paramount+

Viewers became very invested in both James and Margaret as characters, with McGraw and Hill delivering committed, soulful performances. 1883 ended in heartbreak for them both, as they settled in Montana following the death of their daughter Elsa (Isabel May), where they established what would become the Yellowstone Ranch. 1923 picked up decades later, where James' brother Jacob (Harrison Ford) and his wife Cara (Helen Mirren) face multiple crises running the ranch. Neither James nor Margaret appeared in 1923 season 1, and while there will be a second season to finish this chapter in the history of the Duttons, it seems unlikely either of them will appear.

James & Margaret Dutton Both Died Long Before 1923

A blended image features Faith Hill as Margaret Dutton and Tim McGraw as James Dutton in yellow tones in the series 1883

James and Margaret Dutton first appeared during Yellowstone's fourth season, during flashbacks set in 1893. This was a decade after they settled in Montana, with episode eight "No Kindness for the Coward" depicting James attacking a group of horse thieves while his family prayed for him and his men's safe return. 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. Elsa also reveals that Margaret wrote to Jacob to come help her and her sons at the ranch in the aftermath.

By the time he arrived, Jacob found Margaret Dutton had frozen to death in a snow drift, and the boys - John and Spencer - were nearly starved to death. In the decades following Margaret and James' ing, Jacob and Cara would turn the ranch into a thriving cattle empire. By the time 1923 rolls around, they have to deal with sheep herders tresing on their lands and other threats which escalate to a full-blown range war. The grown John Dutton Sr (James Badge Dale) - James and Margaret's eldest son - is shot dead during the early stages of this conflict.

While Yellowstone is available to stream on Peacock, the spin-offs 1923 and Lawman: Bass Reeves are available on Paramount+ alongside 1883.

There's Another Yellowstone Spin-Off James & Margaret Dutton Could Cameo In

While 1923 revealed what happened to James and Margaret Dutton, and seemingly confirmed they would not be part of this new chapter, there is still a possibility they will appear again in the Yellowstone universe. Among the several spinoffs in the works, Taylor Sheridan worked on the series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. The show focuses on the legendary African-American U.S. Marshal who operated in the Old West. David Oyelowo plays Reeves while the rest of the cast is made up of Dennis Quaid, Donald Sutherland, and Garrett Hedlund among others.

Historically, Reeves didn't operate in the Montana region which is where James and Margaret settled to build the Yellowstone ranch. However, there are indications that Sheridan has plans to tie this new series in with 1883 as the original title for the series was 1883: The Bass Reeves Story. It is not impossible to imagine that Reeves or other characters in the show could cross paths with James and Margaret Dutton, even if it would likely only be a cameo in a potential Lawmen: Bass Reeves season 2. It would be nice to see a little more of these characters even if 1923 revealed their ultimate fates.