What happened to James and Margaret Dutton following the events of 1883, 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.

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 he arrived, Jacob found Margaret 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’ passing, 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 trespassing 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.

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 is working on the series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. The show will focus on the legendary African-American U.S. Marshal who operated in the Old West. David Oyelowo will play 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, suggesting it takes place during the same time period. It is not impossible to imagine that Reeves or other characters in the show could cross paths with James and Margaret, even if it would likely only be a cameo. It would be nice to see a little more of these characters even if 1923 revealed their ultimate fates.