The Duttons have a rich family tree supporting the Yellowstone franchise, and the second outing of 1923 can piece together a mysterious gap

in the fabric of Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western. The Dutton family tree in Yellowstone begins with the story of Margaret and James Dutton in

1883. Real-life partners and country musicians Tim McGraw and Faith Hill kick off the Yellowstone timeline with their family’s northwestern

journey from Texas to Montana. The Yellowstone 1883 cast includes James and Margaret’s children, John (Audie Rick) and Elsa (Isabel May) Dutton.

Sadly, the whole Dutton family barely survives the journey, and the Dutton timeline continues with James’ brother, Harrison Ford’s Jacob Dutton, in 1923. Paramount+ released the first season of the Depression-era saga on December 18, 2022, and the show is preparing for its comeback two years later. Jacob and his wife, Helen Mirren’s Cara, take over the ranch when James and Margaret meet their fate, raising the next generation of Dutton ranchers as their own. 1923 adds the Duttons’ youngest son, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar), and the 1923 character is at the heart of an unsolved Dutton family mystery.

The Dutton Family Tree Still Has A Mystery About John II’s Father
1923 Can Connect The Dots

Despite the rich history of the Dutton family line, we still don’t know how Kevin Costner’s John Dutton III relates to his predecessors. We know that Dabney Coleman’s John Dutton II is the father of Costner’s character. Yellowstone season 2, episode 10, “Sins of the Father,” introduces John Dutton II. John Sr. goes on one last horseback ride with John Dutton III, and they travel to a special spot where John Sr. advises Costner’s character to never let anyone take “a goddamn inch” of the ranch away. Then the character passes away with his head on John’s shoulder.

Yellowstone establishes how John II’s story ends, but there’s little information about how it begins. Sheridan has not confirmed John Dutton II and III’s link to the prequel characters. Wes Bentley’s Jamie Dutton announces that his father is a fifth-generation Montana rancher while setting up John Dutton’s Montana governor acceptance speech, so we can deduce that John Dutton II was part of the fourth generation. The plot suggests that John’s father could be Jack Dutton (Darren Man), a third-generation Dutton, but plenty of buzz surrounds the theory that Spencer’s whirlwind romance in 1923 is the missing link to John Dutton II.

1923 Season 2 Images Shows Spencer & Jack’s Story Continuing, Which Could Include An Answer
The Duttons’ Journey Continues In 1923

People shared 1923 season 2 images ahead of its February 23, 2025 release, and they confirm the continuation of Yellowstone’s biggest mystery. The 1923 images confirm that Spencer and Jack are alive and well in season 2, meaning that anything is still possible. Buzz exists around the possibility that Spencer dies at the end of the prequel’s second outing. Even if that’s true, Spencer could still conceive an heir to the ranch before his untimely death. Sklenar says the following about 1923’s ending (via Forbes):

I mean, the finale of the series is probably one of the best things I’ve read in my life. I’ve kind of known how it was going to end since day one – Taylor [Sheridan] kind of told me. I knew the full arc of Spencer from day one, so in shooting part one, you’re mindful of where he needs to go. I’m really excited.

The trailers for 1923 season 2 confirm that Spencer, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer), Jack, and Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph) all return for the second outing. All of John Dutton II’s prospective parents officially returning for the next installment signals that 1923 will continue to play out the Dutton family mystery in season 2. While the timing makes sense that Jack is John Dutton II’s true father, 1923 season 2 leaves the door open for all the tantalizing possibilities.