1923 kicks off the next chapter of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch after 1883. The Dutton family struggles to keep their ranch amid the challenges of the early 20th century.
In 1923, Jacob and Cara Dutton run the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. In addition to life’s many challenges during the early 1900s, they must also lead their ranch against enemies plotting to take their land.
Jacob and Cara took over the ranch from James and Margaret Dutton. After James’s death, Margaret wrote to Jacob and Cara begging for their help to keep the ranch in the family’s name.
By the time they got there, Margaret was dead, leading Jacob and Cara to run the ranch. In addition, they were left with the role to raise James and Margaret’s two sons, John and Spencer.
However, Jacob and Cara are getting older, meaning that they will likely be stepping down from their roles running the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
So, who will inherit Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in 1923? The most likely candidates are Spencer Dutton or Jack Dutton.
Below we discuss who is most likely out of the two.
Will Jack Dutton Take Over Yellowstone Dutton Ranch?
As the great-nephew of Jacob and the son of John Dutton, Jack Dutton is a likely candidate to take over the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. In addition, Jack helps run the ranch alongside Jacob, giving him the advantage of being an experienced cowboy.
Since Jack is the only son of John and Emma Dutton and Jacob and Cara do not have any children, it would make sense for Jack to inherit the ranch. In addition, Jack is a dedicated rancher, as he even held off his wedding to Elizabeth Strafford to move cattle for the ranch.
However, Jack is still young and alongside that, he is also naive. Though he may be youthful and eager, he is also impulsive and hot-headed.
While Jack has experience when it comes to working on the ranch, he lacks the leadership and firmness to run the ranch. Though Jack is a solid choice, he lacks some of the necessary skills to run such a powerful ranch.
Will Spencer Dutton Take Over Yellowstone Dutton Ranch?
Spencer Dutton is the son of James and the nephew of Jacob. He is a strong candidate to inherit the ranch as he grew up on it.
Spencer fought in WWI and the horrors of battle left him traumatized and wanting to stay away from home.
Soon after the war, Spencer began working as a hunter in Africa, taking down some of the most dangerous animals in the world. He feels alive while staring death in the eyes, meaning he definitely has the courage to operate the fearsome Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
Spencer is stable and has plenty of experience facing dangerous situations. He has the capability to run the ranch and all the dangers that come with it. However, Spencer is currently thousands of miles away in Africa.
Cara has written Spence letters asking him for help back home. While Spencer hadn’t read any of Cara’s letters due to his loss of self-identity from the trauma of war, his fiancee Alexandra finally convinces him to. He realizes his family needs him and is compelled to return back home.
If Spencer does indeed return back home to the ranch from Africa, he is likely first in line to inherit the ranch. However, if he doesn’t return to Montana, Jack would become the one to take over the ranch.
Since the ranch stays in the Dutton family, there aren’t any other likely candidates to inherit it. Since John Dutton I died in an ambush, it is unlikely that his wife Emma would take over the ranch as she is now a widow.
How Does John Dutton III Relate to the Characters of 1923?
We know that the father of John Dutton III of Yellowstone is John Dutton II, but it is still unknown who John II’s parents are.
Since Jack is the only son of Emma and John Sr that we know of in 1923, it is still unclear how John Dutton III is related to everyone. It is possible that Emma is pregnant with her second child at the time of her husband’s death, which would be John II.
It is also possible that John II is the child of Spencer and Alexandra. Currently, Spencer and Alexandra are engaged in 1923 and do not have any children.
There is also the chance that Jack’s real name is John II and that Jack is simply a nickname.
