John Dutton III was a main character on Yellowstone. He was the Governor of Montana. He was a Montana rancher, who owned one of the biggest cattle ranches of the United States. He was the protagonist of the series.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
John was married to Evelyn. They had four children: three sons, one of whom they had adopted, and a daughter. The pair ran the ranch together prior to her death in 1997. He buried Evelyn on the ranch. His father, John Dutton II, who had retired from ranching due to failing health, died several years later of cancer, urging him never to give up the ranch to anyone under any circumstances. John promised this and took it to heart.
Throughout the Series[]
John was the patriarch of the Dutton family and the owner of Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the largest ranch in the United States which was located in Park, due east of Bozeman. He is the former Livestock Commissioner for the state of Montana and one of the most respected, powerful members of the communities from Bozeman to Livingston. He stepped down from his position at the request of Governor Lynelle Perry and his son, Kayce Dutton, was named the new Livestock Commissioner. It was also revealed in the show that he was diagnosed with colon cancer and had a series of episodes due to the diagnosis. Upon learning that Governor Perry was making a run for the United States Senate, he was offered a potential endorsement for the Governor seat, and learned that his foster son, Jamie, who was the current state AG, was eyeing the very same prize. Knowing Jamie's ambitions and what his career would do to the ranch, John made a leap, went to Helena and declared his candidacy for Governor of the State of Montana. He was later discovered dead in the Governor's Mansion Bathtub from a gunshot wound to the head, though there are no speculations of it being suicide or an assassination.
Appearances[]
Quotes[]
“ | This is America. We don't share land down here. | ” |
–John Dutton to the Chinese tourists on his property. |
“ | You don't see it on your way to work, in the fields, or on the mountain. But there is a war being waged against our way of life. They'll tell you all the reasons why our way of life in Montana are bad for this country, bad for our future. How it's immoral that you live here,work here, grow their food here. They will tell it so much you might even start to believe it yourself. Question what you do and who you are. They'll tell you that the land's only hope is for them to be its steward. The ugly truth is they want the land, and if they get it, it will never look like our land again. That is progress in today's terms, so if it's progress you seek, do not vote for me. I am the opposite of progress. I am the wall that it bashes against, and I will not be the one who breaks. | ” |
–John's opening speech as he throws his hat in the Montana Governor Race. |
“ | It's the trash can for everyone who's attacked us. It lays in a jurisdictional dead zone in a county with a population of exactly zero. Hence, no jury of your peers, and no court for a change in venue. Why are you so surprised? Where did you think the men who attacked you in your office and attacked our ranch went? You're shocked we found a way to circumvent the consequences of defending ourselves? I'm shocked we need a way. But we do. We always have. And unless we're willing to walk away from one hundred and twenty years of our family bleeding into this ground, we always will. | ” |
–John explaining to Beth what the Train Station is exactly. |
Trivia[]
"TBA"