John Marston

Born in 1873, John Marston loses his mother at birth and his father while still a child. After years in an orphanage and on the streets, Dutch van der Linde saves twelve-year-old John from being hanged for theft in Illinois and brings him into the Van der Linde gang. John grows up alongside Arthur Morgan under Dutch and Hosea Matthews, becoming an outlaw. He later forms a troubled relationship with Abigail Roberts, and they have a son, Jack. John abandons Abigail and Jack for a year before returning to the gang.

After the Blackwater ferry robbery goes wrong in 1899, John flees north with the gang. He disappears while scouting in the Grizzlies and is found by Arthur and Javier Escuella, mauled by wolves and stranded in the snow. They bring him back to Colter, where Abigail reprimands him as he recovers. Once the gang reaches Horseshoe Overlook, John joins Arthur and Bill Williamson in clearing the O'Driscolls from Six Point Cabin, while Arthur begins pressing him to take responsibility for Abigail and Jack.

John works with the gang as it moves through Lemoyne. He helps Arthur recover Jack after Angelo Bronte's men take the boy, and joins the assault on Bronte's mansion in Saint Denis. When Dutch drowns Bronte, John sees the violence that increasingly guides Dutch's decisions. He takes part in the Saint Denis bank robbery, but the Pinkertons capture him during the escape. The surviving gang members flee the country, leaving John imprisoned on Sisika Penitentiary.

After returning from Guarma, Arthur and Sadie Adler break John out of Sisika. John reunites with Abigail and Jack at the camp, but the gang is already falling apart under Dutch's leadership and Micah Bell's influence. John rides in the robbery of the Cornwall train, where he is shot and falls from the train. Dutch leaves him behind, and the others believe he has died. John later reaches Beaver Hollow alive, convinced that Dutch has abandoned him twice.

As the Pinkertons close in, Abigail is taken by Milton's men. Arthur and Sadie rescue her from Van Horn, and Arthur sends John, Abigail and Jack away with Charles Smith and Uncle. John rides with Arthur toward the mountains while the camp breaks into open conflict. Arthur urges him to escape and give his family the life he failed to build for himself. John leaves Arthur to face Micah and the pursuing Pinkertons, then reaches Copperhead Landing with Abigail and Jack.

Eight years later, John lives under the name Jim Milton and tries to support his family through ranch work at Pronghorn Ranch. Trouble with the Laramie Gang forces him to reveal his skill with a gun, and Abigail leaves with Jack when she decides that his outlaw life has followed them again. John finds work in Strawberry, then joins Charles and Uncle at Beecher's Hope. He buys the land with a bank loan, builds a house, and persuades Abigail and Jack to return.

When Sadie brings news that Micah is hiding at Mount Hagen, John rides there with Sadie and Charles. They fight through Micah's men and find Dutch holding Micah at gunpoint. Dutch shoots Micah and walks away, leaving John to finish the confrontation. John takes the Blackwater money and returns to Beecher's Hope. He marries Abigail in front of their family and friends, and settles at the ranch with Abigail, Jack and Uncle.