Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game that features Arthur Morgan as its lead protagonist. The second game in the Red Dead Redemption franchise follows his journey of redemption as he comes to terms with the life he's lived and the man he was perceived as.
He was a part of the Van Der Linde Gang, and his loyalty to the group brought with it the best and worst things to ever happen to him. The gang is large, but who is the oldest and youngest among its most prominent members? Let's now look at and rank the Van Der Linde Gang of Red Dead Redemption 2 from oldest to youngest.
Updated June 20, 2023, by David Kinder: Red Dead Redemption 2 has been out for half a decade, and we're all still craving more. We all grew close with the Van der Linde gang and saw ourselves as one of them. Even camp activities were enjoyable, like teaching Jack how to fish and helping Uncle with another one of his ridiculous schemes.
Despite all those little adventures, there are still basic details we don't know about everyone. Uncle's age seems like it will be an eternal mystery. Nevertheless, with some guesswork and finesse, we were able to determine most of the gang's ages.
Beware of spoilers for RDR2's story.
16 Uncle (Mid 50s - Early 60s)
Uncle's age has always been ambiguous in the Red Dead Redemption franchise. It doesn't help that he looks the same in both mainline games. Even when asked, Uncle jokes he was born between the fall of 1849 and the fall of Rome. He even looks more worn and older than Hosea.
It's likely Uncle is around Hosea's age, if not a little bit older, which would make him around 55 - 60. Uncle has lived a long life despite his many exaggerations. He also knows his way around the Old West and can swindle people when needed.
15 Hosea Matthews (55)
Long before the Van Der Linde gang started, Hosea was Dutch Van Der Linde's right-hand man for a reason. 11 years his senior, Hosea was able to out-scoundrel Dutch and was the only member that could keep a handle on Dutch.
At 55, Hosea had already lived a long life and suffered many losses. It's most apparent with his long deceased wife, Bessie. Most of the gang looked up to him thanks to his age, wisdom, and intelligence. Hosea and Lenny's untimely death represented the life cycle of the life of a gang member in the Wild West.
14 Dutch Van Der Linde (44)
Dutch Van der Linde was 44 years old during the events of Red Dead Redemption 2. According to the guidebook, Dutch was born in 1855, and if it wasn't for his run-in and friendship with Hosea Matthews, he would have been the elder statesman of the gang.
Dutch had always been more clever than smart. Among his many plans, it's clear that the Blackwater heist had left its toll on him. After the Saint Denis heist fell apart, Dutch became more emotionally unstable and withdrawn. The death of Hosea made him more vulnerable to Micah's venomous lies and deceit.
13 Susan Grimshaw (Early 40s - Mid 40s)
Susan Grimshaw was the arbiter of the Van der Linde Gang and oversaw many behind-the-scenes functions. Susan was one of the original members of the gang and loved Dutch dearly. Because of her appearance and tenure with the group, it would be safe to say Susan is around Dutch's age.
Placing her in her early 40s to mid-40s makes sense. She's lived an extensive life before becoming an outlaw. Susan was set in her ways, which was especially clear when she executed a scornful Molly. Long after her death, it was obvious that she wasn't missed by many.
12 Micah Bell (39)
Micah is the final major antagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2, and it's no wonder why. He sold everyone out to the Pinkertons and manipulated Dutch into betraying his family. Micah's age is a bit obscured, but if you find a newspaper clipping, you'll find out he's only 39.
It's hard to imagine Micah is older than Arthur, considering how he whines and complains even more than Uncle. However, Micah was a tried and true outlaw. He betrayed everyone he knew and ratted out friends for a few more dollars. He died the way he lived: alone.
11 Arthur Morgan (36)
Arthur Morgan is 36. Aside from his character and story, one of the reasons Arthur works as the main protagonist is his age. Arthur's clearly at a crossroads in his life. He's lived with the consequences of his actions his entire life, whether through the loss of his wife and son or his failed romance with Mary.
While at times Arthur feels like it's too late to change, his most loyal friends and kind strangers remind him that you can always do the right thing. One selfless act won't change the world, but it help you be a better person.
10 Bill Williamson (33)
Bill Williamson's age was revealed in the Red Dead Redemption 2 Guidebook. He was born in 1866 and was 33 during the events of the sequel. Bill is an interesting fellow considering most of the gang treats him like the whipping boy until Kieran joins.
He's short-tempered and easily the most bitter person to interact with. Bill joined like the rest of the gang. Dutch offered him a golden opportunity and saw potential or use in him. Bill's loyalty would persist until the fight over Beaver's Hollow. Afterward, he abandoned Dutch's cause and fled to Mexico.
9 Charles Smith (Mid 20s - Late 20s)
Charles Smith's age is unknown. However, based on the adept survival skills he gained leaving home at a young age, it's safe to say he's either in his mid to late 20s. Charles was well-versed with gangs that were self-serving which is why he was surprised at how kind Dutch was to his men.
Charles always tried to get the gang to do things with the least casualties and minimal violence. His life experience and worldview made him an invaluable ally helping Arthur and John try to do the right thing.
8 John Marston (26 - 34)
John Marston is 26 during RDR2. John and Arthur have a younger-older brother dynamic. John is much more foolhardy and rash at this point and constantly frustrates Arthur. As the story winds up, John becomes a soft spot for Arthur as he realizes that John is the closest family he has left.
Arthur gave up everything, even his life, so John could take his family away from a life of crime and live honestly. Sadly, John didn't listen to Arthur's last bit of advice. He looked back and would eventually have to pay the price.
7 Molly O'Shea (Mid-20s)
Molly O'Shea was a fiery Irish woman who was a member of the Van der Linde gang, and the lover of its leader, Dutch van der Linde. Though it's unclear how old she was, it's safe to say she was likely in her mid-20s before she died in 1899.
Molly had traveled some ways since she immigrated, but she still had a youthful naïveté, especially towards Dutch. There did seem to be underlying jealous between Susan and Molly. Additionally, Molly's alleged wealthy upbringing would explain her demeanor and struggles. She desired adventure but ended up with pain and destitution.
6 Sean Macguire (Early 20s - Mid 20s)
Sean Macguire was in his early 20s to mid-20s. He still had a spitfire attitude and was always itching to prove himself. Sean and Lenny were close friends, with Lenny trying to help Sean learn how to read. Odd enough, Sean was the only member Dutch didn't teach how to read and write.
He ended up being another footnote in Dutch's legacy of failures. He joined the gang in his relative youth. More often than not, Sean ended up estranged from the group. If he had only stayed away, he might have lived past the story.
5 Sadie Adler (Mid 20s - Early 30s)
Sadie Adler's age was never confirmed, but the running idea is that she's in her mid-to-late 20s. There's a high probability she's even older than Charles and John, but it's hard to be sure. Mrs. Adler lived a peaceful life with her husband until the O'Driscoll Boys killed him.
Sadie doesn't have the most world experience considering her shell-shocked reactions to the gang's continuous violence streak. However, she wasn't that sheltered. She lived out on the frontier with her husband. Sadie also doesn't have the expected sun damage from years of laboring outside.
4 Abigail Roberts (22 - 30)
Abigail Roberts was 22 during the main story. When fans first met Abigail in Red Dead Redemption, she was already an older mother and wife who had come into her own as an adult, so it was a welcomed surprise to see her much more immature and new to the outlaw lifestyle.
Throughout the story, Abigail demonstrated her strength by standing her ground and helping however she could. Towards the end of the story, Abigail proved to be a competent badass with a strong moral compass.
3 Tilly Jackson (Late Teens - Early 20s)
Tilly Jackson was in her late teens to early 20s. She's as young as Lenny but a bit more experienced and weary. Considering her upbringing, she struggled with trauma throughout her early life. When Dutch invited her to the Van der Linde gang, it changed her life for the better, unlike many others.
Tilly was kind, patient, and forgiving. Even after everything her former leader, Anthony Foreman, did to her, she didn't have the heart to let Arthur kill him. She was the only member that moved on and never looked back. Tilly won her happy ending.
2 Lenny Summers (19)
If you didn't stick around the camp and listen to everyone's banter, you might miss that Lenny isn't even 20 years old. He's just a young kid who got in way over his head with the Van der Linde gang. However, his youth is what makes his friendship with Hosea Matthews special.
Hosea sees Lenny as a son he never had, while Arthur sees Lenny as his younger brother who needs to live a better life. Lenny always wanted to prove himself, which lead to his untimely death. There was a loss of innocence when Lenny and Hosea died.
1 Jack Marston (8)
Before Red Dead Redemption 2, most considered Jack Marston a miniature version of John Marston, with a stronger moral compass. It turns out that Arthur Morgan played a big role in Jack's life, teaching him about fishing and what loyalty means.
At four years old, Jack was the youngest member of the Van der Linde gang. When he wasn't being kidnapped for ransom, many members lovingly looked after him. Unfortunately, by the time of Red Dead Redemption, Jack only has incredibly vague memories of the Van der Linde gang. Despite everything, Jack grew up to be just like them.