Jones's message of economic socialism and racial equality, along with the integrated nature of Peoples Temple, proved attractive, especially to students and racial minorities. Jones's parents separated in 1945 and they eventually divorced. According to The Orlando Sentinel, Dr. David M. Gelmont, hospital director of medical intensive care, seemed convinced that Henson, who reportedly suffered two . to Guyana handling the financial [65][66] According to a newspaper report, regular attendance at Peoples Temple swelled to 1,000 thanks to the publicity Branham provided to Jones and Peoples Temple. Try again later. "Brave people who spoke out against the atrocities in Jonestown were taken to the 'medical unit' and put on coma inducing drugs," she said. In what he called "revolutionary suicide", Jones and the members of his inner circle orchestrated a mass murder-suicide in his remote jungle commune at Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978. Instead of implementing the sacraments as prescribed by the Disciples, Jones followed Father Divine's holy communion practices. In all, there were over 900 who died in Jonestown, including Jim Jones, who was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head. [129] Outsiders would later point to this aspect of Jones's teachings to allege that he did not genuinely believe in his own teachings, but was "morally bankrupt" and only manipulating religion and other elements of society "to achieve his own selfish ends". [122][123], Jones rejected even the few required tenets of the Disciples of Christ denomination. The drills served to keep the members of Jonestown fearful of venturing outside of the commune. [230] The Temple had received monthly half-pound shipments of cyanide since 1976 after Jones obtained a jeweler's license to buy the chemical, purportedly to clean gold. He once leaped off a building's roof to demonstrate his abilities to others, but he fell and broke his arm. Jones confronted Divine's wife and claimed to be the reincarnation of Father Divine. [17], Along with members of Jonestown's medical staff, Carolyn was aware of Jones' abuse of pharmaceuticals. [119] Jones asserted that traditional Christianity had an incorrect view of God. Jones did not enjoy participating in sports because he detested losing, so he coached teams for younger children instead. Death 22 Nov 2006 (aged 54) South San Francisco, San Mateo County, California, USA. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. During her pregnancy, Carolyn pressured her father to perform her wedding by proxy to a Temple member named Mike Prokes, so that her child would be legitimate. The following fall, she began her education at UC Davis. [71] Jones was fascinated with the idea, and adapted it to promote his own utopian ideas and eventually the idea that he was himself a manifestation of God. Thousands were sold in the first month. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. OShea said, "One time Jim said to me 'Lets keep them poor and tired, because if theyre poor they cant escape and if theyre tired they cant make plans. Death 18 Nov 1978 (aged 3) . administrators of Peoples Temple, both Help paint a picture of Jim so that he is always remembered. [106], Jones arrived in December 1963 to find Peoples Temple bitterly divided. California Davis, where she was studying He claimed that he had stolen the Pentecostal minister's Bible and had covered Acts 2:38 with cow manure. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. The new home, where Jones grew up, lacked plumbing and electricity. U.S. Representative Leo Ryan led a delegation to the commune in November of that year to investigate these reports. As Jones gradually separated from Pentecostalism and the Latter Rain movement, he sought an organization that would be open to all of his beliefs. [172] Entertaining movies from Georgetown that the settlers had watched were mostly cancelled in favor of Soviet propaganda shorts and documentaries on American social problems. Did Jim finish grade school, get a GED, go to high school, get a college degree or masters? They uncovered a staged healing, the abusive treatment of a woman in the church, and evidence that Jones raped a male member of his congregation. They also claimed that Jones' wife of twenty years, Marceline, was unable to respond to him sexually and that Jones couldn't get a divorce himself, due to Marceline's purported mental illness. The Peoples Temple had over $10 million ($42,707,304 in 2020 dollars) in assets at the time. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. The United States military organized an airlift to bring the remains back to the United States to be buried.