There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Try again. Learn more about managing a memorial . English https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7287108/james-thurman-jones. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. He got married quite young, to a nurse four years older than him in 1949. James came from Baptist and Quaker lineages but Lynetta had doubts about a sky god and laughed off the neighbors who were sure she was going to hell straighter than a bird could fly. Jones father was emotionally absent and his mother was constantly working, so neither had much time or desire to discipline their son. This account has been disabled. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Non-Temple Relatives : The stories that Jones told of his young life were more morality tales than biographical reflections. Add to your scrapbook. } As a result of this, a dead cat was found thrown in his house, a swastika was drawn at the church, dynamite was thrown in the coal pile at a temple and many such events occurred. Weve updated the security on the site. The fascination with Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple have helped spawn various movies throughout the years. Verify and try again. After the delegation left, Jones Red Brigade armed guards opened fire on them and managed to kill Ryan and 4 others. This was known as the Jonestown massacre. Willie Brown was one of them. Phyllis Wilmore, who dated him in high school, remembered a pep rally before a basketball game. There he observed racism and the isolation of poverty, in Richmond he also encountered Pentecostal Christianity, a vibrant, exciting and accepting faith that drew the young Jones into the community and values of heartland religion. His father, James Thurman Jones, was a heavy drinker, chronically unemployed, and burdened by an injury he suffered in World War I. Jimmy's mother, Lynetta Putnam Jones, was a tough-talking loner who encouraged her son to grab for life's brass ring and eventually managed some of the controversial and ultimately state-discredited Peoples . Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Why the change? Political pressures resulting from Jones' actions caused hospital officials to desegregate the wards. He first investigated Belo Horizonte, Brazil, also described in the article, living there for over a year with his family, but decided to return to the United States. Jones could be heard on regular radio broadcasts over KFAX radio in California. Jonestown was a means to create a paradise for socialists and a place far away from media scrutiny. [29] Jones's mother beat him with a leather belt in order to punish his misbehavior. Meanwhile, Jones's father was hospitalized multiple times due to his illness. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Born in 1931, James Warren Jones, the only child of James Thurman Jones and Lynetta Putnam, was raised in a small Indiana town in the middle of the Great Depression. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. His voice recorded during his final moments in the infamous death tape in the mass suicide of his cult followers is used in parts of the song "Jonestown" by Concrete Blonde. I'm tired of being tormented to Hell. Yes! Jones eventually relocated to Guyana in July 1977. Try again later. He married his nurse Lynette.Sisters: Mrs. Ina Platt, Mrs. Fred Moore & Florence JonesBrothers: Homer, Paul, Lester, Herbert, Everett and Ernest Jones, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. He was shot down. As a boy, Jones moved with his mother to the nearby town of Richmond, Indiana. "Love is the only weapon." Kennedy died talking about something he couldn't even understand, some kind of generalized love, and he never even backed it up. The next time a childhood acquaintance, Max Knight, saw Jones in Indiana was many years later. White owned businesses were critical of him. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. His father was an alcoholic Klansman and he claimed his mother was part Cherokee Indian. Ordained as a Fundamentalist minister, he later joined with the Disciples of Christ denomination and started his own congregation, the People's Temple Christian Church, which later turned into a cult. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 November 18, 1978) was an American cult leader, political activist, preacher, and faith healer who between 1955 and 1978 led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement. [14][15] Many women in Lynn felt sorry for Jones, and he was frequently invited into the homes of his neighbors who provided him with meals, clothing, and other gifts. When his parents separated in 1948, Jim moved with his mother to Richmond, Indiana and graduated from Richmond High School in December 1948. Thanks for your help! cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Jones also claimed to be the father of Grace Stoen's son John Victor. [11][10], According to multiple Jones biographers, his mother had "no natural maternal instincts" and frequently neglected her son. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Search above to list available cemeteries. In Indianapolis, he served as a student pastor in the Methodist Church in 1952 but chose to found his own church, Peoples Temple, in 1956. Family members linked to this person will appear here. [25] When he could not get any children to attend his funerals, he would perform the services alone. When James Thurman Jones was born on 21 October 1887, in Randolph, Indiana, United States, his father, John Henry Jones, was 39 and his mother, Mary Catherine Shank, was 24. They would receive a cup with a red liquid that they were told contained poison, which they were ordered to drink. [12] Her pregnancy was unwanted, and she expressed disappointment at becoming a mother and was often bitter and unhappy about their family's financial and social position. He used to hold funerals for small animals and had also stabbed a cat to death. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. This browser does not support getting your location. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. [5][6] Jones's father was a disabled World WarI veteran who suffered from severe breathing difficulties due to injuries he sustained in a chemical weapons attack. Some of the church members complained to relatives in the US that Jones was drug addicted and was keeping them from leaving under threat of death. Taking the list to heart, Jones moved his family to Brazil for a while before returning to the United States and settling in Northern California. He became a voracious reader who studied Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Karl Marx, Mao Zedong and Mahatma Gandhi. Siblings (all adoptive) Stephanie Jones (died in 1959); Suzanne Jones; Agnes Pauline Jones; Stephan Gandhi Jones; James Warren (Jimmie) Jones, Jr.; Timothy Glenn Tupper (Day) Jones; John Moss Brown Jones; Jim Jon (Kimo) Prokes; (?) Not only did they fall for his talk of a better life, many surrendered what they had to Jones. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Resend Activation Email. James Corden appeared in good spirits on Monday evening as he headed home after getting dinner in LA - ahead of hosting the final Late Late Show next week.. James Thurman Jones was born on 21 October 1887 in Lynn, Indiana, USA. He kept defending Jones regarding him as a man of highest character, and even wrote a letter to President Carter. Divine, who had known Marcus Garvey, promoted economic empowerment for his Harlem flock through redistributive cooperative enterprises. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. He spent most of his formative years in conservative rural Indiana. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 - November 18, 1978) was an American preacher, political activist, and mass murderer. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. . I'd like to choose my own kind of death, for a change. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Jones ran the site like a prison camp. The charismatic leader then founded his own gathering - the Community National Unity Church. Try again later. 0 cemeteries found in Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana, USA. He led the Peoples Temple, a doomsday cult, between 1955 and 1978. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. He worked at a hospital as an orderly where he met Marceline Baldwin, an older nursing student. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. He married Marceline after his first term on June 12, 1949. The first to die were the children and those who refused to drink were forced to by armed guards. He also claimed that at a Catholic church, he replaced the holy water with a cup of his own urine. She is one of six people who died in Jonestown, Guyana prior to 11/18/1978. Get the latest on new films and digital content, learn about events in your area, and get your weekly fix of American history. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Jones also sought to disrupt familial bonds, positioning himself as the "father of all.". Death Year: 1978, Death date: November 18, 1978, Death City: Jonestown, Death Country: Guyana, Article Title: Jim Jones Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime/jim-jones, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: September 14, 2022, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. He frequently confronted them for drinking beer, smoking, and dancing. [8][9][10] In Lynn, the family attempted to earn an income through farming, but again met with failure when Jones's father's health further deteriorated. [24], Jones developed an intense interest in religion and social doctrines. He was obsessed with death from childhood. Childhood Jones' parents were James Thurman Jones, a veteran of the Great War and victim of mustard gas who lived on disability payments, and the much younger Lynetta Jones, a feisty,. During the 1950s and early 1960s, segregation was widespread across the country, and many religious congregations followed the practice of keeping the races separate. He was the son of James Thurman Jones, a disabled World . A post office now stands in its place. His followers were woken up in the middle of the night. [47][24], Jones and Marceline Baldwin continued their relationship while he attended college, and the couple married on June 12, 1949. He was in Georgetown, Guyana on November 18, 1978 with the Jonestown Basketball Team. He always wore them, outdoors or indoors, day or night. He was agitated by open communists in the USA. His mother Lynetta (Putman) Jonesworked odd jobs throughout the region, while his father James Thurman Joneswas disabled during World War 1 and increasingly sunk into alcoholism. I thought you might like to see a memorial for James Thurman Jones I found on Findagrave.com. [52], After attending Indiana University for two years, the couple relocated to Indianapolis in 1951. High Quality pictures of Jim Jones house in Jonestown, Guyana, Jim Jones and a parrot on a roof in Redwood Valley, Rare photo of Jim Jones in Redwood Valley. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. In the mid-1960s, Jones moved his religious group to Northern California. They were the parents of at least 1 son. [17][18], As Jones grew older, he attended services at most of the churches in Lynn, often going to multiple churches each week, and he was also baptized by several of them. "[32] Tom Reiterman, a biographer of Jones, wrote that Jones's attraction to religion was strongly influenced by his desire for a family. Jim Jones and His People, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Early_life_of_Jim_Jones&oldid=1136516689, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 18:38. [20] When Jones returned to Lynn in the autumn, he offended his community by giving explicit explanations of sexual reproduction to young children. Moving to San Francisco, Jones became known to his followers as "Dad." We do know that his father was present but largely disconnected: James Thurman Jones was a World War I veteran, and according to The New York Times, exposure to gas had left him severely disabled. There is no Heaven up there, so we're going to have to make Heaven down here. Integration is a more personal thing with me now. He used to set up stings to catch restaurants refusing to serve black customers and wrote to American Nazi leaders and then leaked their responses to the media. Resend Activation Email. The compound was known as Jonestown, and it wasn't any tropical paradise. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. James Warren Jones was born in the hamlet of Crete, Ind. The couple eventually adopted several children, some of which were non-white. He was a strong student, especially in public speaking, but he had few friends. Pacifica, California [December 2008] He is a businessman in Northern California, married, with three . He was previously married to Lynetta Putnam. Having grown up an outsider, Jones empathized with the downtrodden, the poor, the non-whites in society. [43] Jones began dating a nurse-in-training named Marceline Baldwin while he was working at Reid Hospital. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Jim Jones was born in a rural community in Indiana close to the border of Ohio. This account has been disabled. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Jim Jones was best known as the cult leader of the Peoples Temple who led more than 900 followers in a mass suicide known as the Jonestown Massacre. [21][22] In his early teenage years, Jones spent several months evangelizing in his community on behalf of the local Pentecostal church. There was an error deleting this problem. [his last words from his death tape] We didn't commit suicide; we committed an act of revolutionary suicide protesting the conditions of an inhumane world. He preached integration and racial equality, and his own family reflected these beliefs. He got up and started preaching and did an incredible job. Political pressure from Jones made quite a few hospitals desegregate the wards. [28][29] At times, he would put other children into life-threatening situations and tell them he was guided by the Angel of Death. This church was noted for its equal treatment of White and Black Americans, and preached racial equality and social justice. He invited anyone who wanted to leave the compound to come with him, but his rescue operation did not go as planned. In the 1950s, he became a preacher and founded a church in Indianapolis, Indiana, called the "Wings of Deliverance," which he later renamed the "Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church." I'll fight! Began wearing sunglasses from 1971 onwards, when he started abusing drugs. Jim would never forget the power of miracles combined with a message of unity and acceptance. Try again later. [31] He spent hours in the community library, and he brought books home so he could read them in the evenings. I believe the mother is Agnes Paulette (Jones), and my biological siblings Jim Arthur Bishop Stephanie Lynn Bishop and William Dillon Dean (Billie Jones). James Warren Jones; (grandfathers) James Thurman Jones, Walter Baldwin. World War I VeteranHe was gassed in the trenches during the War and suffered ill health the rest of his life. [46] During his time at University, Jones was impressed by a speech which Eleanor Roosevelt delivered about the plight of African-Americans, and he began to espouse support for communism and other radical political views for the first time. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Jimmy decided to stage an elaborate funeral for the other school. He was described as a really weird kid as he was obsessed with death. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. The next day, the entire community of 914 'followers' (including 276 children) drank a deadly potion of Fla-Vor Aid laced with cyanide poison. The extent of his authority meant that his eventual breakdown transformed a personal tragedy into one of the largest mass deathsin American history. This is a carousel with slides. He was also responsible for the death of Congressman Leo Ryan, who was on a visit to the Jonestown Temple to investigate human rights violation allegations against Jones. Failed to delete flower. After being scrutinized by the media, he along with many other members shifted to the temples compound in Guyana. Jim received several humanitarian awards in Northern California, owing to his work with the poor and the under privileged. Letters arrived announcing that people were praying for [Jim, Jr.] to die.. The family often lacked adequate food and relied on financial support from their extended family. Mother of James Warren Jones. [38] While he was attending a baseball game in Richmond, Jones was bothered by the treatment of African Americans who attended the game. An autopsy on Jones revealed that he had a level of the barbiturate pentobarbital that would have killed a normal person, thus indicating that he had built up a long-term habit to using the drug. A riveting account of the event that helped give rise to the modern American militia movement. In 1934 during the Great Depression Jones' parents due to economic struggle were forced to move Premium Jim Jones Guyana Sorry! Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Bullshit! Despite stories of beatings, murders and other cult practices, Jones was praised for setting up a racially mixed church that helped the disadvantaged and impoverished. There, he observed that people with money are attracted to faith healing and such services and these financial resources can be helpful in his goals. Year should not be greater than current year. As part of his teachings, Jones discouraged sex and romantic relationships. Try again. He started and led the Peoples Temple in Indiana in the 1950s, and later moved it to California in the 1960s. Stephanie Maze/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Jim Jones, Birth Year: 1931, Birth date: May 13, 1931, Birth State: Indiana, Birth City: Crete, Birth Country: United States. In the 1950s, he became a preacher and founded a church in Indianapolis, Indiana, called the "Wings of Deliverance," which he later renamed the "Peoples Temple Full Gospel. 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