Her period of absence was explained as the result of an imprisonment in Mexico while on a secret mission for the Temple. notable was, United States Congressman, Leo Ryan, who is the [48], In 1951, the 20-year-old Jones began attending gatherings of the Communist Party USA in Indianapolis. You will live forever in our memories and hearts. [41] 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. While visiting Goodlett's business contacts and touring schools and other facilities, Jones was annoyed that President Fidel Castro had not consented to see him, and remarked that Castro had to be living better than the people. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jim Jon Prokes. While boarding a return flight with some former Temple members who wished to leave, Ryan and four others were murdered by gunmen from Jonestown. Members who worked outside of the Temple turned over their income to be used for the benefit of the community. [4] Although his strange religious practices stood out the most to his neighbors, they reported that he misbehaved in more serious ways. Meanwhile, Jones's father was hospitalized multiple times due to his illness. 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. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Jim's lifetime. We share yesterday, to build meaningful connections today, and preserve for tomorrow. we begin to Show & Tell who they were during particular moments in their lives. A year later in 1968, One man was forced into 'the box' underground where he stayed for days/weeks. The Soviet Union publicly distanced itself from Jones and what they called his "bastardization" of the concept of revolutionary suicide. Stepson of Michael Prokes. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. He also had the habit of refusing to respond to anyone who spoke to him first and only engaged in conversations when he started them. [44][45] Jones insisted on attending Bloomington's Full Gospel Tabernacle, but eventually compromised and began attending a local Methodist church on most Sunday mornings. She also claimed that Jones was the reincarnation of Vladimir Lenin and she of Lenin's mistress, Inessa Armand. Some very weak and elderly members received one egg per day." Jones died on 18 November 1978. Furthermore, Carolyn had a black eye and had started keeping a rifle beside her bed. [242][237] Furthermore, in a 2007 interview with forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael H. Stone for the program Most Evil, Carter stated his belief that Jones had his guards pose the dead bodies of the Jonestown residents to make it appear that more people had willingly committed suicide. . jones had been a methodist reverend in indiana, where for ten years he'd led an increasingly areligious social group he called the peoples . James Warren Jones".[200]. Jones described how he and his father had a disagreement about race and added that they had not spoken for "many, many years" as a result of his father forbidding one of Jones's black friends from entering his home. In 1954 the Joneses adopted their first child, Agnes, who was part Native American. [250] Jones's body was later moved for examination and embalming. [238] Later, after police arrived at the headquarters, Sharon escorted her children, Liane, Christa, and Martin, into a bathroom. Teacher, radio operator, administrator, accountant. [239] Wielding a kitchen knife, Sharon first killed Christa, and then Martin. Resend Activation Email. Learn more about managing a memorial . In both 1974 and 1977 the Disciples leadership received allegations of abuse at Peoples Temple. [189][190], In January 1977, Jones travelled to Cuba with Carlton Goodlett in order to establish an import-export trading relation with Cuba for a San Francisco Bay Area company that he had founded. [8], Some who were close to Carolyn noted a change in her personality after she began her affair with Jones, from an amusing and free-thinking young woman to a "ruthless authoritarian". [34] The events at that baseball game brought discrimination against African Americans to Jones's attention and influenced his strong aversion to racism. [18] When Jones returned to Lynn in the fall, he upset his neighbourhood by explaining sexual reproduction in detail to young children. They also discussed his desire to return to the United States. [25] Jones regularly used offensive profanity, commonly greeting his friends and neighbors by saying, "Good morning, you son of a bitch" or, "Hello, you dirty bastard". Welcome to AncientFaces, a com "Thank you for helping me find my family & friends again so many years after I lost them. Carolyn appeared to be a happy child, making friends at school and church. [198] Mayor Moscone's office issued a press release saying Jones had broken no laws. ). Kimo was sadly murdered during the Jonestown massacre in Guyana on November 18, 1978 at age 3. [17], Along with members of Jonestown's medical staff, Carolyn was aware of Jones' abuse of pharmaceuticals. Joseph Gordon-Levitt to play Jim Jones in White Knight, Chloe Grace Moretz to co-star . In 1964, Jones joined and was ordained a minister by the Disciples of Christ; his attraction to the Disciples was largely due to the autonomy and tolerance they granted to differing views within their denomination. John Victor Stoen died in Jonestown. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. [237], It is not clear if some initially thought the exercise was another White Night rehearsal. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. His wife Marceline apparently protested against killing the children; she was forcibly restrained and then joined the other adults in poisoning herself after the children had died. [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. There is a problem with your email/password. [142], Through his connections with California politicians, Jones was able to establish contacts with key national political figures. Jones began dating a nurse-in-training named Marceline Baldwin while he was working at Reid Hospital. He claimed that Nazis and white supremacists would put people of color into concentration camps. It's been 40 years since Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones led more than 900 of his followers to participate in the mass murder-suicide that would become the largest deliberate loss of American civilian life until Sept. 11, 2001. After the meeting, John V Moore concluded of Jones: "A phony preacher. On November 18, 1978, 909 Add to your scrapbook. [152], Jones also pretended to have "special revelations" about individuals which revealed supposed hidden details of their lives. [34] Jones was a good student who enjoyed debating with his teachers. Try again. About 140 of Jones's most loyal followers made the move to California, while the rest remained behind with Winberg. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. [1] Her father, John V Moore (19192019), was a Methodist minister and a conscientious objector during WWII. Movies. Deborah Layton was born on February 7, 1953 in Tooele, Utah, USA. When she regained consciousness, she was told she had fallen and broken her arm and taken to the hospital. [214][215], After learning that he might have a lung infection in 1978, Jones told his followers that he actually had lung cancer in an effort to gain their compassion and increase their level of support. He nonetheless persisted in saying he had exceptional abilities despite the fall. By 1978, reports surfaced of human rights abuses and accusations that people were being held in Jonestown against their will. [31], In high school, Jones continued to stand out from his peers. At the end of the event, he began attacking and condemning Baptist teachings and encouraging the members to abandon their church and join him. married in 1967. Jones developed connections with prominent California politicians and was appointed as chairman of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission in 1975. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Jim Jon Prokes lived 1947 in Long Beach, California) and her nephew, Kimo Layton also known as Jim Jon Prokes (born January 31, 1975 in . South San Francisco, San Mateo County, California, USA. [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. Along with other inner circle members, she assisted in the planning of the mass murder-suicide that took place in Jonestown, Guyana on November 18, 1978. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. On January 31, 1975, Carolyn gave birth to a son, Jim Jon Prokes nicknamed 'Kimo'. [128] Marceline admitted in a 1977 New York Times interview that Jones was trying to promote Marxism in the U.S. by mobilizing people through religion. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. John was disturbed by what he perceived as the worshipful tone of the letters, particularly with regard to the Temple's pastor, Jim Jones. All the victims died They conducted investigations at the time, but they found no evidence of wrongdoing. Divine's wife rose up and accused Jones of being the devil in disguise and demanded he leave. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. When you share, or just show that you care, the heart When members wept and showed signs of dissent, Jones counselled, "Stop these hysterics. These individuals [140][146][147] Jones forged alliances with key columnists and others at the San Francisco Chronicle and other press outlets that gave Jones favorable press during his early years in California. to our database of 147 people with the last name Prokes that have a birth and death date listed. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. [126], Jones grew the Temple by purposefully targeting other churches. Armed guards with guns and crossbows surrounded the pavilion.[205]. Nov 18 1978. [233][234] A drink mixture of Flavor Aid and cyanide was handed out to the members of the community to drink. [28] Jones acted as a dictator over the other kids, ordering them to goosestep together and beating those who disobeyed. Verify and try again. Temple defector Deborah Layton described the event in an affidavit: Everyone, including the children, was told to line up. Jan 31, 1975 - Nov 18, 1978 . [24][40], Jones moved to Bloomington, Indiana in November 1948, where he attended Indiana University Bloomington with the intention of becoming a doctor, but changed his mind shortly thereafter. [6], His father's illness led to financial difficulties, which in turn resulted in intense marital problems between Jones's parents. [4], As a student at UC Davis, Carolyn majored in international relations and was on the college honor roll. In 1979, by the time he was merely 4 years old, on November 4th, Iranian militant students seized the US embassy in Teheran and held 52 American citizens and diplomats hostage for 444 days. [72] By the late 1960s, Jones came to teach he was a manifestation of "Christ the Revolution". [260], Since the Jonestown Massacre, a massive amount of literature and study has been produced on the subject. In an article entitled "On Satan and Jonestown", Billy Graham argued that it would be a mistake to identify Jones and his cult as Christian. [188] After Timothy Stoen also left Peoples Temple in June 1977, Jones kept the child at his own home in Jonestown. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. [178] The work week was shortened to eight hours a day for five days a week in the middle of 1978 after Jones' health started to fail and his wife started taking on more of the management of Jonestown's activities. Carolyn Louise Moore Layton was a leadership figure within Peoples Temple and a long-term partner of Temple leader Jim Jones. If you see me as your savior, I'll be your savior. [87] His wife confided to her friends that he was becoming increasingly paranoid and fearful. Photos, memories, family stories & discoveries are unique to you, and only you can control. Through the conventions and with the support of Branham and Mattsson-Boze, Jones secured connections throughout the Latter Rain movement. What is Jim's ethnicity and where did his parents, grandparents & great-grandparents come from? [160] In October, the group voted unanimously to set up an agricultural commune in Guyana. He also asserted that he substituted a cup of his own urine for the holy water once at a Catholic church. Burial. Instead, he consumed more substantial meals that frequently contained meat while "claiming problems with his blood sugar". [235] The crowd was also surrounded by armed guards, offering members the basic dilemma of death by poison or death by a guard's hand. Carolyn Layton and Maria Katsaris died by taking poison. 36 death records, 20 followers 6.95k+ favorites. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Jim Jon Kimo Prokes I found on Findagrave.com. Unfortunately, Jim's remains were buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland, California. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. [230] Jones said, "We can check with Russia to see if theyll take us in immediately; otherwise, we die," asking, "You think Russias gonna want us with all this stigma?"[231]. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Jan 31 1975. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. This account has been disabled. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. [21] At times, he would put other children into life-threatening situations and tell them he was guided by the Angel of Death. [207] Known as the 'Six Day Siege', this ordeal was used thereafter by Jones as a symbol of the community's indomitable spirit. In March 1977, Marshall Kilduff published a story in New West magazine exposing abuses at the Peoples Temple. [114], Explaining the nature of sin, Jones stated, "If you're born in capitalist America, racist America, fascist America, then you're born in sin. Try again later. [73][125], Jones frequently warned his followers of an imminent apocalyptic nuclear race war. doctor for the Peoples Temple. On November 18, 1978, 909 people died in what was known as "revolutionary suicide." The deaths were the result of poisoning with toxic substances, such as potassium cyanide, Valium . [92] Stephanie Jones died at age of five in a car accident in May 1959. Jones then ordered a mass murder-suicide that claimed the lives of 909 commune members, 304 of them children; almost all of the members died by drinking Flavor Aid laced with cyanide. She is known for Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006), In Search . -. Thanks for your help! She was the mother of a child by Jones, Jim Jon "Kimo" Prokes. 2 birth, 36 death, 15 marriage, 4 divorce, View In 1970, Jones A system error has occurred. On November 18, 1978, he held a mass murder-suicide because the Soviet Union will not take them in. [107] Possibly to distract Peoples Temple members from the issues facing their group, he told his Indiana congregation that the world would be engulfed by nuclear war on July 15, 1967, leading to a new socialist Eden on Earth, and that the Temple must move to Northern California for safety. They were joined by 37 other famous singers in the recording studio and a phenomena had begun. [7] Jones' father belonged to the Indiana branch of the Ku Klux Klan, which enjoyed considerable support in Indiana during the Great Depression. [67], Following the convention, Jones renamed his church the "Peoples Temple Christian Church Full Gospel" to associate it with Full Gospel Pentecostalism; the name was later shortened to the Peoples Temple. Kimo's paternity was initially attributed to a prison guard; later, Jones revised his story, telling his followers that he'd accidentally impregnated Carolyn while he training her to "use her body for the Cause". [231][a] Jones recorded the entire death ritual on audio tape. Jones increasingly promoted the idea of his own divinity, going so far as to tell his congregation that "I am come as God Socialist. Try again later. [82] The mayor and other commissioners asked him to curtail his public actions, but he refused. they both became devoted followers of [21] Jones allegedly committed countless sacrilegious pranks in the churches he attended as a boy, according to claims he made in adult life. Try again later. [246], Jones three sons, Stephan, Jim Jr., and Tim Jones, were with the Peoples Temple's basketball team in Georgetown at the time of the mass poisoning. [57], The Assemblies of God was strongly opposed to the Latter Rain movement. [28] One childhood friend recalled Jones shouting "Heil Hitler!" Jones compared this schedule to the North Korean system of eight hours of daily work followed by eight hours of study. Jones' mother was urged to control his behaviour by many individuals in Lynn, but she refused. Layton's affidavit also stated that Jonestown residents were being deliberately starved:[201] "There was rice for breakfast, rice water soup for lunch, and rice and beans for dinner. James Warren Jones", "Followership in Peoples Temple: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", "Jonestown Autopsies: Carolyn Moore Layton", "Q042 Transcript, by Fielding M. McGehee III", "Jones plotted cyanide deaths years before Jonestown", "The Forensic Investigation of Jonestown Conducted by Dr. Leslie Mootoo: A Critical Analysis", "Jonestown Death Ritual Described by Survivor", "Jonestown and City Hall slayings eerily linked in time and memory", "Outside the Lines: Grandson of Jonestown founder is making a name for himself", "Guyana InquestInterviews of Cecil Roberts & Cyril Mootoo", "November 18 1978 Letter from Marceline Jone", "Parent Church is Chagrined by Evolution of Jones's Cult", Raven: The Untold Story of Rev. [254][255], The events at Jonestown were immediately subject to extensive media coverage and became known as the Jonestown Massacre. "And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of Peoples Temple". To use this feature, use a newer browser. Jones was particularly effective at recruitment among the African American attendees at the conventions. [179][180] This also comported with the Temple's practice of gradually subjecting its followers to sophisticated mind control and behavior modification techniques borrowed from Kim Il-sung's Korea and Mao Zedong's China. Moscone subsequently appointed Jones as the chairman of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission.[24][140][141]. They accused members of Planning Commission of being homosexuals and questioned their true commitment to socialism, before leaving the Peoples Temple. Jonestown was a community located in the northern part of Guyana which was formed by People's Temple led by their cult leader, Jim Jones. //-->. Son of Carolyn Louise Moore Layton and James Warren Jones. [162] Jones described Lenin and Stalin as his heroes, and saw the Soviet Union as an ideal society. Jones can be heard saying, "Don't be afraid to die", adding that death is "just stepping over into another plane", and adding that death is "a friend". based on information from your browser. I shall be back. Some of the information displayed may be restricted. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. BY ANCESTRY.COM. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. UFC Champion punches and chokes comedian Jim Norton. In 1977, she [249] President Carter and the First Lady sought to minimize their connections to Jones. In 1955, they assigned a new pastor to the Laurel Street Tabernacle who enforced their denominational ban on healing revivals. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. [161], In a newspaper interview, Jones indicated that he would rather settle his commune in a communist country like China or the Soviet Union, and was saddened about his inability to do so. Kimo was sadly a victim of the Jonestown massacre by being forced to drink poisoned kook-aid. "[127] In a 1976 interview, Jones claimed to be an agnostic and/or an atheist. Jones claimed he was sent to share the true meaning of the gospel which had been hidden by corrupt leaders. The court file was sealed, and the judge ordered that records of the arrest be destroyed. James Warren Jones and his wife, Marceline Mae Baldwin Jones. Learn more about managing a memorial . a Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Jones and the events that occurred at Jonestown have had a defining influence on society's perception of cults. [26] Although he studied different political systems, Jones did not espouse any radical political views in his youth. Political pressures which resulted from Jones's actions caused hospital officials to desegregate the wards. In 1978, she was observed shooting him up with a substance he claimed was Vitamin B-12. John's birth certificate listed Timothy Stoen and Grace Stoen as his parents. When the time came when we should have dropped dead, Rev. Make sure that the file is a photo. Jones decided to travel to South America to scout for a site to relocate Peoples Temple. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. [122][123], Jones rejected even the few required tenets of the Disciples of Christ denomination. He also permitted a few chosen members of his inner circle to eat from his personal supplies, and they appeared to be in much better health than the other residents. Jones directed groups of his followers to work on various projects for additional income and set up an agricultural operation in Redwood Valley to grow food. Jim Prokes passed away at age 3 years old on November 18, 1978 in Guyana. He was just 3 years old. [212] According to Teri Buford O'Shea, one of the few escapees from Jonestown, sleep deprivation was one of the most effective methods of controlling Jones's followers. ). Link to family and friends whose lives he impacted. [115][71] Jones referred to his views as "Apostolic Socialism". [154], In 1973, Ross Case, a former follower of Jones, began working with a group in Ukiah to investigate Peoples Temple. "[29], Tim Reiterman, a journalist and biographer of Jones, wrote that Jones's attraction to religion was strongly influenced by his desire for a family. [111] Jones used his position to recruit for Peoples Temple, teaching his students the benefits of Marxism and lecturing on religion. [232] And in May 1978, a Temple doctor wrote a memo to Jones asking permission to test cyanide on Jonestown's pigs, as their metabolism was close to that of human beings. Jones concluded the escapees would soon inform the United States of the attack and they would send the military to seize Jonestown. In June 1955, Jones held his first joint meetings with William Branham, a healing evangelist and Pentecostal leader in the global Healing Revival. This browser does not support getting your location. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. It's a question of my son's future. Feb 12, 1909 - Aug 1982 .