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Jones Family Memorabilia Collection
MS-0516
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & University Archives
Title: Jones Family Memorabilia Collection
Creator:
Jones Family
Identifier/Call Number: MS-0516
Physical Description:
1.26 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1948-2002
Date (bulk): 1965-1978
Language of Material:
English
.
The
Jones Family Memorabilia Collection (1948-2002) contains photographs, correspondence, and school records collected by Stephan Jones. The collection consists
chiefly of photographs originally housed in photo albums and scrapbooks. There are photos of the Jones family as well as of
Jim Jones and his work with Peoples Temple. Notable family items include drawings by Stephan when he was young, a letter from
his mother, photos of the family, and poetry written by his grandmother. The collection also includes photographs of Jim Jones
in the context of working with Peoples Temple and the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project (Jonestown).
Of particular note are two intact, original photo albums of snapshots of Jones and his family and the activities of Peoples
Temple - one titled / labeled "Healings" and the other titled "Father and animals, Father and children, Political People,
Enemies, Other Speakers." Photos from these albums have been digitized and are available at the
Library's Digital Collections site .
This collection is open for research.
The copyright interests in these materials have been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the
creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections
is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be
submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available
for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including
but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Stephan Jones via the Jonestown Institute
Peoples Temple Collection, 1972-1990
Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple, sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies at San Diego
State University: http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/'
Identification of item, folder title, box number, Jones Family Memorabilia Collection, Special Collections and University
Archives, San Diego State University Library.
Jim Jones was born in Lynn, Indiana in 1931 to parents James and Lynetta Jones. He was a passionate reader, interested in
a wide range of religious beliefs. Jim Jones married Marceline (Marcie) Mae Baldwin in 1949 and they moved to Indianapolis
the following year. A charismatic preacher, Jones founded Peoples Temple in the 1950s, a church based on principles of biblical
preaching, racial equality, and apostolic socialism. In 1965, he relocated his family and Peoples Temple to Ukiah, California.
Jim and Marcie had one biological child, Stephan Gandhi, and also adopted seven more: Jim Jr., Stephanie, Lew Eric, Suzanne,
Agnes Pauline, John Moss, and Timothy Glen. Jim referred to his children as his "rainbow family."
The Jones family is memorable because of Jim Jones, his creation of Peoples Temple, and the tragedy that occurred in Jonestown,
Guyana, on November 18th, 1978. Construction of the community formally known as the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, but
better known as Jonestown, began in 1974. The population reached its peak in 1977. Three of Jones' sons (Stephan, Jim Jr.,
and Tim) survived the tragedy at Jonestown due to participation in a basketball tournament with the Guyanese national team
in Georgetown.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Jonestown (Guyana)
Jonestown Mass Suicide, Jonestown, Guyana, 1978--Sources
Peoples Temple--History--Sources
Photograph albums
Jones, Jim, 1931-1978