During the time that Peoples Temple was in Guyana, members would regularly send brief, focused notes to Dad or Father or Jim Jones. These letters fall into several discrete forms or genres. Below are brief descriptions of these categories with links to several letters that serve as excellent examples of each category.
Strategy For The Enemy
During their time in Guyana conspiracy theories ran rampant within the community. It was not unusual for Jim Jones to tell harrowing tales of enemies of the Temple that were plotting against their every move. This collection of letters provides evidence of the way many members thought about those theories and the lengths they were willing to go to if it meant protecting their cause. These letters were transcribed and annotated by Jon Lueth.
from anonymous – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1B-10a-b
from redacted – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1B-7
from Edith Roller – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-BB31A-61-62
from Sharon Cobb – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C-21
from Bea Orsot – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C-28
from Tom Partak – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A3
from Bob Davis – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A6
from Nancy – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A15
from Peter W. (Wotherspoon) – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A19
from Carolyn Looman – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A21
from Bea Orsot – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A29c
from Millie Cunningham – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A34
from redacted – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1B-3
from Don Jackson – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1B-9
from Jeff C. (Carey) – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1B-12
Personal Thoughts, Confessions, and Apologies.
I chose to transcribe and annotate a collection of what I would call personal confessions and apologies. Not all of them fall under this categories though, while some are more just ideas from members to Jim Jones, about how to handle different situations within the Temple.
from Wesley Bridenback – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB-20
from Terri – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB-47
from Jack Barron – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB-64 | sdsu
from Jimmy Cordell – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C-12 | sdsu
from Angela Casanova and Georgianne Brady – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C-33
from Jocelyn Carter – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C-34
from Christopher Campbell – transcript | annotation| pdf 89-4286-EE1-C-35 | sdsu
from Loretta Coomer – transcript | annotation| pdf 89-4286-EE1-C-46
from Bob Davis – 89-4286-EE1-D-16 – transcript | annotation| pdf 89-4286-EE1-D-16
from Herbert Newell – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A1
<Title Category>
<brief description of category>
<Danella’s letters>
from Jack Barron – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB2
from Shirley Baisey – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB15
from Shirley Baisey – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB21
from Jean – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB35
from Jean – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-AB46
from Gene – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C20 | sdsu
from Loretta Coomer – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C22
from Candace Cordell – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-EE1-C40
Baylee Heiden
from Al Touchette – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A10
from Beatrice Jackson – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A12
from unreadable – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A17
from Peter Wotherspoon – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A19
from Oliver Morgan – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A33
Sarah Hubbard
from REDACTED – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A4
from Bob (Robert) Davis – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A6
from Judy – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A11
from Bea Orsot Grubbs – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A29
from unreadable – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A2
Allison Odenthal
from Nancy – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A15
from Ruby Carroll – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A20
from Cynthia Davis – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A22
from Millie Cunningham – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A34
from Orde Dennis – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A53
Ashley
from Herbert Newell – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A1
from anonymous for Jim, Carolyn (Layton) and Maria (Katsaris) – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A43
from Lue Ester Lewis and Andrea Walker – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A45
from Carolyn Thomas – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A54
from Jeff Carey – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B12
Mikayla
from anonymous – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A36
from Vera M. Talley – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A40
from anonymous – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A44
from Liane Harris – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A46
from Anita – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A51
Jessica Low
from Thomas Partak- transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A3
from Teresa King – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A58
from anonymous – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A55
Nathaniel Swaney – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A56
Mary Ann Casanova – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B17
Tierney
from Pat Patterson and Michaeleen Brady- transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A30
from Ruby Carroll – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A41
from Anonymous – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B1
from Tish LeRoy – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B2
from Redacted – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B3
Brecklyn Carey
from Redacted – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B4-5
from anonymous – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B10
from Mary Lou Clancey – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B21
from Don Casanova – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B23
Jared Turner
from unknown – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A47
from redacted – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B15
from Geraldine Bailey – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B18
from Shanda Oliver – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B19
from Elsie Bell – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B22
Emily
from Gertrude Nailor – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-A35
from Sue Jerram – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B26
from redacted – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B27
from Bea Orsot – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B28
from Tom Kice – transcript | annotation | pdf 89-4286-N1-B30