[Editor’s notes: The letters on this page derive from several sources, principally FBI Section 126 • EE-1 • Letters to Dad (N-Z); FBI Section 130 • EE-2 • Letters to Jim Jones; and FBI Sections 121-123 • BB-31 – BB-32 • Tim Stoen, D Touchette.
[Insofar as possible, these letters have been arranged in alphabetical order of the writer’s last name. Unless otherwise noted, the letters retain their original spelling and grammar.
[Peoples Temple member often used old reports and documents as scratch paper, using the reverse side of these pages for their letters. We have labeled and transcribed those scratch pages which include information about Jonestown.]
—–
Undated Letter to Jim Jones from Lillie Victor
EE-2-t
[Editor’s note: Spelling and grammatical errors corrected throughout.]
Dear Dad;
I want to tell you how I misused money that could have helped our poor oppressed people back in the States. I want to show to try to forget what time and age it is and even when I go to the movies I can still see how Blacks are put down and humiliated. I can see how much ignorance is being projected but I just wanted to get away from life. And at times I wanted to kill someone to kick down hostility. I went for too long walks at night, and work would keep me sometimes less hostile and many of times I thought I would never see you again. I may be young but to me I saw enough out of life to not want to live at all. Jonestown is a very wonderful place but I just am not happy with life, Dad, maybe I am being too self-centered so if I have to live it would be for the children. I would not like to see a good thing go to the worst side.
Dad I wonder they say that the Zodiac [Killer] is back in town. If Tim Stone [Stoen] was killed the same way those other people [unintelligible word] the same way we could still be accessory to murder with 2 or 3 other people killed like him, it would be hard to say that Peoples Temple killed Stone. Or am I being too naïve.
Lillie Victor
—–
Undated thank you note to Jim Jones from Michelle Wagner
EE-2-uv-11a – 11b
Dad:
I wanted to say thank you very much! Jonestown is beautiful. Today was the first good sleep I have had because of all the walking I’ve been doing. Can’t get enough! It’s definitely too good to be true.
Now want to wake up in the morning. You want to work. You can be yourself.
I could not say enough! But I will say that I shall not let you down ever again!
Thank you,
Michelle Wagner
—–
EE-2-uv-8a
1977 money-making proposal to Jim Jones from Barbara Walker
Father:
I would like to start writing children’s storybooks based on your life, from childhood up, but especially childhood for the preschoolers and elementary. The structure & love that they are getting couldn’t be bought, and I feel that should be able to grow up with their leader through books. I feel it’s very important that they identify with you before you became the leader, and let them know that your principle and character is not something that just developed overnight. I think reading that you would help them relate to you on more than one level – as was done with [Vladimir] Lenin through children’s storybooks. If you approve, I’m sure that Lynetta [Jones] has a lot of material. Although I can’t draw, I know that we have many people here who could assist through drawing illustrations, and later it could possibly turn out to be a money-making project.
Thank you Father
Barbara Walker
—–
EE-2-uv-8b
Note to Jim Jones from Barbara Walker on Father’s greatest pain
Father:
Since your greatest joy I feel is making us happy, and seeing that we are safe and secure from all of the pains that the capitalist society has brought us, your greatest pain is probably seeing us bring so many of our capitalist traits here, where they are used at our own convenience and for our benefit, consciously or unconsciously, to tear down or discredit what you have spent your lifetime advocating and building up.
I feel guilt, but oftentimes too late, that I am still so egotistical, and sometimes I don’t feel as though I’ve grown any. I have a habit of not wanting to face deal with my own feelings or guilt because I like to reserve a scapegoat for myself that can be rationalized, and if I can rationalize something I have done or want to do, I panic.
My worst problem and guilt is the way I’d like to believe I feel about people. My two main differences are “hate”, and “race”. Frankly, I don’t hate anybody here, because I couldn’t profess to believe in you, and hate your people. I don’t hate anybody and I’m not a racist, but I am afraid of people because I know nobody is for real. (I make it a point of not allowing people to care about me because I know I’ll have to choose between something I feel is right add a person or people, or end up caring about someone who won’t be there when I need them. The problem is I haven’t learned not to expect anything from anybody – Just give, and it seems so unfair. I guess that’s the reason I don’t want anybody giving me anything – not even friendship, then I can justify not having to give anything in return. I know this is a problem and I will try harder at seeing the best in the people. I say I dislike more often, I think of how I’m contributing to your pain and rejecting the people you love most.
Thank you Father
Barbara Walker
—–
Undated thank you to Jim Jones from Eddie Washington
[Editor’s note: Spelling and grammatical errors corrected throughout.]
EE-2-uv-4a – 4b
dear dad Just a little thank you note for all of your love and kindness and care for all of us. Thanks for the wonderful chicken dinner on yesterday and pork today. Very good dinner. Oh how I love all of the food but the chicken dinner was delicious. Dad I’m so happy here. I do want you to know I’m so glad you accepted me as one of your own children. It is so beautiful here. Oh how I love it. Thank you so very much for everything, especially our loving mother Marcie [Marceline Jones] who I adore. She is so wonderful to me. Thanks again, the least of your children.
Eddie Washington
—–
EE-2-uv-5a – 5b
1977 thank you to Jim Jones from Eddie Washington
[Editor’s note: Spelling and grammatical errors corrected throughout.]
Dear dad
Just a thank you note to tell you how much I thank you for your concern for each and every one of us. I am truly grateful for what you have done in saving the lives of all that [are] here and brought back to life and the most wonderful thing was you healed our dear sweet mother and brought her back to us. Dad I can’t express my feeling. I hope you understand I am so happy here. I hardly think of my so-called relations. Just write them to let them know I am still happy and alive. I love it here. Also this is our freedom home, you and your precious mother Renetta [Lynetta] Jones made it possible for all of us to be happy. Anyone that is not I am sorry for them. Thank you dad for all of your healing and concern for every one of us, the babies and mothers. Thank you for your concern of our weight, it has helped me very much. I don’t have too much to gripe about. Every time gripes come, I let [illegible word] overrule. Every time I think where I am from and you give the news, I feel more secure and glad I am here. Thank you for all the good food you are giving us to eat. It is delicious. All the chickens, pork and fish is wonderful that you provide so much for so many of us. Thank you again and again for your love and kindness for me and all although I feel the least of all.
Eddie Washington
—–
Undated note to Jim Jones from Diane Wilkinson
EE-2-uv-1a
Dad,
I just wanted you to know that I wasn’t in no way upset about today I felt someone had given you the impression I just asked Ava [Jones] who was on the list and who was going to get the baby today. I understand that there is a lot of problems involved in these situations and I’m not pushing this and I think you for your concern for me when you’re so busy.
Thank you, Dad,
Diane Wilkinson
P.S. I realize your legal problem in this and I am patient about it.
—–
Two notes to Jim Jones from Jewell L. V. Wilson
EE-2-uv-13
[Editor’s note: The two pages of this document are in reverse order on the FBI PDF.]
13/10/78
Dad I am must say I am not taking Cridicilion as strong as I should, and I don’t give them as I should, but I am learn to except them more strongly each in every day.
Thank you, Dad
Jewell L. V. Wilson
To Dad
I, Jewell V. Wilson, thank you Father for saving Eyvonne Hayden & Denise Hunter life in [illegible word]. I shall never forget what you have done for me.
Jewell L. V. Wilson
—–
Undated letter of confession to Jim Jones from Joe Wilson
[Editor’s note: Spelling and grammatical errors corrected throughout.]
EE-2-uv-6a – 6b
To Dad;
I thought I should write you a full confessions of all my guilt. One thing is before meeting you I spent lots of money on dope, about $50 or $60 a day for almost two years. I feel like a big asshole for buying and selling the white man shit to black young people. Also now that I know about all of the money really went to keeping black and brown people all over the world in some kind of white power regime. I guess I just as well have killed and tortured poor whites & blacks and brown men, women and babies with my own hands. Even after being with you for as long as I have, I was, up until the day I came here, still helping the white man by running around in the streets drinking, smoking and spending money on hotel rooms, clothes and food I really didn’t need. Even though I didn’t pull the trigger of the gun that killed your son and my brother [Chris Lewis], I have to take some of the blame for it. Also your Mother [Lynetta Jones], I know at one time in my life I take enough time with myself with you that you could have spent with her and maybe she would still be here. Sometimes when I think of all this I could just end it all. But I know I never would or could because of Jakari [Wilson]. Plus working harder and keeping up with the news and stay out of trouble would be the only right and communistic way to deal with my guilt. I know I am long-overdue as far as taking part in leadership but I always have the feeling of being [unintelligible word] or hypocrite by telling anyone anything. But my biggest guilt is that I wanted a baby boy, never once stopping to think of the pains in life. I don’t want to leave here for any length of time. But I know I could sell us to people just as easy as I sold dope, and more proudly.
Thank you for being the best friend I never and will have.
Your son, Joe [Wilson]
—–
Reflection on Jim Jones’ Pain from Leslie Wagner Wilson, May 1978
EE-2-e-2a
From Leslie Fortier [Wagner Wilson]
26-5-78
Pain
To Dad,
One of the most frequent pain that you are confronted with most is (1) the pain of no one but you really caring – Not only about us but about all people. (2) You struggling so hard here, and we who don’t even love liberation enough to liberate ourselves. People who have walked with you, seen your ultimate example and character, yet betraying you to turn into vicious and hateful people. You always giving your all but never receiving any change in return. (3) Realizing that you’re the only one who is a true and dedicated Marxist-Leninist. No one else would make themselves a prisoner here cutting yourself from specialized medical care that you need & not being able to participate in helping with the liberation of other 3rd World struggles. For years I have seen you give, sacrifice, giving yourself, sleeping with men and women to save this group and not accepting bribes of millions of $ – no one but you would do that. It’s painful I know to put up with this seeing people on so
—–
EE-2-e-2b
many different levels of consciousness. Still not all on the right level. Pleading, pouring your heart out only in the next hours learning of a new traitor. Not being able to trust anyone but yourself completely. You always being the peacemaker, the one who always gave chances – only to be stabbed in the back. How much more can you take and will you? Not being able to spend the proper time with your own children that they so much deserve, because you have at all times included all of us on vacations – and people always fucking up so you can’t. You are the only one that feels. So many times I’d say, “how does he do it?” Yet you keep on. Worrying about how much more $ we need, yet we don’t even work hard enough or show that we care. Those are pains I feel you endure. Also the terrible physical problems you endure that no one else would. We for the most part don’t want to deal with pain so that’s a lot of sickness. That’s a lot of what you go through. Also realizing you’re the only one with the courage to stand tall for Socialism. Thank you. I will try to make it easier for dedicating myself more.
—–
Undated thank you to Jim Jones from Leslie Wilson
EE-2-uv-2
Dearest Dad,
Thank you, thank you, thank you – and million thank you’s for saving my baby! You are always there. I’m sorry for you having to go through this crisis with Ricky [Johnson]. You are always so loving, always so good and honest. The greatest Marxist-Leninist. Every day I realize how much you & socialism are so important and so much a part of our lives. Thank you for allowing my child Jakari to live in the most beautiful place, a society here, no racism, no drugs. In the States Jakari woiuld’ve been seriously ill with a respiratory problem and dead no matter if he was breathing or not. The US is death anyway.
I Love You, Dad
Leslie Wilson
—–
Mary Wotherspoon reflection on Dick Tropp letter, June 1978
EE-2-uv-3a – 3b
Misc. thoughts
What I feel about Dick Tropp’s paper. (I wish I had more time to do this.) I feel I am too moody. I’m beginning to realize I can control my moods if I want to. I need to communicate with people more. I have to realize that this is my family, I’m going to build a world and die with them. I see elitism and use it to do what I want to. Guilt does not motivate me. I can’t look at the young people Peter [Wotherspoon] molested, I feel bad – guilty and I become more withdrawn.
Why should I have the right to eat when others are starving? When we are so far removed from suffering we forget it exists. I do forget, too easily. I’m not functioning to my capacity. I many times refused to take the responsibility of it. I do not deserve to live for the simple fact that I am white and I take privileges and do not feel as if I’m doing enough working in the fields. But what right do I have to even consider my feelings when our relatives and grandparents had to work long, long hours, die – forgotten in nursing homes, discriminated against because they spoke a different language & had different customs. I agree with the old Indian custom of going into the wilderness to die because one has lost his usefulness. I just wonder if I will still feel that way when I get to that point. This time I quit looking at the people and start listening to what is being said – when people talk. It is too easy to say things that demand character – too many people pay lip service to communism – not enough people do. I feel that you hate me & don’t trust me and that’s the way it is. It doesn’t really matter to me – I have always felt this way. Your character is too much for me to keep on my mind, so I choose to tuck it away a lot. I see everything you do is for the good of the whole. The means are irrelevant to me – what is important is the goal. I do not expect to live or see a better day. My mouth is taking food that a child who could one day be a socialist-communist could use. People of high character have suffered and died/are now suffering and dying. I wonder if I have the courage to take their place. Could I take someone else’s child and assume the guilt for them being in the world & give them the care they need?
I wish I had more time, to be honest. I need a lot more self-analysis.
Mary Wotherspoon
[Annotation on bottom of second page: “required paper on self-introspection”]
—–
Undated request to Jim Jones from Peter Wotherspoon
[Editor’s note: FBI document uses this reference number twice.]
EE-2-uv-7a – 7b
(from Peter Wotherspoon)
Dear Dad,
When and if you feel it is suitable I would like to change my name. I’ve always hated the name “Peter” for all the pain and embarrassment it has brought me. I think of “Wotherspoon” as largely a family of Chilean fascists. It is also been a source of ridicule. I wish to use the name “John” because of people like Johnny Jones who I admire in his Socialist sensitivity and commitment. As a last name I would like the Aurucanean Indian name Chiloe (pronounced Chee-low-way). I don’t feel I deserve to take a name of Jones for certain, nor any other great Socialist leader. I will have to prove my commitment with what remains of my life in the opportunity of my death. If it is all right with you, I would like to be known as “John Chiloe” and to bury my old effective personality with my shitty name.
Thank you, Dad
—–
Undated letter to Jim Jones from Peter Wotherspoon
EE-2-uv-12a – 12b
Dear Dad,
No one has received more concern, love and mercy and deserved it less than myself. I feel guilty eating the food you have provided by sweat, blood, and suffering. I feel we eat much too good, knowing that you have worry and plan and struggle for every bit of food and other luxuries that you give us. I also know I would be healthier eating less.
I understand the principle involved giving Helen Snell your protein but I also recognize the danger it presents to your health and therefore the whole collective. Please allow me to give Helen my portion of protein. I know that I have enjoyed privilege and perhaps eaten when Helen Snell, because of being black, has had to go hungry before she came to this family. I don’t approve of Helen’s insensitivity to the sacrifice you have had to make to give us life, but I can understand an old black woman in her insecurity from suffering hunger and racism a good part of her life having a blind spot in this regard.
For the greater good of the Collective, please allow me to do this small token of my gratitude, and substitute my protein instead of your own. I know you live only for us, but please guard your health and continue your protein intake that I understand is vital during times of ill health.
Please do not mention this to anyone. It will be my privilege to make this small sacrifice.
Thank you Dad for all you’ve done, all you continue to do, the mercy and love you’ve extended to me. I will try to make up for letting you down in the past.
Thank you,
Peter Wotherspoon