Moore Family Papers, 1968-1988

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Summary

Title:
Moore Family Papers and Photographs
Dates:
1968-1988
Abstract:
The collection consists of letters, journals, typescripts, government documents and microfiche, research materials, and ephemera related to the Moore family's investigations into the deaths in Guyana on November 18, 1978, which included three family members and California Congressman Leo J. Ryan. The family correspondence includes letters written from Jonestown by Carolyn Moore Layton and Ann Moore that describe daily life in the agricultural community in Guyana, their relationships with Jim Jones, and their growing concern about negative reports in the U.S. media. The collection also contains correspondence with other members of Peoples Temple, including Larry Layton, husband of Carolyn Moore from 1967-1969, and former Temple spokesperson Michael Prokes. Research materials contain information about the Peoples Temple organization, history, supporters and detractors, including the Concerned Relatives and Citizens Committee, and newspaper articles on the Peoples Temple and Jonestown. A substantial portion of the collection consists of documents released by U.S. government agencies in response to numerous Freedom of Information Act requests and two lawsuits filed by the Moores along with the reports of private investigator John Hanrahan hired by the Moores to interview government officials. The collection includes the Moores' published materials and interviews by the media.
Extent:
15 Linear Feet (37 boxes)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item, date] Moore Family Papers and Photographs (MS 3802). California Historical Society Collection at Stanford, Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Moore Family Papers document the involvement of family members with the Peoples Temple from 1968 to 1988. While letters written from Jonestown, Guyana by the Moore daughters, Carolyn and Ann, form a significant part of the family correspondence, the bulk of the collection was generated after the mass murder-suicides in Guyana on November 18, 1978. Assembled by family members after the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, the collection focuses on their efforts from 1978 to 1988 to investigate and publicize the circumstances that led to the deaths of their relatives and 916 other adults and children in Guyana. The collection consists of letters, manuscripts, government documents, research materials, photographs, audiotapes, books, and ephemera.

Correspondence between members of the Moore family reveals Carolyn and Ann's increasing commitment to their work for the Peoples Temple. Carolyn's letters in particular describe daily life in Jonestown and the community's growing concern and reactions to negative reports in the media. Ann's letters provide glimpses of her thoughts about her decision to join the Temple and her work as a nursing student in San Francisco hospitals and later in Jonestown. A statement she wrote about committing suicide is considered one of the last messages from Jonestown.

The letters, sermons, and essays that comprise the personal papers of the Rev. John V. and Barbara Moore provide insight into the family's involvement and dedication to social justice issues. Published statements about their visit to Jonestown in May 1978 document their experience of the settlement and their attempts to gain media coverage of their impressions. The Moores' correspondence with other members of Peoples Temple and their families reveals their personal commitment to providing consolation and to continuing their investigations of the tragedy.

The work of Dr. Rebecca Moore and Fielding McGehee III on the Peoples Temple and Jonestown produced a scholarly history, as well as a large body of legal documents and papers related to numerous Freedom of Information Act requests. Their papers provide a unique view of the U.S. Government's changing responses over a ten-year span to the provisions of The Privacy Act of 1974.

The Moore Family Papers are divided into three series: Series 1: Family Correspondence and Personal Papers; Series 2: Peoples Temple Related Materials; Series 3: U.S. Government and Legal Documents. Materials are organized as the family collected and documented their research that became the basis for their publications and ongoing investigations of the events that led to the deaths in Guyana. Also included in the collection are approximately 160 photographic prints of various sizes and slides pertaining to Moore mily and Peoples Temple, including individual and group portraits, snapshots and landscapes. Bulk consists of photographs and slides taken by Rev. Dr. John V. and Barbara Moore of their daughters, Carolyn and Ann, and grandson and other Jonestown residents in May 1978 and by Rebecca Moore and Fielding M. McGehee III on their trip to Guyana in May 1979 in the aftermath of the deaths in Jonestown in November 1978. Also includes images of the Moore family covering the years 1967-1976.

Biographical / historical:

The members of the Moore family are Carolyn, Rebecca, and Ann; their parents, John and Barbara; Carolyn's son, Kimo, and Rebecca's husband, Fielding McGehee III. On November 18, 1978, Carolyn, Kimo, and Ann died in the Peoples Temple's murder and suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.

Carolyn Moore Layton (1945-1978), the eldest sister, was a high school history teacher. She and her husband, Larry Layton, joined the Peoples Temple in 1968; they divorced in 1970. Carolyn became a member of the leadership circle and had significant financial responsibilities for the organization. In 1975, Carolyn gave birth to a son, Kimo Layton Prokes (1975-1978), also known as Jim-John, who was fathered by Jim Jones, leader of the Peoples Temple. She and Kimo moved to Jonestown, Guyana in the spring of 1977. Carolyn's death at 33 years old was attributed to cyanide poisoning used in the murder-suicides. Kimo's remains were not identified.

Ann Elizabeth Moore (1954-1978), the youngest of the three sisters, was a nurse. She joined the Peoples Temple in 1972. After she moved to Guyana in May 1977, she became Jones' personal nurse. At the time of her death, she was 24 years old. Ann and Jim Jones were the only two people in the Jonestown settlement who died from gunshot wounds.

Rebecca Moore, Ph.D., a journalist with her doctorate in Religious Studies, teaches at San Diego State University. The Rev. John V. Moore is a retired United Methodist minister in the California-Nevada Annual Conference; his wife, Barbara, is an active community volunteer. Fielding McGehee III is a writer and editor.

Acquisition information:
The Moore Family Papers were donated to the California Historical Society by Rebecca Moore, John Moore and Barbara Moore in July 1989. Additions were made in July 1989, August 1989 and October 1996. Transferred to Stanford University Libraries in 2025.
Processing information:

Photographs from this collection were originally separated under the call number MSP 3800. These were re-integrated into the Moore Family papers (MS 3802) in 2026.

Physical location:
Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged three business days in advance. For more information on paging collections, see the department's website: https://library.stanford.edu/libraries/special-collections.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by Denice Stephenson.
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-05-20 13:08:04 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Cassette tapes are closed until processed.

Terms of access:

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item, date] Moore Family Papers and Photographs (MS 3802). California Historical Society Collection at Stanford, Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
chscollection@stanford.edu
Website