About J. L. Riner Sr.

Jonah Lee Riner, Sr was born on May 11, 1887 in Emanuel County, Georgia, the son of Spencer and Anne Brantley Riner. He had 5 brothers and 3 sisters; some of whom did not survive to adulthood. He married Ada Lou Hall (born August 7, 1892) on June 9, 1907. They had five children together. An infant child died in 1908, but four children grew to adulthood, Elmer Lee (1909-1981), Myrtle (1913-1993), Sadie (1915-1994), and Johnnie (1917-1998). Ada died during the flu pandemic on October 30, 1918. Jonah married Sapola Brinson (born February 14, 1900) on June 1, 1919. They had six children together, J. L. "Jake" (1921-2004), Mildred (1923-2012), Juanita (1924-2019), Curtis Aldo (1927-1988), Billy (1929-2022), and Bobby (1931-2018). Jonah lived most of his adult life in Vidalia, Georgia, died on March 11, 1960, and was buried in Pinecrest Cemetery, Vidalia, Georgia in a family plot. Sapola died on February 6, 1986 and was buried alongside him.