Erskine and Edith Early (Photo found in Spring Hill Everybody has a Story, page 116. Early’s logo is from earlys.com.)

Blog no. 20

Erskine Houve Early was born on June 3, 1918, in Marshall County, TN, to Talbot E. Early and Mamie Elgate Kincaid. He had one brother; his name was Vester Ambrose Early.

In 1925, Erskine and his mother founded a small food business on the side of the road, they named it, Early’s Honey Stand. People from all around the country loved their food and the snacks they sold; some people even had them send food to their homes, including famous people like Elvis, Queen Elizabeth II, and two American presidents. In the summer they sold honey, and in the winter, they sold smoked meats. Early’s Honey Stand still runs as a business on Highway 31, in Spring Hill, TN, and still sells some of the same goods.

On August 24, 1942, in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, Erskine enlisted into the army to fight in World War II. By the time Erskine had returned home from the war, his mother, Mamie, had started the process of sending goods around the country, which Erskine thought was a very good idea and expanded that idea to all around the world.

On March 14, 1948, in Spring Hill, TN, Erskine married Edith Whitney. They had two sons. Their names are Stephen “Steve” and Douglas. Erskine and his family lived in Williamson County, TN on Highway 31, near the honey stand.

Sadly, on April 11, 2009, in Pleasant Hill, Cumberland County, TN, Erskine died. He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Franklin, Williamson County, TN, where his wife would later be buried in 2014.

Newspaper clippings from newspapers.com. Early’s Headstone was found on Findagrave.com.