Vehicle Sales
1890s, EMERSON-BRANTINGHAM SPOOL BACK BUGGY, used by the last horse and buggy doctor in Madison, VA: Dr. William Early (1877 - 1953), worthy of restoration (lamp not included), $975
Dr. William Early Remembered
By Delmar F. Weaver, M.D.
Madison County Eagle
Madison, Virginia, 1985
Dr. Willam Leyton Early was born April 8, 1877 to William Milner and Sarah Ida Banks Early. He was one of the descendants referred to by Margaret Woods Hampton in her book published in 1973 entitled “Descendants of John Early of Virginia (1729-1774).”
His brother, Tom, lived in Madison and another brother, James Banks, D.D.S. practiced dentistry there. His nephew, James Banks Early, Jr., D.D.S. practices in Madison now.
Dr. Early attended Locust Dale Academy. The number or years he was there is not known but he appears on a photograph of the members of the Locust Dale baseball team of 1894.
He graduated from the Medical College of Virginia in 1898 and returned to his birthplace, Wolftown, to practice.
He and Edna Amelia Buckner were married on November 25, 1901. She was born at Hood, the daughter of Addison and Elizabeth Garth Buckner. Dr. B.M. Buckner was her uncle.
Dr. and Mrs. Early had two children: Sarah Elizabeth, the widow of James P. Kite (the founder of Kite’s Hams), and William Buckner, who is called “Buck.” Buck has been involved in the banking and automobile business, cattle farming and antiques. Currently the Vice Chairman of the Madison Board of Supervisors, Buck has served as Chairman for many years. He and his sister, Mrs. Kite, furnished important information for this article. Mrs. Kite provided the photographs.
Dr. Early developed a large general practice similar to those that were described recently in articles dealing with other Madison County physicians of that period. Drugs were dispensed from his office in his home which was on Route 230 just east of Wolftown. He also kept drugs in the medical bag which he carried on house calls.
Transportation at that time was by horseback or horse and buggy, but beginning about 1910 the use of automobiles gradually increased and the roads were improved accordingly.
In the early 1920s Dr. Early owned a drug store at Wolftown. This was in the Farmer’s State Bank Building and Dr. Early was president of the bank. It was merged with the State Bank of Madison in 1933 and he became a director and vice president. He also owned the Wolftown Cash Store.
He was a member of the Medical Society of Virginia and the Piedmont Medical Society.
Dr. Early enjoyed vacationing at Craig Healing Springs in Craig County, northwest of Roanoke, and at one time wrote interesting articles from the resort for the Madison County Eagle.
My acquaintance with Dr. Early began quite early in my life. He delivered me. I recall, as a child, believing that he brought me in his black bag.
I saw him off and on during my early life. He and my father met in consultation from time to time. I first met his son, Buck, on one such occasion at Tetly, the home of L.W. Graves at Liberty Mills in Orange County. Buck was 5 or 6 years old at the time. I was older, but not much.
Dr. Clore and Dr. Early were friends, so when I became Dr. Clore’s partner in late 1933, I began to see Dr. Early rather often. When I moved to Stanardsville a year late, I saw him more often.
He had many patients in Greene County as well as Madison County. He was an excellent practitioner and a large number of people depended on him for their medical care. He was particularly adept at handling obstetrical cases and at using forceps in such cases when necessary.
In a different type of case which he handled before I came to the area, there was a 72-year-old man with diabetes who had developed gangrene in one foot and leg. This required amputation of the leg and Dr. Early successfully performed this. The patient lived 10 years.
My relationship with Dr. Early was quite pleasant. He was good natured, interesting, congenial and helpful. He frequently asked me to care for a patient when he was to be away or otherwise unavailable. I was always pleased with how successfully he had prepared them for the substitute.
When I returned to Virginia on visits after leaving, I usually visited him.
Mrs. Early died in 1940. He later married Helen Johnson.
He died in 1953 and is buried in Rose Park Cemetery, Wolftown.
