The territory out of which Early County was formed was obtained by Gen. Andrew Jackson from the Native Americans in 1817 at the conclusion of his march through their territory in southwest Georgia. In 1818, the legislature of Georgia divided the land into three counties, Early, Irwin, and Appling. Early County received its name in honor of Gov. Peter Early, said to be one of Georgia's purest and ablest statesmen of the day. From 1857 to 1923, the county's 3,750 square miles were divided into a total of 10 counties, leaving Early with only 514 square miles. From the very beginning, agriculture was the dominant industry, and Early County became known as "the Peanut Capital of the World."