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According to Margaret Pace Farmer’s book, One Hundred Fifty Years in Pike County Alabama 1821-1971, Dr. A. St. C. Tennille was a physician and manufacturer.  His name is in fact connected with many enterprises during the time he lived in Pike County.  The town of Tennille was named for Dr. Tennille in recognition of his part in bringing the railroad to the county.  In 1887, the Messenger published a brief history of Dr. Tennille’s accomplishments.   

The originator of the plan for building the Alabama Midland Railroad, and its vice-president, and the first man who ever conceived the idea of manufacturing commercial fertilizers at interior points, was born September 16, 1888, in Washington County, Georgia.  He married Miss Sallie Butler, of Jackson County, Florida, shortly after he was grown, and soon afterward entered the Confederate service.  He went into the war as a private of the 9th Ga. Regiment, and came out as Assist Commissary General to Hood’s Division.  His war record is full of interest, and well worthy of publication, but space forbids.  He moved to Troy in 1871, and began a retail drug business in connection with the practice of medicine.  He practiced for several years and retired to more closely guard his large and growing interest in other fields.

Dr. Tennille was the originator of the scheme which built the Troy Fertilizer factory, the pioneer manufactory of fertilizers at inland points, of which he is manager, and a large stockholder, and how this scheme succeeded, everyone in Troy well knows.  He is also the originator of the plan for building the Alabama Midland Railroad, and everything is working as well as  could be expected toward the final carrying out of his designs.  Dr. Tennille is one of the clearest headed business men in Alabama, and would add vim and importance to any laudable enterprise.  He has served the city both as councilman and mayor, in which capacities, he was, as he always is, fully alive to the best interests of the city and her people.

All of these articles can be found in previous editions of The Troy Messenger.  Stay tuned for more.  Dianne Smith is the President of the Pike County Historical, Genealogical and Preservation Society.