Fox Henderson
Fox Henderson Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1853 Henderson, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | 1918 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, banker |
| Known for | Banking pioneer in Troy, Alabama; president of Farmers and Merchants National Bank |
Fox Henderson Sr. (1853–1918) was a prominent entrepreneur and banking pioneer from Troy, Alabama.
Early life
Fox Henderson entered the world in 1853 in Henderson, Alabama as the eldest child of Jeremiah Augustus "Gus" Henderson and Mildred Elizabeth Henderson (née Hill). The family relocated to Troy, Alabama in 1869, where Jeremiah launched a thriving farm supply business that Fox and his brother Jere Clemens ("Clem") later joined.
Business endeavors
At 28 years old in 1881, Fox and Jere acquired the Pike County Bank, which they renamed Farmers and Merchants (F&M) Bank. Serving as the only banking institution in the region for eighteen years, the bank's assets expanded substantially. In 1903, it obtained a national charter and was renamed Farmers and Merchants National Bank, with Henderson serving as president until his passing.
In 1880, Henderson became a partner in Minchenor, Henderson & Company, specializing in manufacturing handles and spokes. Three years later, he co-established the Troy Fertilizer Company alongside Alexander St. Claire Tennille and Oliver C. Wiley. After purchasing his partners' shares in 1902, he merged the enterprise with Standard Chemical Company to create Standard Chemical and Oil Company, Inc., which became the largest facility of its kind in southern Alabama. Following the Alabama Midland Railroad’s arrival in 1887, Henderson played a key role in founding the Alabama Terminal Improvement Company to construct and outfit the rail line. In 1890, he and his brother Charles initiated Henderson Knitting Mills, a textile operation that unfortunately shuttered soon after opening. His ventures also included cotton trading and involvement with the ill-fated Troy Shoe Manufactory.
Turn of the century
By 1900, Henderson ranked among Troy’s most substantial landowners. He established Arcadia Dairy on his property, importing Jersey cows to provide fresh milk locally.
In 1911, he created a holding company named Fox Henderson & Sons, incorporating his sons into the partnership.
Offices
In 1911, Fox Henderson Sr. held numerous executive positions:
- President of First National Bank of Dozier; Bank of Luverne; Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Troy; Henderson National Bank of Huntsville; First National Bank of Brantley; Standard Chemical Company of Troy
- Vice-president of First National Bank of Andalusia; First National Bank of Brundidge; Henderson Lumber Company of Sanford; Planters Trading Company of Elba
- Partner in Henderson-Hill of Brantley; Cody-Henderson of Luverne; Henderson-Black Company of Troy
Following his death, Henderson was honored with induction into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame.
Family life
Henderson was married to Sallie Wilkerson and fathered three sons—Fox Jr., Fred, Jake—and a daughter named Gussie Henderson Jones. He generously donated land for both the Pike County Fairgrounds and Pike Masonic Hospital—the first hospital in Troy, now known as Beard Memorial Hospital. Together with business associate Joe Minchener, he contributed to constructing Troy’s courthouse. Although he did not pursue political office himself, he was the principal financial supporter behind his brother Charles Henderson’s victorious gubernatorial campaign in Alabama in 1914.
Fox Henderson Sr. passed away at age 65 in 1918 and is interred alongside his wife Sallie at Oakwood Cemetery in Troy.