Andrew L. Todd, Sr

Andrew Lee Todd Sr. (July 27, 1872 – March 24, 1945

Early life Todd was born in the Rucker community of Rutherford County, Tennessee to a local farmer, Aaron Wilson Todd, and his wife, Elizabeth (Prater) Todd, on July 27, 1872.

He married his wife, Minneola Wilson, on July 3, 1895. They had two sons.

He graduated from Union University (formerly Southwestern Baptist University) in Jackson, Tennessee in 1892, and was selected to become a member of the faculty. He taught at the university until June 1895. After marrying Minneola, he served as the principal of Wartrace high school as well as the Lexington Baptist College. He took a law course at Sewanee, and later at Cumberland University Law School. He graduated from Cumberland in 1901. Todd held memberships in the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, and Kappa Sigma fraternity, as well as the Baptist church.

Career He was elected as Rutherford County Superintendent of Schools from 1900 to 1907 and Governor Frazier appointed him to the State Board of Education in 1905 where he continued to serve until 1915. The "Middle Tennessee State Teachers College" evolved into the present day Middle Tennessee State University.

From 1913 to 1923, Todd served in the Tennessee General Assembly, two terms in the House and two terms in the Senate. As Speaker of the Senate in the 61st General Assembly, and Speaker of the House in the 62nd General Assembly (1921–1923), he is the only person in Tennessee history to have served in both capacities.

Apart from his political career, Todd was also an active businessman. He established the "Toddington Farms" which specialized in pure-bred Aberdeen-Angus cattle. He often made large purchases of cattle.

He practiced as an attorney in Murfreesboro for many years and developed many business interests there, including the Murfreesboro Home Journal (owner), the Murfreesboro Bank & Trust Co. (president, 1913–1929), and Murfreesboro Woolen Mills (shareholder). He was a financial correspondent for the Union Central Life Insurance Company and a farm loan correspondent for the New York Life Insurance Company.

Legacy Todd is sometimes referred to as the "godfather" of Middle Tennessee State University and he continued to support the school until his death.

During the late 1930s, Todd was involved with the construction of a dam across "Black Fox Camp Spring Creek", the resulting reservoir is now known as "Todd's Lake."