What I mean is the leaf straps would die back, get fried in severe winters but the bud would push out new leaf straps late spring early summer. I am sure they are still in the ground though they probably have never amounted to more than a few leaf straps because of the climate up there. But to be more clear, they have been in the ground 7-10 years now and were grown from seeds. Now for a st. Louis sabal to grow it would have to be in a good location and I would suggest growing them from a small 1 gallon size plant or seedling and give it a try...same for your location in TN...I suspect if they can be grown in virginia beach they stand a chance in a good location in Tennessee.
There are some pictures midway through this link:
Palm trees in Tennessee (3rd thread) - Tennessee Gardening Forum - GardenWeb