Harland D. Sanders "Kentucky Colonel"

Col. Harland D. Sanders (The Colonel)

Kentucky Colonel, Hon. Harland David Sanders became a colonel twice, he is the greatest example of how a person can use the Kentucky Colonel Title to promote a business idea and will most likely always be an iconic image of a Kentucky Colonel, his image and style has had a major impact on the reach of the state's name; his business enterprise has brought billions of dollars to Kentucky's economy, goodwill and name recognition.

Col. Sanders followed his heartfelt ideas and personal research to develop his style based on the book, "A Kentucky Colonel" by Opie Read which was copyrighted the year of his birth in 1890. When he became a Kentucky Colonel the concept, iconography and reputation of the ideal was already firmly planted in America's psyche based on the character Col. Remington Osbury from the silent film, "The Kentucky Colonel" in 1920.

Col. Sanders did not follow the ideals of the HOKC, nor was he ever requested to serve on their board. Several foundations have been established in his name as well as cooking equipment, streets and other characters modeled incorporating the image he made popular and a part of American culture.

Kentucky Colonel List(s) 1775-2025

We are discovering more everyday in the US Library of Congress and the Internet Archive! If we find your name there we will include it.

There are many, and many more that were, and knew, where it all started and when it began, they wrote about it. A separate cross-referenced Kentucky Colonel List and Honorific Title Register (Honorary Kentucky Colonel List) are being developed based on newspaper articles, search engines, historical archives, family genealogies and public acknowledgement of the Honorable Title held Kentucky Colonel Commissions and Uncommissioned Kentucky colonels in history. To get listed a Kentucky Colonel must have a news article or other evidence of their commission besides the commission itself.