Profile Text
Birth Name: Harland David Sanders
Date of Birth: September 9, 1890
Place of Birth: Henryville, Indiana, U.S.
Date of Death: December 16, 1980
Place of Death: Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, Scottish, German, Manx, Dutch
Colonel Sanders was an American businessperson and entrepreneur. He founded fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken/KFC, and is the face of the company. He was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 1935, and later re-commissioned.
He was the oldest of three children of Margaret Ann “Maggie” (Dunlevy), who worked in a tomato cannery, and Wilbur/Wilbert David Sanders, a farmer and butcher. His family attended the Advent Christian Church. Colonel Sanders was married to Claudia Ledington-Price, until his death. He had three children with his former wife Josephine King.
Colonel Sanders’ paternal grandfather was Cyrus M. Sanders (the son of Jeduthan/Jaduthen Sanders and Phoebe/Phoebe Rodgers/Rogers). Cyrus was born in Pennsylvania, to parents from Morris, New Jersey. Jeduthan was born in Mendham Borough, the son of Stephen Sanders and Martha. Phebe was brn in Roxbury Township.
Colonel Sanders’ paternal grandmother was Hannah Clegg (the daughter of Alexander B./T. Clegg and Hannah Robb). Colonel Sanders’ grandmother Hannah was born in Guernsey, Ohio. Alexander was born in Mercer, Pennsylvania, the son of James Alexander Clegg, who was born in County Down, Ireland, with roots in England and the Isle of Man; and of Nancy Agnes Biggs. Colonel Sanders’ great-grandmother Hannah was born in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, the daughter of William Robb and Ann Neyman.
Colonel Sanders’ maternal grandfather was Thomas Andrew Dunlevy (the son of Joseph E. Dunlevy and Elizabeth H. Sphar). Thomas was born in Washington, Pennsylvania. Joseph was born in Washington, the son of Anthony/Andrew Dunlevy, who was born in Tyrone, Ireland; and of Mary Crawford, whose father was from Donegal, Ireland, and whose maternal grandfather was from Lanarkshire, Scotland. Colonel Sanders’ great-grandmother Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania. Her father, John Sphar, had a father from Benken, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, and maternal grandparents from Basel, Switzerland. Elizabeth’s mother, Susannah Redd, had German grandparents, with at least partial roots in Baden-Württemberg, and a maternal grandfather who was a minister.
Colonel Sanders’ maternal grandmother was Catherine C. Clegg (the daughter of Matthew Simpson Clegg and Martha Catherine Allen). Colonel Sanders’ grandmother Catherine was born in Henryville, Monroe Township, Clark, Indiana. Matthew was born in Pennsylvania, the son of Richard Clegg, who was born in Down, Ireland; and of Mary B. Simpson. Colonel Sanders’ great-grandmother Martha was born in Henryville, the daughter of James Allen and Mary McBride, whose own paternal grandfather was from Antrim, Ireland.
Sources: Genealogies of Colonel Sanders – https://www.familysearch.org https://www.geni.com https://www.findagrave.com