KYOWSLEY-L Archives

From: "Jess Wilson" <>
Subject: Re: [KYCLAY-L] Jess remembers Col. Sanders
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1998 11:50:43 -0400

June in California. Here is my story about Col. Sanders.

In 1952, Harlan Sanders was operating a restaurant in Corbin, Ky. at the
junction of U. S. 25 East and West. I think that he looked up the road to a
later time and realized that a new road would be built and he wanted to be
ready for that road. I think he figured that if he were in the Kentucky
legislature, he would be in a position to know where and when to move.

His answer was to get elected to the Kentucky senate. How a man, as smart
as he was, thought that a turn-coat Democrat could be elected in the
Republican primary from the republicanist area of Kentucky, I have never
fathomed

Anyway, he registered and in his campaigning he came on Rev. and Mrs.
Ranch, who were operating the Faith Hill Mission Church on Lucky Fork of
Owsley County. He was impressed with their mission and promised, win or
lose, he would return at Thanksgiving time. When the votes were counted,
Harlan Sanders had just about as many vote as Hector Johnston usually got
in his many races for the office of Circuit Judge, about 12 votes in most
counties.

At that time, I was the Electrical Inspector for the Jackson County RECC
and the boy the Ranchs selected to wire the church was a Caudill boy, whose
father ran the general store and Lucky Fork post office.

Young Caudill was a math genius destined to earn a PhD in Physic, but he
knew nothing about the art of electrical wiring. Rather than make several
trips to that isolated area, I helped the boy wire the church. For my
efforts, I was invited to participate in the forth-coming Thanksgiving Day
ceremony by attending and “turning on the lights”. On Thanksgiving, I came
and brought my family. Harlan Sanders and his wife came bringing a large
turkey and we were joined by most of the families on Buffalo Creek.

At that time, Ruth and I were living south of London, within 10 miles of
Corbin. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders invited us to dinner, later, at their
restaurant. One thing I remember from that dinner was Sanders comment,
“Jess, if you are ever in the restaurant business, serve good food
regardless of how much you have to charge. People remember whether your
food was good or bad long after they have forgotten the cost.”

Shortly, after that I began to see Col. Harlan Sander’s name on highway
billboards. One evening, in the spring of 1953, I stopped at their house
while on my way to Knoxville, Tennessee and found them very busy. I think
they were preparing shipments of those 12 secret herbs and spices to their
franchised restaurant owners. For a while you could get Harlan Sander’s
quality food at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, and then John Y. Brown
entered the picture and you know the rest of that story..

Many, many, years later, there was a symposium in Louisville, sponsored by
the Ky. Historical Society and the Filson Club. Five ex-governors spoke and
my friend, Dr. Thomas D. Clark was the moderator. Col. Sanders was there.
When I introduced my self and recalled our former meeting, he remembered
many details that I had forgotten. Remarkable. I must stop before you think
of me as a name-dropper.

Now, June in California, what is your story.

JESS WILSON
POSSUM TROT ROAD
MANCHESTER, KY 40962

----------
> From:
> To:
> Subject: [KYCLAY-L] Bruner, Nicholson, Col. Sanders
> Date: Monday, August 31, 1998 5:43 PM
> Also there was a story about Harlan Sanders trying to borrow money from
her
> Bruner cousin who worked in a bank. He was turned down.
>
> Anyone with more information on either of these stories? I'd love to
hear.
>
> Thanks,
> June
>
>
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This thread:

• Re: [KYCLAY-L] Jess remembers Col. Sanders by "Jess Wilson" <>