About Us
About the Order of the Transylvania Colonel
The Most Honorable Order of the Transylvania Colonel was founded as a eleemosynary private society to appreciate, elevate, lament, remember and understand the historical legacies of some of the world's greatest pioneers and settlers who together established the first sovereign democratic government in North America prior to the establishment of the United States of America the following year. It's a legacy that is indelible of American colonelcy, sovereignty and human rights resulting in the Kentucke Magna Charta and the opening of the West to settlement in the years that followed.
Discovery of the Order of the Transylvania Colonel
The Most Honorable Order of the Transylvania Colonel was discovered by Col. David J. Wright (Kentucky Colonel) in 2020 upon researching the origins of Kentucky Colonelcy and roles of historic colonels during the existence of Colonial America from 1607-1776, before the existence of the United States one month following the commencement of the Revolutionary War in 1775. His research revealed many previously unknown details about colonelcy, the important role colonels played in founding the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the continuing role of the colonel in the establishment of states like Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and other states.
Col. Wright credits his work thanks to the collaboration and fortitude of his peers most of whom are all Kentucky Colonels that encouraged and supported him to solve the mystery behind the fictional, confusing and misconstrued history of how the Commonwealth of Kentucky came to adopt the colonel as one of its icons.
His former organization Kentucky Colonels International was sued in U.S. DIstrict Court by The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, Inc. in February 2020, claiming trademark infringement in violation of the Lanham Act for using the descriptive term "Kentucky Colonels" as a part of his organization's trade name which he had been using for over 20 years. In the process of his defense as a result of the lawsuit, Col. Wright set out on an academic pursuit to prove their claims were fallacious, their historical account was wrong which cited architectural laws, also claiming the governor designated hundreds of colonels in the state's early history, and the first honorary Kentucky Colonel Commission in 1813. The fact is that Governor Colonel Isaac Shelby commissioned an unknown number of colonels, was selected as the governor by colonels, in 1793 did record the designation of a new colonel which is enshrined on a historic marker.
His research is now being compiled as a work of non-fiction with other authors and will someday soon replace the Kentucky's historical account, his work is based on factual evidence found in newspaper articles, books from the 18th century, state archives, public libraries and genealogical researcher enthusiasts. A copyrighted work was scheduled for release in 2022, but the date has been changed to 2025.
The Transylvania Colonel shall remember that:
On May 23, 1775 in Boonesborough, a compact was entered into between the proprietors (colonels) and the colonists, by which a free, manly, liberal government was established over the territory.
1st. That the election of delegates should be annual.
2nd. Perfect freedom of opinion in matters of religion.
3rd. That judges should be appointed by the proprietors (colonels), but answerable for malconduct to the people; and that the convention have the sole power of raising and appropriating all moneys and electing their treasurer.
This epitome of substantial freedom and manly [1], rational government, was solemnly executed under the hands and seals of the three proprietors acting for the company, and Col. Thomas Slaughter acting for the colonists. A Constitutional Convention was held in the days that followed resulting in the founding of the Transylvania Colony, the first official free democratic government in North America.
The colony endured for almost two years, it was contested by the colonies of Virginia and North Carolina declaring that the Great Grant Deed made by the Cherokee to Col. Judge Richard Henderson being declared invalid and the territory was divided by the two colonies between 1777 to 1778 to become part of Kentucky County, Virginia and North Carolina's Overmountain Region (or Washington District) later Davidson County, North Carolina which was further divided to become Tennessee.
- At the time manly referred to "people" or "the people" in a "democratic" sense as opposed to that of a monarch or church. It is not a references referring to men as opposed to women.
Our Trademark and Trade Name
Our assumed name, domain name, trademark and website were all conceived, developed and first published by Col. David Wright in April 2020 based on what he learned from our engagement in the lawsuit filed in February. Prior to this date the term "Transylvania Colonel" is non-existent, except for several coincidental instances. The arbitrary, descriptive, fanciful and suggestive trademark/service mark/collective membership mark was chosen to avoid confusion and competition with others while developing a strong unique conceptual basis for an exclusive organization based in the culture, customs, and traditions of Colonial America in 1775 as our most honorable pioneer forefathers. Proof of Publication, see [archive.org]
Formal Full Name: Most Honorable Order of the Transylvania Colonel International
Assumed Name(s): Transylvania Company and Order of the Transylvania Colonel
Trademark: Transylvania Colonel™ (Claimed under all International Classes and as a Collective Membership Mark)
Registered Domain Name(s): mhotc.org | transylvania.colonels.net | mhotci.blogspot.com
Term: [Transylvania Colonel] is a descriptive honorific title relative to "[T]he Most Honorable Order of the Transylvania Colonel (International)" ("MHOTC" or "MHOTCI"), Transylvania Company, Transylvania Foundation, Transylvania Colony from 1775-1778 when the Colonel was the highest recognizable title in Kentucke. The title was awarded to those who were trusted to defend and protect the ideals of culture, customs, folklore, history, honor, legacies and traditions (civil society) by serving as its trusted goodwill ambassador under other awards, orders, and recognized acknowledgements.
(As we know once the original colonels did their work of empowering colonists to form a government until their role diminished, after the military adopted the "rank of colonel" based on the German and French military systems, in 1802 it became an official title among military personnel; around 1800-1840 the title of authority of colonel (civilian - head of colony) title became one of courtesy among planters, civilian militias, election commissions and one belonging to the owners of large companies.)