Karen Kay Esberger is a native of Midlothian who helped establish the Midlothian Area Historical Society in 2007, serving as historian. She is a charter member of the Ellis County Genealogical Society and serves on the Ellis County Historical Commission. As vice president of the Kay Family Association (over 700 members), centered on her fifth great-grandfather who lived in South Carolina, Karen and the other officers have published five books on his ancestors and descendants. She has also published a book on her mother’s family, The Dukes of Grenada, and authored numerous articles for genealogical and historical publications.
Early settlers first arrived in this area in 1847 because of the numerous springs and fertile soil. Through the Peters Colony, many more families arrived in 1848-1850 and helped establish...