Our Church History Cottonwood Baptist Church began in 1875, during a time when Comanche groups still passed through the area in search of cattle and horses. That same year, the Texas Legislature created Somervell County out of Hood County. By 1880, the entire county population was estimated at only 600.In the midst of those early frontier days, six pioneers—Daniel Shipman, Eliza McElmurry Shipman, Sarah Shipman, Solomon Sutton, Sally Sutton, and B.M. McFaddin—founded Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of Christ, the congregation now known as Cottonwood Baptist Church.The church joined the Bosque River Association in 1876 with eight members and grew quickly, reaching 60 members by 1880. When the Paluxy Association was formed that same year, the church became part of the new fellowship, continuing its mission of faithfully proclaiming the Gospel in the Cottonwood community.