A native of Illinois and elder in the Primitive Baptist Church, the Rev. Thomas W. Cotten moved here from Grayson County in 1877. He helped organize Runnels County's first church, the Colorado Baptist Church, in 1878 and served as first pastor. When Runnels County was organized in 1880, his stone house was the temporary courthouse. He married Mrs. Catharine Shaw (McComb) Hobson (1816-86). Six of their nine children reached adulthood.