(History provided by Jim Foster)

The Cottonwood Cemetery is located at 2920 Whitely Road, in the northeastern corner of unincorporated Dallas County. The east end of the cemetery abuts Cottonwood Creek.

This cemetery is part of the J. C. Johnson Survey and the land was originally located in Mercers Colony. The first known burial at Cottonwood was in December of 1875 with John L. Sims, the twenty-four old son of Elisha and Elizabeth Turner Sims, being the first recorded interment. Both parents, one brother and one sister were also buried here.

There is no known documentation indicating the name of the person that donated the original land for this cemetery, but it is thought that Elisha Sims set aside this land since it was later conveyed by Emma Adalade Sims Spence, daughter of Elisha Sims. The first known documentation recording conveyance of the surrounding property was dated August 19, 1948, and specifically states "Save and Except that portion of said property used as cemetery."

The original land contained approximately 3/4 acre and consisted of all property directly in front of and north of the entrance gate. The newer section consists of all property east of the entrance gate. This section is slightly less than ½ acre and was donated by William E. and Jessie Rhea Hunter in 1973. Total acreage is now recorded at 1.19 acres.

There are approximately thirty unmarked graves in the old section. Many of the older unnamed graves were marked with bois d’arc stobs and almost all of those stobs have disappeared over the years. There are 201 marked graves in the combined sections. Many of the graves in the older section contain the remains of the first pioneers and early settlers of the Cottonwood Community.

The early graves were dug by members of the nearby community.

Veterans from the Mexican War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War are buried in this historic cemetery.