 The powerful and aggressive Comanche controlled a vast stretch of land to the north and west, making Coryell County a hostile battleground as settlers moved into the area.In 1825, Mexico provided Stephen F. Austin with a land grant encompassing a large area including present-day Copperas Cove.Starting in the 1830s, the first white settlers came into the Five Hills region; however, the area lacked stability until after the Civil War.