Friendswood started as a Quaker Colony.  A group of English Quakers originall from Kansas moved to the Texas Panhandle.  They lived there and prospered, but decided they did not like the plains of Texas.  They send Frances Jacob Brown to scout for a new area to set up their colony.  He found 1500 acres in an area close to Alvin (where they disapproved of their local customs, including dancing) and drained by 4 creeks, Chigger, Cowards, Marys and Clear Creek.  He actually envisioned Clear Creek to be a great ship channel.  At one point Clear Creek was used to pull large barges up to Cowards Creek hauling lumber and rice.  He negotiated for the land with J.C. League (of League City) and acquired it in 1895.  They named the community Friendswood in honor of the Society of Friends.

The community started to flourish.  The first post office was built in 1899.  When the hurricane of the 1900s hit, no one in Friendswood was killed but the area was severely damaged.  The pine trees that fell were used for building the new school and a place of worship. 

The community remained primarily Quaker until 1958 when a local Baptist church was organized.  The community incorporated in 1960 and in 1963 Friendswood was the only dry city in the county.