in County Commission Member Misty Wiebold reads the inscription for the newly unveiled Texas Historical Marker for Sugar Hill Saturday, March 29. From left, Katherine McCraw, Betsy McCraw Gantt, Lin McCraw, Judge John McCraw, Linda Hess, Mark McCraw, Chris McCraw, Brooke Gantt and Misty Wiebold.

The history of Sugar Hill isn’t as sweet as some might think, especially for those who attended Saturday’s Texas Historical Marker dedication ceremony.

The story of a saloon, a shooting, and a prominent citizen named John Yeary is detailed on one of Collin County’s latest Texas Historical Markers, dedicated Saturday, March 29, near the Yeary Cemetery on FM 2194. The cemetery is also documented as the last remnant of the Sugar Hill community.

The event was attended by many descendants of John Yeary, as well as friends from Farmersville and the surrounding area. Eric Hogue, chairman of the Collin County Historical Commission, presided over the ceremony.

Judge John McCraw, a Yeary family descendant, gave a history of Sugar Hill and shared some stories. McCraw also displayed additional family artifacts, including handwritten deeds.

Commission member Linda Hess, whose research led to the marker dedication, unveiled the Texas Historical Marker alongside Collin County Historical Commission member Misty Wiebold.

Wiebold read the inscription:

Located in the eastern part of Collin County near the Hunt County line, Sugar Hill, one of the area’s earliest communities, was established around 1849. The origins of the name center around Captain John Yeary’s store known as Yeary’s Place. It’s ideal location at two major crossroads, the lower Greenville Road and the Millwood-White Hall Road, made Sugar Hill a center of commerce, trade and settlement.

Some of the earliest settlers were the families of John Yeary and his sons David, Jim and Walter, Thomas Bailey, Dr. Moses Jones, and Hugh Gotcher.  By 1857, Sugar Hill consisted of two stores, a saloon, a blacksmith, three doctors, a school, a mill and a church. Pecan Point Primitive Baptist Church was organized November 1850 and many of the founding settlers were members.  A few years later, some of the members formed the Little Flock Primitive Baptist Church.

An incident on December 24, 1854, began the demise of Sugar Hill. A brawl had broken out at a saloon and some belligerent people wanted more alcohol. John Yeary had closed his store early due to the holiday and refused to open and serve them. Another fight broke out and someone started shooting, killing John Yeary. Two of his sons went after the men and one of the sons was killed.  Two innocent bystanders were also killed, brothers John H. and Samuel Mason Glass. The merchants of Sugar Hill did not want to be associated with a violent town and started a new community about 2 ½ miles away, later known as Farmersville.  Sugar Hill established the area as a major commercial and trade center, and although it no longer exists, its legacy lives on in surrounding communities.                                                                    

Mack Hurst closed the ceremony with prayer followed by Richard Holbrook playing taps in honor of John Yeary.

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