• Born: 15 May 1820, East Hartford CT
• Died: 28 Jul 1897, East Hartford CT

  General notes:

Silversmith and manufacturer

  Events in his life were:

• Apprenticed in 1839 to James Flagg Pitkin and Henry Pitkin in Hartford CT
  

• He worked in 1841-1846 as a silversmith in New York City NY

• He worked circa 1847-1870 as a watchcase maker in New York City NY
  In his most profitable year Hills sold $60,000 worth of cases. In 1861 he began developing his ideas for a lawn mower. By 1867, he had 480 lawn mowers made at the Curtis silverplate factory in Glastonbury. The following year Edgar Brewer of Hartford and Henry S. Sawyer of Derby formed a partnership to market Hills' patented lawn mowers and contracted with Landers, Frary & Clark of New Britain to manufacture 2500 mowers. Through Brewer's efforts, sales reached nearly $100,000 the first year.

• He appeared on the 1870 census taken at East Hartford CT, listed as a watchcase maker.