Hi James,
The first documented gunsmith in Vermont was John Hills, brother of the famous Medad Hills and son of Benoni Hills. He started his career with his father and brothers in western CT and then moved to Pomfret, VT sometime around 1776. There are no known examples of his guns from his time in Pomfret. He may have been working on muskets for American militias and the Continental army. He moved to Charlotte, VT in the 1780s and set up shop on what became known as Hills Point on Lake Champlain. There are at least half a dozen of his guns made in Charlotte that survive. Most are fowlers but 2 are rifles with brass patchboxes. Those are likely the first rifles made in Vermont and possibly the only known rifles from the state during the entire 18th century. John Hills died in 1808 and is buried in Barber Hill cemetery in Charlotte. Vermont became a thriving center for gun and rifle making in the 19th century. At one point there was a gunsmith in almost every town. Makers in the state were famous for underhammer percussion guns and highly accurate rifles. Not surprisingly, the Connecticut River played a big role as precision machining industries were founded along its banks. Windsor VT was a center of industry and home to the famous firm of Kendall, Lawrence, and Robbins. After Nicanor Kendall left the company became the famous Lawrence and Robbins Machine Tool Co. In its early years, the company trained 2 very important young gun makers. One was named William Tyler Henry and the other was Daniel Wesson.
dave
