John Hill, a builder, and his family were resident at No. 1 between 1869 and 1881. This was also the address of his business, John Hill & Sons. He was born at Lasswade in 1815. Around 1847 he leased land at Juniper Green, and built a house there which he named Hillmount. In 1851 he was described as a master builder and wright, employing 8 men. John Hill moved to Duke Street, Leith in 1858 and to Malta Terrace almost ten years later. By 1871, when he was at Malta terrace, he was employing 22 people including six masons, four labourers, eight joiners, and four boys. About 1881 the family moved to Rosehall Terrace (now Dalkeith Road), before returning to Hillmount around the turn of the century. John Hill died there in 1901.
In 1840 John Hill married Isabella Keay Dewar (b. 1821, at Crieff). They had nine children, all surviving to adulthood. His sons Archibald Hill and Peter Hill were also builders and entered the family business.