Who invented the lawnmower, and when?

The first patent for a mechanical lawn mower described as a "Machine for mowing lawns, etc." was granted on August 31, 1830 to engineer, Edwin Beard Budding (1795-1846) from Stroud, Gloucestershire, England.

Budding's design was based on a cutting tool used for the uniform trimming of carpet. It was reel-type mower that had a series of blades arranged around a cylinder. John Ferrabee owner of Phoenix Foundry at Thrupp Mill, Stroud, first produced the Budding lawn mowers. The first unpatented lawn mower was probaly built by Scotsmen, Alexander Shanks in 1841 - a 27 inch pony drawn reel lawn mower.

The first United States patent for a reel lawn mower was granted to Amariah Hills on January 12, 1868. Early lawn mowers were often designed to be horse drawn, the horses often wore oversize leather booties to prevent lawn damage. In 1870, Elwood McGuire of Richmond, Indiana designed a very popular human pushed lawn mower, not the first to be human pushed, however, McGuire's design was very lightweight and a commercial success.

Steam powered lawn mowers appeared in the 1890's. In 1902, Ransomes produced the first commercially available mower powered by an internal combustion gasoline engine. In the United States, gasoline powered lawn mowers were first manufactured in 1919 by Colonel Edwin George.

On May 9, 1899, John Albert Burr patented an improved rotary blade lawn mower.

"John Albert Burr is a black man"

That's wonderful, but it doesn't change the fact that the UNCF is cheapening and obscuring the accomplishments of African-Americans by propagating information which is, at best, highly misleading and, at worst, blatantly false.

the May 9, 1899, John Albert Burr patent was not for a rotary lawn mower that we use today. You can clearly see the photo of it at this url
http://patimg1.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00624749&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D0624749.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F0624749%2526RS%3DPN%2F0624749&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

What he did was "move the wheel placement for better performance".
The real mower had already been invented and was for sale in stores. So a black man did not invent the lawn mower and nothing he did invent is in use in todays lawn mowers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawnmower#Rotary_mowers

The UNCF needs to retract its adverts, They are untrue.

John Albert Burr is a black man.

lookin for imf on the frist every plug in lawn mowers

i have a elc lawn mower good shape very old #louisville,36264,115v,4amps patten #1831681 can you tell me what it is worth thank you