This settlement, whatever its precise character may have been, obviously marked the termination of the old partnership—­or, more properly, the series of successor partnerships—­that had been carried on by various of the Comstock brothers for over thirty years.  William Henry, the former clerk and junior partner—­although also the son of the founder—­was now going it alone.  Before this time he had already transferred the main center of his activities to Canada, and he must have been contemplating the removal of the business out of New York City.

After this parting of the ways, George W. Comstock was associated with several machinery businesses in New York City, up until his death in 1889.  During the Draft Riots of 1863 he had played an active role in protecting refugees from the Colored orphanage on 43rd Street, who sought asylum in his house at 136 West 34th Street.[7]

Dr. Morse’s Pills Move to Morristown

In April 1867, the home of Dr. Morse’s Indian Root Pills and of the other proprietary remedies was transferred from New York City to Morristown, a village of 300 inhabitants on the bank of the St. Lawrence River in northern New York State.  This was not, however, the initial move into this area; three or four years earlier William H. Comstock had taken over an existing business in Brockville, Ontario, directly across the river.  No specific information as to why the business was established here has been found, but the surrounding circumstances provide some very good presumptions.

The bulk of the Comstocks’ business was always carried on in rural areas—­in “the back-woods.”  Specifically, the best sales territory consisted of the Middle West—­what was then regarded as “The West”—­of the United States and of Canada West, i.e., the present province of Ontario.  A surviving ledger of all of the customers of Comstock & Brother in 1857 supplies a complete geographic distribution.  Although New Jersey and Pennsylvania were fairly well represented, accounts in New York State were sparse, and those in New England negligible.  And despite considerable travel by the partners or agents in the Maritime Provinces, no very substantial business was ever developed there.  The real lively sales territory consisted of the six states of Ohio, Indiana,

[Footnote 7:  National Cyclopedia of American Biography, IV:500.]

Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa, which accounted for over two thirds of all domestic sales, while Canada West contributed over 90 percent of Canadian sales.  More regular customers were to be found in Canada West—­a relatively compact territory—­than any other single state or province.  The number of customers of Comstock & Brother in 1857 by states and provinces follows: