sor 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 singl