Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills - Succession of Manufacturers in The 1800s

Succession of Manufacturers in The 1800s

1. A.B. Moore & Co.
   225 Main Street
   Buffalo, New York
   Andrew B. Moore, proprietor
   An 1854 Buffalo directory list A.B. Moore & Co. as being the successor to (i) C.C. Bristol & (ii) Moore, Liebetrut & Co. and lists Andrew Judson White as a clerk at A.B. Moore & Co.
   
   
2. Comstock & Co. (1837–1841)
   Lucius Samuel Comstock, MD, partner
   Albert Lee Comstock, partner
   John Carlton Comstock, employee
   George Wells Comstock, employee
   
   
3. Comstock & Co. (11 January 1841 — 1846)
   Lucius Samuel Comstock, partner
   21 Courtland Street
   Ann Moore (Lucius's mother-in-law), partner
   
   
4. Comstock & Co. (1841– )
   57 John Street (1841–1853)
   45 Vesey Street (1853–1876), in the rear of the courtyard of St. Paul's Chapel
   New York, New York
   Lucius Samuel Comstock, MD, partner
   John Carlton Comstock, partner
   George Wells Comstock, employee
   William Henry Comstock (nephew), employee (son of Edwin)
   Note: Lucius continued to operate this firm after John & George left in 1849 over a dispute with Lucius. Lucius exited the patent medicine business and resumed his legal career, continuing until his death in 1876.
   
   
5. Comstock & Co. Brothers (March 1849 — 1 August 1850)
   Lucius Comstock, MD, partner
   John Carlton Comstock, partner
   George Wells Comstock, partner
   
   
6. Comstock & Brother (1 August 1850 — 17 September 1853)
   9 John Street
   New York, New York
   John Carlton Comstock, partner
   George Wells Comstock, partner
   William Henry Comstock (nephew), clerk (son of Edwin)
   Note: This partnership was terminated at the death of John Carlton Comstock
   
   
7. Comstock & Brother (1 October 1853 — 1864)
   9 John Street (1 October 1853 — 1855)
   50 Leonard Street (1855–1864)
   New York, New York
   George Wells Comstock, partner (1/2)
   William Henry Comstock, partner (1/4)
   Baldwin Lake Judson, partner (1/4)
   Note: George retained exclusive possession to all trademarks, recipes, and rights to medicines
   Successor firm in 1864 was Comstock & Judson
   
   
8. A.J. White & Co. (10 August 1855 — )
   50 Leonard Street
   New York, New York
   August 10, 1855, Andrew Judson White, who had a 50% partnership with Andrew B. Moore to distribute Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills, entered into a contract (as individual) with Comstock & Brother to manufacturer and distribute the pills — White was to receive 1/4th of the profits and the firm 3/4ths. It is not clear why Moore was not included in the partnership. The Comstocks retained control of the firm bearing White's name. White claimed absolute ownership of the pills. Moore, who strongly disagreed, continued to produce the pills and published literature denouncing production by A.J. White & Co. as forgeries. Moore, however, accepted employment (not partnership) by A.J. White & Co. June 21, 1858, and agreed to cease producing the pills. But on January 1, 1859, White and Moore took books, account records and various assets from the firm's office and formed a business under the same name, A.J. White & Co., at 10 Courtlandt Street.
   
   
9. A.J. White & Co. (1 January 1859 — 1914)
   10 Courtlandt Street
   New York, New York
   Andrew B. Moore, partner
   Andrew Judson White, partner
   
   
10. B. Lake Judson (1859– )
    106 Franklin Street
    George Wells Comstock, partner (1/2)
    William Henry Comstock, partner (1/4)
    Baldwin Lake Judson, partner (1/4)
    B. Lake Judson was formed to escape of having to compete selling the pills with the rebel company headed by the person bearing the manufacturer's name that Comstock had promoted for three years.
    
    
11. Comstock & Brothers
    106 Franklin Street
    Baldwin Lake Judson, partner
    
    
12. Comstock & Judson (1864– )
    50 Leonard Street
    New York, New York
    George Wells Comstock, partner (1/2)
    William Henry Comstock, partner (1/4)
    Baldwin Lake Judson, partner (1/4)
    Note: George still retained exclusive possession to all trademarks, recipes, and rights to medicines
    This firm succeeded Comstock & Brother
    
    
13. W.H. Comstock Co., Ltd. (1867–1960)
    Morristown, New York & Brockville, Ontario
    In April 1867, the processing of Morse's Indian Root Pills moved from New York City to Morristown, New York, on the Saint Lawrence River in northern New York, on the Canadian border. This was not the firm's first move to the area. Three or four years earlier, William Henry Comstock had taken over an existing business in Brockville, Ontario, directly across the river from Morristown. The Indian Root Pill plant remained in Morristown for the next ninety years.