History of the Comstock Patent Medicine Business and Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills — John Shaqi
History of the Comstock Patent Medicine Business and Dr. Morse's Indian Root PillsShaw, Robert B.
History
History of the Comstock Patent Medicine Business and Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills
Shaw, Robert B.
Patent medicines -- United States; W.H. Comstock Co.
During this period Judson and William Henry Comstock became interested
in a coffee-roasting and spice-grinding business, operated under the
name of Central Mills, and located in the Harlem Railroad Building at
the corner of Centre and White Streets. Possibly George objected to his
partners spreading their energies over a second business; in any case,
dissension must have arisen over some matter. On April 1, 1866, balance
sheets were drawn up separately for B.L. Judson & Co. and Comstock &
Judson; the former showed a net worth of $48,527.56 against only
$5,066.70 for the latter. Both of these firms had a common bookkeeper,
E. Kingsland, but the relationship between the firms is not known.
On April 25, Judson and William H. Comstock sold their coffee-roasting
business to one Alexander Chegwidden, taking a mortgage on the specific
assets, which included, besides roasters and other machinery, a horse
and wagon. But if this had been a factor in the controversy among the
partners, the sale failed to end it, for we find that on December 21,
1866, George W. obtained an injunction against William Henry and Judson
restraining them from collecting or receiving any accounts due the
partnership of B.L. Judson & Co., transferring or disposing of any of
its assets, and continuing business under that name or using any of its
trademarks. Unfortunately, we have no information as to the details of
this case or the terms of settlement, but we do find that on February 1,
1867, the law firm of Townsend, Dyett & Morrison rendered a bill for
$538.85 to B.L. Judson and William H. Comstock for "Supervising and
engrossing two copies of agreement with George W. Comstock on
settlement" and for representing the two parties named in several
actions and cross actions with George.
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*
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account