William E. Clarke, who'd been a practicing pharmacist in Providence since about 1860, went off to the Civil War in 1862. In 1863 he mustered out and returned to Providence where he married Emma Mason and went back into the pharmacy business.

In 1864, he was operating an apothecary shop located at 233 South Main Street in Providence. Within three years he had moved to 28 Market Square selling medicines, perfumery, and the usual toiletries of the time.

A short time later he opened a second shop located at the corner of Broad and Mathewson Streets.

In 1872, Clarke closed the Broad Street shop, but kept the Market Square store operating for seven or eight more years until 1880.

It was also that same year, 1872, that he took over Hunt's Remedy which was located at 310 South Main Street in Providence.

Clarke ran this company from 1872 until 1885, all the while manufacturing his own CLARKE'S INFALLIBLE EYE WASH, CLARKE'S TOOTHACHE DROPS, and CLARKE'S FLORENTINE DENTRIFICE as well as HUNT'S (Kidney) REMEDY.

In 1882, Clarke was joined by another registered pharmacist, Edward R. Dawley, who, after working for Clarke for several years, became the company's secretary in 1884. A year later Dawley became proprietor of the company and moved the business to 112 South Water Street. Clarke completely sold out to Dawley in 1886, and became an agent for the Eagle Machine Company, 288 Dyer Avenue, but after only a year quit to work at the Quaker Medicine Company, 6 South Water Street. Clarke remained there until 1891 when he left to become the City Clerk in Providence.

Dawley continued to run the Hunt's Remedy Co., relocating again in 1894 to 451 South Main Street. By 1903 he had quit the business and became a city collector until his death in 1906.