James A. Roberts

James Arthur Roberts (March 8, 1847 – November 19, 1922) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the New York State Assembly and was also the New York State Comptroller.

Early life

Roberts was born in Waterboro, Maine on March 8, 1847. He was the son of Jeremiah Roberts and Alma Roberts. He attended common schools and the Edward Little Institute in Auburn, Maine.

In 1864 when he was seventeen years old, Roberts enlisted as a private in the 7th Maine Battery. He fought at the Siege of Petersburg, and later participated in the campaign ending with the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House.

Roberts attended Bowdoin College, graduating with an A. B. in 1870. While there, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He then taught in the Buffalo, New York public schools while studying law with Edgar B. Perkins and George S. Wardwell. He was admitted to the bar in 1875.

Career

From 1875 until 1894, Roberts practiced law in Buffalo. In 1899, he was head of the firm Roberts, Becker, Messer & Orcutt.

He was a founder of Depew, a suburb of Buffalo, and was also the secretary of the Depew Improvement Company. He was the vice president of the Bellevue and Lancaster Railway Company and the Bellevue Loan, Trust & Safe Deposit Company. He was a director and secretary of the Buffalo General Electric Company and director of the Hydraulic Bank of Buffalo. He was also secretary of the Bellevue Land Company.

Roberts became an assemblyman for Erie County in 1878. He was elected the New York State Assembly in 1879 (Erie Co., 3rd D.) and 1880 (Erie Co., 4th D.). He did not run for a third term. Robert was the Buffalo Parks Commissioner from 1891 to1893.