author
James A. (James Arthur) Roberts
1847–1922
A Civil War veteran who went on to become a New York lawyer, legislator, and state comptroller, he wrote with the eye of someone who knew government from the inside. His work helps bring New York's political and financial history into clearer focus.
1 Audiobook
A Century in the Comptroller's Office, State of New York, 1797 to 1897
by James A. (James Arthur) Roberts
About the author
Born in Maine on March 8, 1847, James Arthur Roberts served in the Civil War before building a career in law and public life in New York. He became a member of the New York State Assembly and later served as New York State Comptroller, gaining a close view of how the state worked in practice.
That experience shaped his writing. Roberts is best known for historical and public-record works connected to New York State, including A Century in the Comptroller's Office, State of New York, 1797 to 1897 and New York in the Revolution as Colony and State. His books are especially valuable for readers interested in government, finance, and the documentary history of New York.
He died in New York City on November 19, 1922. Today, his writing remains useful not just as history, but as a record created by someone who had an active role in the institutions he described.