James A. (James Arthur) Roberts

author

James A. (James Arthur) Roberts

1847–1922

A Civil War veteran who went on to shape public life in New York, he built a career that spanned law, state politics, and public finance. His life connects small-town Maine beginnings with the fast-moving political world of Buffalo and Albany.

1 Audiobook

A Century in the Comptroller's Office, State of New York, 1797 to 1897

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 Waterboro, Maine, on March 8, 1847, he served in the Union Army as a teenager during the Civil War before studying at Bowdoin College. After graduating in 1870, he moved into teaching and then law, eventually being admitted to the bar and establishing his career in Buffalo, New York.

His public career grew steadily: he served in the New York State Assembly in 1879 and 1880, later became Buffalo parks commissioner, and was elected New York State Comptroller, serving from 1894 to 1898. Alongside politics, he was active in business and local development, including projects connected with the growth of Depew, near Buffalo.

He died in New York City on November 19, 1922. Remembered as a lawyer, politician, and veteran, his story reflects the path of many 19th-century public figures whose careers moved between military service, civic life, and state government.