Career
Born in County Cork, Ireland, he immigrated to the United States in July 1849, received a limited schooling, and was a merchant in New York City until 1869, until he retired. In 1865, Roberts was president of the Fenian Society, an Irish nationalist organization noted for its raids on British installations in Canada. He participated in the raid into Canada in 1866, for which he was arrested by the Government.
Roberts was elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat twice, to the Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses (March 4, 1871 – March 4, 1875).
He died in New York City in 1897. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery, Woodside, New New York
