Samuel Courier Roberts was 11 years old at the time of his father's death in 1840. Five years later his mother married James Arvey of Walden, Vermont. At the time of the 1850 census Samuel was 21, living in Barre and employed as a molder by Joshua Twing, a leading manufacturer in Barre. Samuel was living in the home of his employer and his wife Judith French, who was a daughter of Bartholomew French and a sister to Betsy French. In 1853 Samuel Roberts married Judith, daughter of Martin and Betsy (French) Keith.

Samuel's decision to relocate to the west was made in 1854 when he visited Edson and Osborne Keith, his brothers-in-law, in Chicago and made payments toward the purchase of real estate there. Samuel was again in Chicago when his first child died in January, 1855. After returning to Barre, Samuel and Judith moved to St. Johnsbury , Vermont early in 1857 where Samuel was again employed as a molder with the Fairbanks Scales Co. Here a second son, Wilmer Keith Roberts, was born. Family letters reveal serious bouts with asthma. By September, 1857, Samuel settled permanently in Chicago where he established himself as a wholesale dealer of fruits and nuts. No clue remains for his selection of this line of work and it appears he met with only a limited degree of success. He continued to be plagued with health problems and he traveled extensively for health reasons and to develop sources of supply for his business. In the winter of 1873 Samuel, Judith and their daughters were in California for several months. In the winter of 1878 the entire family was in New Orleans. Samuel was in Florida during the winter of 1884, and he died in January, 1888 in Peach Springs, Arizona Territory, while returning from California.

After the Chicago fire in 1871, the Samuel Roberts family lived at 2320 Indiana Ave. This probably had been the residence of Martin and Betsy Keith and was near the home of Judith Roberts' brothers on Prairie Avenue.