His gravestone lists his birth date as "Jan. 21, 1884." Per the 1881 English Census he was born in 1875.

Extract from the 1881 English Census:
Name: Matthew Roberts
Age: 6
Estimated birth year: 1875
Birthplace: Camborne, Cornwall, England
Sex: male
Civil parish: Camborne
Ecclesiastical parish: Saint Martins
County: Cornwall
Registration district: Redruth
Relation to head-of-house: son
Parents: Samuel and Annie Roberts, ages 24 and 22
Home in 1881: Camborne, Cornwall, England
Address: 13 Wellington Street
Marital status: single
Father's birthplace: Camborne, Cornwall, England
Mother's birthplace: Gwinear, Cornwall, England
Father's occupation: tin miner
Occupation: none
Siblings living at home: none

Extract from the 1891 English Census:
Name: Matthew Roberts
Age: 15
Estimated birth year: 1876
Birthplace: Camborne, Cornwall, England
Sex: male
Civil parish: Camborne
Ecclesiastical parish: Saint Martin
County: Cornwall
Registration district: Redruth
Relation to head-of-house: son
Parents: Samuel and Annie Roberts, ages 34 and 30
Home in 1891: Camborne, Cornwall, England
Address: RosRear Fields
Marital status: single
Father's birthplace: Camborne, Cornwall, England
Mother's birthplace: Gwinear, Cornwall, England
Father's occupation: tin dresser
Occupation: tin dresser
Siblings living at home: Arthur (age 12), Ernest (11), and Malia Maud (4/12)

Extract from the 1905 Minnesota State Census:
Name: Matthew Roberts
Age: 27
Estimated birth year: 1878
Birth location: England
Gender: male
Race: white
Parents: Samuel and Annie Roberts, ages 46 and 39
County: Saint Louis
Locality: Stuntz
Father's birth location: England
Mother's birth location: England
Father's occupation: labor
Siblings living at home: Ernest (age 18) and Maud (14)
State residency: 9 months
District residency: 9 months
Occupation: time keeper
Census date: 3 Jun 1905

Extract from the 1910 Census:
Name: Matt Roberts
Age in 1910: 28
Estimated birth year: 1882
Birthplace: England
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head of family: son
Parents: Sam and Annie Roberts, ages 50 and 45
Home in 1910: Chisholm Ward 1, Saint Louis, Minnesota
Address: Chestnut Street
Marital status: single
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Father's birthplace: England
Mother's birthplace: England
Year of immigration: 1901
Whether naturalized or alien: naturalized
Father's occupation: laborer - city
Occupation: bookkeeper - real estate
Salary or wage worker: wages
Whether out of work on April 15, 1910: no
Number of weeks out of work in 1909: 0
Sibling living at home: Ernest (age 22); occupation: engineer - city
Census place: Chisholm Ward 1, Saint Louis, Minnesota; Series: T624; Roll: 722; Page: 174B; Enumeration District: 140; Part: 2; Line: 22
Date: 5 May 1910

Extract from World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918:
Name: Matt Roberts
City: not stated
County: Saint Louis
State: Minnesota
Birth date: 21 Jan 1882 [sic]
Race: white
Roll: 1675890
Draft board: 5
Address: 312 West Chestnut Street, Chisholm, Minnesota
Occupation: clerk of court
Employer: Village of Chisholm
Where employed: Chisholm, Minnesota
Nearest relative: Anna Roberts
Address: 312 West Chestnut Street, Chisholm, Minnesota
Age: 36
Height: medium
Build: slender
Eyes: gray
Hair: dark brown
Disability: none
Date: 12 Sep 1918

Extract from the 1920 Census:
Name: Matt Roberts
Age: 37
Estimated birth year: 1883
Birthplace: England
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head of house: son
Parents: Samuel and Annie Roberts, ages 56 and 50
Home in 1920: Chisholm, Saint Louis, Minnesota
Address: 312 Chestnut Street
Marital status: single
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Father's birthplace: England
Mother's birthplace: England
Year of immigration: 1903
Naturalized or alien: naturalized in 1912
Father's occupation: janitor - city hall
Occupation: stock clerk
Type of industry: school
Salary or wage worker: wages
Sibling living at home: Maude Gyllen (age 28); widow; occupation: bookkeeper - city hall
Census place: Chisholm, Saint Louis, Minnesota; Roll: T625_857; Page: 28A; Enumeration District: 84; Image: 917
Date: 23 Jan 1920

Extract from the 1930 Census:
Name: Matt Roberts
Age: 46
Estimated birth year: 1884
Birthplace: Wales
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1930: Chisholm, Saint Louis, Minnesota
Address: 908 Ash Street
Marital status: married
Age at first marriage: 43
Education: able to speak English
Education: able to read and write
Fathers' birthplace: England
Mothers' birthplace: England
Year of immigration: 1902; naturalized
Language spoken in home before coming to the United States: English
Military service: no
Rent/home value: owns home; value $1500
Owned a radio: yes
Occupation: clerk
Industry: public school
Salary or wage worker: wages
Census place: Chisholm, Saint Louis, Minnesota; Roll: 1125; Page: ; Enumeration District: 22; Image: 896.0
Date: 10 Apr 1930

Extract from the 1940 Census:
Name: Matt Roberts
Age: 56
Estimated birth year: 1884
Birthplace: England
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1940: Chisholm, Saint Louis, Minnesota
Address: 819 [illegible]
Marital status: married
Citizenship: naturalized
Highest grade of school completed: 8
Living on farm: no
Home owned or rented: owned
Value of home: $1500
Place of residence in 1935: same house
Occupation: clerk
Industry: public school
Salary or wage worker: wages
Number of weeks worked in 1939: 26
Amount of money wages or salary: $1080
Has other income of more than $50: yes
At work during week of March 24-30: yes
Number of hours worked: 48
Census place: Chisholm, Saint Louis, Minnesota; Roll: T627_1955; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 69-2
Date: 8 Apr 1940

Death notice:
Chisholm - Matthew Roberts, 62-year-old pioneer of this city, died suddenly at his home, 801 Buhl avenue, yesterday after a long illness.

Obituary from unknown newspaper::
Matt Roberts
Dies Monday
At Residence
- - - - - - - - -
Funeral Rites Held
Wednesday for
Pioneer
- - - - - - - - -
Funeral Services for Matt Roberts, 58, who died Monday after an illness of seven months, were held at 2 p.m. yesterday from the Rupp chapel with Elder E. A. Piper, Duluth, officiating.
A vocal quartet, composed of members of the Chisholm High school Madrigal singers, sang "Beautiful Beyond" and Mrs. Evenson and Mrs. Sather of Virginia sang a duet.
Mr. Roberts died at 4 p.m. at his home, 719 Second avenue northeast. He had been ailing since September and was unable to tend to his duties as accountant at the school for two months last fall. Although it proved to be an effort, he reported for his two-week shifts this year.
Born in England on January 21, 1883 where he received his schooling, Mr. Roberts came directly to Chisholm in 1903, only a year after his parents, Samuel and Annie Kemp Roberts, had established their home in the embryonic mining town.
Like many of Chisholm's early pioneers, he went to work for the Oliver Iron Mining company serving as a time keeper. After leaving their employ, he worked for the Hayes livery and served as clerk of municipal court under the W. A, Masters regime before being employed as an accountant for Independent School District No. 40.
On July 6, 1927, he was married to Nina Berg in Chisholm with the late Will S. Emory performing the ceremony.
Mr. Roberts maintained active membership in the Knights of Pythias and Woodmen. For many years, he was a member of the Oddfellows lodge.
In pursuing his favorite hobby, carpentry, Mr. Roberts made many useful things for the home. Until the end he found enjoyment in his hobby leaving an unfinished boat behind. Then, too, he had constructed a tailless kite and was waiting for warmer weather to send it on its maiden flight.
Always congenial and pleasant, Mr. Roberts made many friends. Because of his keen sense of humor and everlasting good will, it might be said that Mr. Roberts derived the most out of life.
Survivors are his mother and wife; one sister, Mrs. Maud Gallen; one brother, Arthur, and six nephews and nieces.
Six of Mr. Roberts' nephews served as pall bearers. They were Will, Frank, Lincoln, Lyell and Myron Roberts and Dwight Lambert.