Brigham Henry Roberts, son of Benjamin Roberts and Ann Everington, was born in Warrington, Lancashire, England in 1857. His parents both joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that same year although Roberts was not baptized until 1867 after his arrival in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1878 Roberts married Sarah Louisa Smith and shortly thereafter was ordained a Seventy and called to serve a mission in Iowa and Nebraska. He was later transferred to Tennessee for health reasons. Further church service included a mission to England and a calling as one of the seven presidents of the First Council of the Seventy.

Roberts participated in polygamy and after his marriage to Sarah Smith subsequently married Celia Dibble and Dr. Margaret Curtis Shipp. This practice led to legal problems and Roberts spent several months in prision on charges of unlawful cohabitation. He likewise was denied a seat in the House of Representatives due to his practice of polygamy.

Roberts, however, is perhaps best known for his theological and religious writings. He wrote a six volume work called a Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Century I which was published in 1930 and covered many of the religious developments in the formation of the church in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Other writings include several treatises on the origins of the Book of Mormon which remain in debate today as to Roberts' purposes in defense of or denial of the divine origins of the book.

Other remarkable accomplishments include Roberts' career as editor of The Contributor, his role in establishing the Improvement Era, and his service as a chaplain in the Utah National Guard during WWI.

In his later years, from 1922 to 1927, Roberts served as the president of the Eastern States Mission. He died in 1933 due to complications of diabetes.