The John E. Roberts Funeral Home was established in 1932 by Thomas Roberts and his son John in the Old First Ward. Thomas owned a livery service that provided horse-drawn hearses to funeral directors. He was the first in Western New York to own and operate motorized hearses, an idea that caught on over time. The business later moved to Elmwood Avenue, and in 1955, John Roberts formed a partnership with Raymond Potts at the Elmwood and Hertel locations. This lasted until Potts retired in 1964