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37 Clark Street
Mattie Simard
Harry Rodetes
Housewife and Shoeworker
Built in 1947
Researched and written by Amanda Eddy
November 2021
Historic Salem Inc.
The Bowditch House
9 North Street, Salem, MA 01970
(978) 745-0799 | HistoricSalem.org
©2021
�37 Clark Street,
City of Salem Assessor’s Office
The land northwest of Highland Avenue in Salem, Massachusetts is a more recently
developed area of the city. It wasn’t until the early to mid-20th century that homes started being
built and in consequence, formed Ward 3. The area was originally pastureland owned by R.S.
Fay. In 1918, a plan was drawn up by Eastman & Bradford, surveyors, splitting the land into
mostly 1-acre plots. In 1921, Frederick H. Griswold and his wife Isabella J. Griswold purchased
most of these plots and immediately began selling them to individual buyers. In 1925, Mattie
Simard purchased lot 288 from the Griswold’s. Later on, she purchased lot 287. The land was
left untouched until 1947, when she and her husband built the home that now stands on lot
288.
The home is a fine example of mid-century modern architecture. This style of home is
associated with post-World War II due to the American trend of soldiers coming home from war
and beginning to build houses in this style during the mid to late 1940s. 37 Clark Street fits this
�stereotype with its ranch style and wooden structure that dotes peaked gables at the front of the
home and is geometrically pleasing to the eye. Its lack of decorative embellishments makes this
home a near perfect example for its time. It seems 37 Clark Street was interchangeable with
288 Clark Street, referring to the lot number. City directories list the home at number 288, while
the 1947 permit shows 37.
The Rodetes Family
The first of the only two families that have lived in the home is the Rodetes family. Harry
Stelianos Rodetes (1887-c.1962) was born on the island of Zakynthos, Greece on June
27,1887. Harry came to the United States in 1906. After having been in Salem for 11 years,
Harry registered for the draft in 1917. His registration card shows that he was a shoe worker for
Martin Silberman Company in Marblehead, Massachusetts at the time. Harry married Mattie
Simard (1885-c.1966) in 1925. Harry and Mattie were neighbors on Prescott Street prior to their
marriage. Between the two of them, they have lived at numbers 4,8, and 10. It seems that their
relationship as neighbors may have been the reason they were married some years later.
Mattie’s birth name was Josephine Delphine Madore. Nearly all of the records differ
when referring to her. She went by Delphine, Matilda, Josephine, and/or Mattie, the latter being
the most frequently used. She was born in Augusta, Maine on March 18, 1885, to Thomas
Madore and Delphine (Deveau) Madore. Mattie’s first marriage was to Joseph Cyr in 1900.
They had four children together: Odilon, Louis, Irene, and Gilbert. After Joseph passed away in
1912, Mattie married Narcisse Simard in 1914. Mattie and Narcisse continued to live in Mattie’s
childhood home on Prescott Street. Unfortunately, Narcisse passed away in 1921, leaving
Mattie a widow for a second time. Four years later, Mattie and Harry would marry and continue
to live on Prescott Street at number 8.
�Although Harry and Mattie had no children of their own, Mattie’s granddaughter, Patricia
Cyr, lived with the couple at 8 Prescott Street in Salem. Sometime before moving to Clark
Street, the Rodetes moved to 10 Prescott Street. Harry continued to work in the shoe industry,
working as a laster. A laster is the workman who shapes the boots and shoes in the shoe
making process. Mattie remained a housewife throughout all three of her marriages. Records
are unclear exactly when Harry and Mattie passed away, but it is estimated that Harry passed
around 1962 and Mattie around 1966.
The Rodetes family sold the home on August 8, 1952, to James F. and Joan B. Silveria.
The Silveria Family
James Francis Silveria (1920-1972) was born to Manuel and Laura (Baptista) Silveria of
Peabody, Massachusetts on March 21, 1920. His father, Manuel was born in the Azores
(Portugal) in 1873 and his mother, Laura was born in Massachusetts in 1885. James grew up at
87 Tremont Street in Peabody. He had one brother, Francis Silveria (1921-1982). James and
his brother worked as laborers at Wilson Square farm where their father was the operator. It is
recorded that in 1941, James married Doris Silveria, whose maiden name is seemingly
untraceable. They lived at 23 Beaver Street in Salem. Soon after they married, James was
deployed in World War II as a Private First-Class United States Marine. He sustained injuries
while on duty and was honorably discharged. When he returned, he worked as a chauffeur for
Beverly Mattress Company. Doris and James divorced sometime before his next marriage
which occurred on April 1, 1950. James then married Joan Marilyn Bishop (1933-1999). Joan
was born June 1, 1933, to Albert L. Bishop and Vivian N. (Collins) Bishop. At the time of
marriage, the couple was living at 138 President Street in Lynn, Massachusetts. James was
working as a truck driver and Joan was at home. James and Joan were married when they
�owned the home on Clark Street. In 1955, James’ brother, Francis Silveria, married Joan’s
sister, Beverly E. Bishop. Joan passed away November 18, 1999.
While James was living at 37 Clark Street, he is listed as working as a laborer. After
moving from Clark Street, James moved back to Peabody where he worked as an operator at N
N Flynn Contracting. James and Joan divorced not long after moving from Clark Street to
Peabody. James was then remarried to Anna T. Brisbois on June 30, 1956. Anna was born to
William Emmett and Stacia (Borowski) Emmett around 1916. They divorced sometime within six
years. On November 2, 1962, James married his fourth wife, Elaine E. (Tetreault) DeVarennes
in Seabrook, New Hampshire. Elaine was born in 1929 to Arthur W. Tetreault and Catherine
(Dubiel) Tetreault. The newlyweds lived at 23 Parsons Street in Peabody. James was a heavy
machine operator at the time and Elaine was at home. James and Elaine divorced and James
married a fifth time on March 3, 1972, in Florida; a woman whose name is illegible. Eight
months later, James passed away on November 12, 1973, in Levy, Florida.
James sold the home to Edward F. Colbert and Edith A. Colbert on June 11, 1954. The
Colbert family continues to live there to this day. The home has been owned by their son,
Dennis Colbert, since June 28, 1996, when Edward sold the home for $125,000.
�SOURCES
�Table of Deeds
Date
Purchased
Home
Owner
Years
of
Ownership
Number
of Years
November
30, 1921
Frederick
H.
Griswold
Isabella
H.
Griswold
1921
June 17,
1925
Mattie
Simard
April 23,
1947
Purchase
Price
Deed
Referenced
Notes
4
Certificate of Title
#3862
Griswold owned
a majority of the
plots on Clark
Street and sold
them at different
times over a
span of many
years.
19251952
27
New Cert: 5598
Document:13351
Lot 288 and Lot
289
Harry
Rodetes
Mattie
(Simard)
Rodetes
19471952
5
Permit No.192
The permit to
build the home
was approved by
the City of
Salem.
August 8,
1952
James F.
Silveria
Joan B.
Silveria
19521954
Document
66077-1&2
James F. Silveria
purchases lot
287
June 11,
1954
Edward F.
Colbert
Edith A.
Colbert
19541996
42
For
consideration
paid
16-3862:
Document 71997
Both parcels of
land (lot 287 and
288) are
combined.
June 28,
1996
Dennis W.
Colbert
1996present
25+
$125,000
66933-325:
Document
320652
n/a
�Residents Table
Resident Name
Directory Year
Occupation
Harry Rodetes
1947-1953
Shoeworker
Mattie (Simard) Rodetes
1947-1953
At home
James Silveria
1954-1955
Laborer
Joan B. Silveria
1954-1955
At home
Edward Colbert
1956-1996
Specialist at General Electric
��
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Clark Street
Historic Salem, Inc. House History
A resource made available by Historic Salem, Inc. detailing the history of Salem's houses.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
37 Clark Street, Salem, MA, 01970
Subject
The topic of the resource
House History
Description
An account of the resource
Mattie Simard
Harry Rodetes
Housewife and Shoeworker
Built in 1947
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Historic Salem, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Historic Salem, Inc. house histories
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Historic Salem, Inc.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Built in 1947
House history completed 2021
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Amanda Eddy
Language
A language of the resource
English
1947
2021
37 Clark Street
Housewife
Massachusetts
Rodetes
Salem
Shoeworker
Simard