ALLERTON HOUSE RESIDENT PROFILE

James Gratto

Jim always says, “There are two kinds of people, the ones that know about Machias, and the ones that don’t.” Machias is a small town in Maine that was established before the Revolution. In fact, the first naval battle of the American Revolution was in Machias Bay.

Jim’s home was on Spring Street. Actually, the only homes on Spring Street were owned by the Grattos. He was raised in a family of three brothers and two sisters. In 1923, Jim’s family moved to Portland. It was there that he met his lovely wife, Irene. They met on a blind date, and it was love at first sight. One year later, Jim and Irene were married. They had four children: Mary, James, Jr., Katherine, and Edward.

During World War II, Jim was sent to Maritime Commission. In 1954, Jim and his family moved to Arlington, Massachusetts. He became the Assistant Regional Director of the National Credit Association. In 1971, he transferred to San Francisco to become the Regional Director of N.C.A.; he retired in 1974.

Jim has seven grandchildren, and he proudly claims that each of them can recite the Machias School cheer song.
We are so fortunate to have Jim at Allerton House. He is a wealth of knowledge on a variety of subjects. In his apartment, there is a detailed map of Machias. Residents and staff alike always enjoy listening to Jim speak with such love of his hometown.