NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

To Emil G. KATTERMANN has come the attainment of a distinguished position in connection with the business world of Morris county. His life achievements worthily illustrate what may be accomplished by persistent and painstaking effort. He is a man of progressive ideas, and exactness and thoroughness characterize all his attainments. He is a partner and founder in the Swiss Knitting Company of Dover, is a director in the Dover Trust Company, and is treasurer of the Hugo Huettig Company of Paterson.

Mr. KATTERMANN was born in the province of Saxony, Germany, July 11, 1869. His parents, August and Ernestina (SCHUHMANN) KATTERMANN, were born and raised in Germany, where the mother is still living. The father was engaged in the silk manufacturing business during his active career and he spent his entire life in Germany, with the exception of visits paid to the United States, in 1895 and 1909, in company with his wife. He died in the year 1910, aged seventy-three years. His father was August KATTERMANN , of Germany. Mr. E. G. KATTERMANN’s parents had the following children:

• August, engaged in the silk manufacturing business in Paterson, New Jersey;
• Paul F., associated with his brother, Emil G., in the knitting business at Dover; George, a prominent and successful dentist at Frankenberg;
• Clara, wife of Roland SIEVERS, a resident of Dover; Gotthard, engaged in the silk business at Passaic;
• Emil G., the immediate subject of this review.

Under the invigorating influence of outdoor life in Germany, Emil G. KATTERMANN was reared to maturity and he was educated in the public and academic schools of his native land, also took a course in the Industrial College, Limbach, Germany. At the age of twenty years he decided to immigrate to America and after his arrival in this country he located first in Wharton, New Jersey, subsequently removing thence to Brooklyn, New York. He had familiarized himself with the silk industry in Germany and after coming to this country followed that business as an employee for one year. In 1890 he opened a knitting factory at Paterson, New Jersey, and there maintained his home and business headquarters until 1895, when he removed to Dover. Here he and his brother, Paul F., conduct the Swiss Knitting Company, which manufactures ladies’ swiss ribbed underwear of silk, cotton, and wool. This enterprise has grown to extensive proportions during the last score of years and represents one of the big industries of Dover. Mr. KATTERMANN also has an interest in the Hugo Huettig Company of Paterson, manufacturers of silk hosiery, and of this prominent concern he is a treasurer. He is a member of the board of directors in the Dover Trust Company. As a business man he exercises splendid judgement, is a shrewd buyer and an excellent manager. All his success in life is due to his own well directed efforts and for that reason is the more gratifying to contemplate.

In June. 1895, Mr. KATTERMANN married Blanche JENKINS, a native of Mine Hill, daughter of David and Rachel (WILLIAMS) JENKINS, the former of whom was a pioneer in the mining business in Morris county. Mrs. KATTERMANN has one sister and two brothers, namely:

• Annie,
• William T.,
• George.

There are four children in the E. G. KATTERMANN family, all boys:

• Hermann,
• Emil,
• August,
• George,

all of whom are at the paternal home in Dover.

In politics Mr. KATTERMANN is a staunch Republican. He has served his home community of Dover as alderman for two terms and is now a member of the shade tree committee. His fraternal connections are with the F. and A. M., the B. P. O. E., and the I. O. O. F. He is likewise a member of the Dover Singing Society, a German Organization, and in religious faith he is a Lutheran, his wife being an attendant of the Presbyterian church.

This biography was transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003).

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