History: August Kattner Electronics, Matawan (1928)

The 13 Jan 1928 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 4) contained an advertisement by an electronics shop operated by August Kattner on Main Street in Matawan. He was promoting the ownership of the latest electric radio by the Atwater Kent Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia. Electricial appliances were still a novelty in the Roaring Twenties, so having an "A. C. set" (alternating current) in one's own home would have been quite fashionable and modern.in those days.

Radio Manufacturers of the 1920s, by Alan Douglas, pg 82, contains a large Atwater Kent ad providing more information about their products.

August Kattner, age 35, born in New York to NY parents, was enumerated in Matawan in the 1930 Federal Census. His occupation was retail merchant - electric. He had $15,000 in property. His wife was 39 and born in NJ to NY parents. They'd been married 12 years. They lived on Main Street, but the census enumerator said the building had no number. Surrounding addresses on the page were 160 Main and 144 Main.

The Matawan Borough history written in 1936 said on page 39 that August Kattner was the current occupant of 146 Main Street, a building which used to house the offices of Farmers and Merchant Bank. He was living at 146 Main Street when he registered for the draft during World War II in the early 1940s. 

August appeared in the 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940 Federal censuses in Matawan. He lived with his parents on Madison Avenue in Manhattan in 1900. His father was a designer at the time.

He was living with his parents at 27 Park Avenue in Matawan when he registered for the draft in World War I. That form showed his birth date as 17 Jun 1894 and place of birth was New York City. At the time (5 Jul 1917) he was a self-employed electrical contractor. He was tall, slender, had brown hair and brown eyes.

August's parents, August, Sr (62 NY) and Anna (57 NY) Kattner, lived at 27 Park Avenue in the 1930 Federal Census. They'd been married 37 years. Their parents were from Germany. He was a foreman at a tile factory.

August's father was elected as President of the Deutscher Club of Monmouth County, according to the 23 Mar 1910 edition of The Red Bank Register, pg 15.