Michael Katzban

Michael Katzban (September 11, 1876 – July 3, 1962) was a core molder and insurance salesman from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Background

Katzban was born in Lemont, in Cook County, Illinois, on September 11, 1876. He came to Milwaukee in 1886, attended public and parochial schools, and learned the trade of core molder, which he continued to practice. He joined the Molders Union around 1898, and held various offices in it.

Legislative service and political activity

He was elected to the Assembly's Fourteenth Milwaukee County district (the 14th Ward of the City of Milwaukee in 1910 to succeed Democrat Joseph Domachowski (who was not a candidate for re-election). Katzban earned 1,328 votes, to 1,184 for former Democratic Assemblyman John Szymarek and 440 for Republican Leo Kelpinski. He was assigned to the standing committees on city living conditions and on vocational education.[1]

In 1912, after a redistricting, he ran for the Assembly in the newly-redrawn Eighth Milwaukee County district, losing to Democrat Jacob J. Litza, Jr., with 1298 votes for Litza, 1065 for Katzban, and 424 for Republican Charles Strasberger.[2]

He served as a deputy sheriff in Milwaukee County in 1912, and in 1915-1916.

He ran once more for the Assembly from the Eighth District in 1930, coming in second with 1,912 votes to 3,041 for Republican Ben Wiczynski and 1641 for Democratic incumbent Mary O. Kryszak.[3]

In 1945, he was elected to the executive committee of the Milwaukee County Socialist Party.[4] In 1950, he was appointed as a Socialist member of the City of Milwaukee's Election Commission, and served a six-year term. In 1954, he was elected to the Party's state executive committee.[5]

Personal life

At the time of his death in 1962, he had been an insurance salesman for twenty years. He left behind a widow, Rose, and a son, John Katzban, who was village manager for the Village of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.[6]

References
  1. Beck, J. D., ed. The blue book of the state of Wisconsin Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1911; pp. 347, 352, 773
  2. The Wisconsin blue book Madison: Democrat Printing Co., State Printer, 1913; p. 673
  3. Kelly, Alice, ed. The Wisconsin blue book, 1931 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1931; pp. 572, 577
  4. "Blast Sorcey Bar License: Socialists See Need of Council 'Opposition'" Milwaukee Sentinel January 25, 1945; pt. 2, pg. 1, col. 6
  5. "Socialists Out Of Races for State Offices" Milwaukee Sentinel pt. 2, pg. 1, col. 5
  6. "Michael Katzban" Milwaukee Journal obituary; July 3, 1962; p. 14, col. 3
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