Itjen was born in Dorum, Germany. He arrived in the United States on February 5, 1891 in Charleston, South Carolina. Relatives say Itjen denied his German citizenship, claiming he was from Austria, possibly to evade the German draft of the era. From Charleston, Itjen went to Jacksonville, Florida and set up shop as a storekeeper. It is assumed by his descendants, that he met his wife, Lucille Petitclare here, as Lucy's death certificate also notes that she had several cousins in Florida.