He was born in Uzhhorod, Austria-Hungary (now Ukraine), where his father George Zatkovich was a professor in a school for cantors of the Ruthenian Catholic Church. He was educated in the Royal Gymnasium at Uzhhorod and later completed a course in notarial studies. He then worked as a notary public for fifteen years in various Rusyn villages. He married Irma Zlockij and they had six children.
He emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1891 and was among the founders of the Greek Catholic Union of Rusyn Brotherhoods, a fraternal benefit association. He was the founding editor of its newspaper, Amerikansky Russky Viestnik.