Background
He was born in Bergen as a son of merchant Friedrich Ludwig Konow (1746–1798) and his wife Anna Hedvig Rieck (1756–1810). His father and uncle had migrated from Germany to Norway. The surname stems from the village Konau.
He was born in Bergen as a son of merchant Friedrich Ludwig Konow (1746–1798) and his wife Anna Hedvig Rieck (1756–1810). His father and uncle had migrated from Germany to Norway. The surname stems from the village Konau.
Thomas Konow was a brother of the merchant-politicians Wollert Konow and August Konow. Starting in 1805 as a cadet in the Dano-Norwegian navy, he was promoted to Junior Lieutenant in 1813 and served on the brig Lolland in Norwegian waters. On 6 May 1814 his name was removed from the list of Danish Naval Officers as he had transferred his allegiance to Norway after these two countries separated after the Treaty of Kiel.
Lolland became a Norwegian vessel at the same time.
In the Norwegian navy he was promoted to Senior Lieutenant (6 October 1821), and through the various ranks of Captain to Rear Admiral and Chief of the Navy (11 July 1860). He retired 10 October 1869.
He served as a temporary councillor of state in interim in 1861.
He was a member of the Constituent Assembly at Eidsvold in 1814. Konow was at his death the last surviving member of the Norwegian Constituent Assembly of 1814.
