Career
He was born in Berg, Østfold, and was a brother-in-law of Lars Havstad. He died in an railway accident at Ljan in 1906. He established Hamar Døvstummeinstitut at Hamar in 1882, and chaired the school for 25 years.
He is particularly known for the education of the deafblind girl Ragnhild Tollefsdatter Kaata, probably among the first deafblind who learned to talk.