 In May 1929 he married hotelier's daughter Sigrid Birkeland (1900–1989), who after the death of Vidnes married Arne Ording.He graduated from Volda Teachers' College in 1896, moved to Oslo as subeditor of "Arbeideren" in 1898 and was hired in the Labour Party main newspaper "Social-Demokraten" in 1899.In 1900 he was a co-founder and first chairman of "Kristiania socialdemokratiske Ungdomslag".