HAMSUN'S FAMILY: THE SIBLINGS

Knut Hamsun's siblings numbered seven people.

1. Petter Pedersen (b. 10.04.1851, d. 05.04.1918).

Petter was born in Gudbrandsdalen. He emigrated to America in 1867, and there he met Aasne Drotning. Aasne was born in the United States in 1849 as the daughter of Norwegian immigrants. Petter and Aasne married on December 8, 1872.

Petter and Aasne had two children, who became adults; Elmer Theodore Peterson (b. 14.05.1876, d. 14.10.1954) and Elizabeth Turene Peterson. married Johnson (b. 01.08.1882, d. 25.05.1970).

Petter was a tailor by trade when he died in Dane, Wisconsin in 1918, leaving behind a wife and two children. His wife Aasne died a few years later on January 20, 1929.

2. Ole Pedersen (b. 5.5. 1854, d. 28.11. 1944).

Ole was born in Gudbrandsdalen. He worked as a shoemaker on Hamarøy,
and married on August 10, 1875, Kristine Ingeborg Larsen (b. 25.02.1855, d. 08.05.1937). Ole and Kristine had seven children:

Kristoffer Martin Olsen (b. 12.09.1875, d. 04.02.1898)
Oscar Magnus Olsen (b. 17.03.1878, 31.12.1917)
Torgine Petrine Olsen, married Teigen (b. 12.01.1881, d. 09.10.1925)
Laura Alice Olsen, married Ødegaard (b. 23.09.1883, d. 14.07.1913)
Oluf Herman Meier Olsen (b. 15.07.1887, d. 15.10.1977)
Martin Sofus Olsen, (b. 10.01.1890, d. 29.11.1924)
Ottar Kristian Olsen (b. 01.09.1893, d. 07.06.1930)
Ludvig Olsen (b. 22.04.1896, d. 23.04.1896)
Inga Kristine Olsen (b. 13.01.1897, d. 08.03.1914)

Ole Pedersen (1854–1944), Knut Hamsun's second-oldest brother, photographed on Hamarøy on June 21, 1928

3. Hans Pedersen (b. 24.10.1856, d.16.7.1935) '

Hans was born in Gudbrandsdalen. Worked as sheriff and county treasurer in Bø. Married 4 November 1881 to Inger Amalia Nordahl (b. 5.9.1860 in Vinje, Bø, died 27.10.1938 in Vinje, Bø). Hans and Inger had nine children:

Tora Margrete Pedersen, married Steen (b. 07.03.1882, d. October 1952)
Ragnhild Petrine Pedersen, married Melvold (b. 02.01.1884, d. 04.12.1981)
Harald Pedersen (b. 08.05.1885, d. 12.03.1956).
Aslak Nordahl Pedersen (b. 29.03.1887, d. 14.08.1984)
Arne Magnus Pedersen (b. 20.03.1889, d. 21.03.1910)
Sofie Johanne Pedersen, married Bjørseth (b. 11.05.1891, d. 27.09.1942)
Gyda Pedersen, married Egenes Eriksen (b. 09.05.1893, d. 07.12.1991)
Signe Pedersen, married Skogen (b. 25.02.1898, d. 08.08.1923)
Olga Pedersen, married Olsen (b. 29.03.1901, d. 13.04.1983)

4. Knud Pedersen (Knut Hamsun) (b. 4.8.1859, d. 19.2.1952).

Knut was born in Gudbrandsdalen. Read about Knut Hamsun's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with his first wife Bergljot and with his second wife Marie.

5. Anne Marie Pedersen (b. 22.03.1862, d. 29.02.1888 in maternity hospital on Hamarøy).

Anne Marie was born in Gudbrandsdalen. Married on July 7, 1887 to Kristen Emil Kristiansen (b. 14.08.1863, d. 27.05.1936) from Fikke on Hamarøy. After Anne Marie's death, Kristen remarried on September 12, 1890 to Ida Henriette Olsen (b. 30.04.1871, d. 02.09.1937) from Hamarøy, and had a number of children with her.

6. Sophie Marie Pedersen (b. 17.08.1864, d. 30.01.1890)

Sophie Marie was born on Hamarøy. She lived with her uncle Hans Olsen from infancy. She was a teacher, married in Vardø on 24.6.1885 to Johan Andreas Mørk from Volda, settled in Bodø. They had four children: twin girls who died early (one of them was named Rosa, the other's name is not known), a boy (name unknown) who died the year he was confirmed, and Thoralf Hagbart (b. 1886, d. 9.1.1957).

Thoralf Hagbart Mørk had six children: Borgny, Thorbjørg, Solveig, Thorstein, Inger and Sverre.

7. Peder Thorvald Pedersen (b. 14.6.1868, d. 10.10.1941). Police constable, was dismissed 15.6.1895. Married 28.12.1895 to Anna Mathea Andersen Folvik (b. 1871, d. ?). They had four children: (Almer Hamsun) – Almar Bjørnefjell (b. 4.12.1898, d.?). The names of the other children are not known.

The information about Knut Hamsun's family has been compiled by Kirsten Hedvig Rasmussen, edited by Gro Roksand.

Published July 6, 2010