Knut Gjerset


Knut Gjerset was a Norwegian-American author, historian and college professor.

Biography

Knut Gjerset was born at Fræna in Møre og Romsdal, Norway. He was the son of Ole Sørensen Gjerset and Karen Marie Olsdatter Eidem. He immigrated with his family to Chippewa County, Minnesota during 1871. His brother, Oluf Gjerset, was an elected official in Minnesota.
Gjerset attended Willmar Seminary in Willmar, Minnesota and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from the University of Minnesota in 1893. He held the position of principal at St. Ansgar Seminary in St. Ansgar, Iowa. He was married in 1894 Helen Baumgarten at New Richland, Minnesota. Gjerset studied at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and at the University of Heidelberg where he was awarded a PhD.
Gjerset next worked as a principal at Glenwood Academy in Glenwood, Minnesota. In 1902, he became a professor at Luther College. Gjerset was department head of the history department for more than thirty years and co-editor of the literary yearbook Symra. He served as curator of the Norwegian-American Historical Museum.He published a number of historical works, including History of the Norwegian People and History of Iceland. Knut Gjerset was appointed Knight of the 1st class in the Order of St. Olav in 1917. He also served as the chairman of the committee on exhibits for the Norse-American Centennial in 1925.

Selected works