He was a son of Ole Gjerdrum and Mette Alette Christine Krohn.
[2] Through his sister Alette Jørgine Constanse Gjerdrum (1833–1891), he was a brother-in-law of dean Halfdan Einar Sommerfelt (1830–1901) .
From 1854 to 1866, he was the agent-general in Norway for the Swedish insurance company Skandia.
[4] He also served as a chamberlain for Carl XV of Sweden from the time of his coronation in 1860 until the death of the king in 1872.
He is known for writing a diary from the coronation of Carl XV in 1860.