[1] Knut Guttormsen was born on the homestead Sigurdstøyl in Morgedal in Telemark county.
The same year he traveled to Christiania where an older half-brother had settled earlier.
While in Sarpsborg, he met Sofie Andersdatter Haugaskjæret from Time in Østfold.
[1][2] The family moved to Trondheim in the 1860s where he received several large construction assignments.
Eventually, Knut Guttormsen was appointed construction manager for the restoration work at Nidaros Cathedral.