[1][2] Ole Anton Qvam was born in Bolsøy in today's Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway.

He was the son of Ole Larsen Qvam (1782–1844) and Johanne Pedersdatter Ryen (1797–1850).

He founded the Sparbu and Egge savings bank in 1872, where he was chairman of the board 1873–1886.

On April 21, 1902, Qvam became Norway's Prime Minister in Stockholm during the first government of Otto Blehr.

[3][4] He was married to feminist pioneer Fredrikke Marie Qvam (1843-1938) who was President of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights and founded the Norwegian Women's Public Health Association.