In 1926 he was among the founders of the Norwegian Genealogical Society, together with Stian Herlofsen Finne-Grønn and Christopher Morgenstierne Munthe, among others. This was Norway's first national genealogical society. He was the chairman of the organization from 1940 to 1943, taking over from Halvdan Koht who went into exile following the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940. On the very same day, his brother was named as Minister of Church and Education in the Vidkun Quisling government that attempted a coup d'etat.