 He was great-nephew of Jonas Collett and second cousin of Johan Vogt (1858–1932), Nils Vogt (1859–1927), Paul Benjamin Vogt (1863–1947) and Ragnar Vogt (1870–1943).His family first lived at St. Hanshaugen, Vestre Aker, before they in 1877 moved into a newly constructed villa in Josefines gate, Homansbyen.According to his biographer in "Norsk biografisk leksikon", Hans H. Skei, he grew up in a conservative upper-class environment, but opposed "authorities and conservative attitudes".