Gunderson was born in Norway in 1839 and moved to America in 1848, settling in Chicago.  At the age of fifteen, he left school to begin carpentry work.  Throughout his life, Gunderson was a sharp businessman, working in carpentry, lumber milling, shipping, and home building.  He was also a vital supporter of the World’s Fair in Chicago.  In 1863, Gunderson married Emily Olson, and together they had three children.  In the last ten years or so of his life, Gunderson and his wife traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe.  Gunderson died on March 7, 1908.

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Gunderson ble født i Norge i 1839 og flyttet til Amerika i 1848, der han bosatte seg i Chicago. Som femtenåring sluttet han på skolen for å begynne som snekker. Gjennom hele livet var Gunderson en dyktig forretningsmann; han jobbet innenfor sagbruk, shipping og husbygging. I 1863 giftet Gunderson seg med Emily Olson, og sammen fikk de tre barn. De siste ti årene av livet reiste han og kona mye rundt i USA og Europa. Gunderson døde 7. mars 1908.