 He was the son of Edward Olsen Bodding (1825–1905) and Betzy Emilie Wennevold (1838–1889).Bodding was the son of a bookseller, and he first met the founder of The Indian Home Mission to the Santals (later developed to the NELC), Lars Olsen Skrefsrud, in his father's bookshop in Gjøvik.Skrefsrud was born just outside the neighbouring town Lillehammer, in Oppland.